He added the claim that the same system of secret payments existed under former presidents Georges Pompidou, Valery Giscard d'Estaing and Francois Mitterand.

BBC: Dominique de Villepin and Jacques Chirac in 2007

Lefebvre described Hollande as "the choice of the past, " with other Sarkozy backers playing up the fact that Mitterand didn't select him as one of his ministers during his 14 years as president.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

"Although Kohl, Andreotti, and Mitterand have passionately argued that heavy infusions of Western cash are needed to save perestroika and strengthen the reform process, it is increasingly clear that a much less high-minded and cynical impetus is at work: The actual recipients of the bulk of these taxpayer funds are companies of the re respective lending governments, " said Roger W. Robinson, Jr.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | ��Trumping�� For Dollars: Moscow Plays Favorites In Payments To Western Creditors