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Witness History: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

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Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's Diamonds Scandal

10/08/2023 GMT

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

BBC World Service - Witness History, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

Journalist Claude Angeli broke the story that helped topple France's President in 1981

Journalist Claude Angeli discovered the French President received diamonds from the former Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic, which helped topple Giscard in 1981.

In 1979, French journalist Claude Angeli and his colleagues discovered Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the French President, received gifts of diamonds worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from the grisly and deposed former Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Republic. 

The scandal damaged Giscard d’Estaing’s reputation and contributed to him losing the French Presidential election in 1981. 

Ben Henderson speaks to Claude Angeli.

(Photo: Giscard d'Estaing and Bokassa in 1975. Credit: William Karel/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

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