M. Chirac; it's all about the mooonnneyy!

The former No. 2 man of Elf Aquitaine testified Monday that a large part of some $50 million withdrawn from the French oil giant's accounts went toward financing French political parties.

The amount cited by Alfred Sirven was far more than the $5 million that former president Loik Le Floch-Prigent had said went to political parties during his years at the helm, from 1989 to 1993.

Monday's testimony was the latest in a corruption trial that has rattled France's elite and drawn in President Jacques Chirac's former party and even African leaders. Chirac's office has not had an immediate comment on the case.

Too bad Monsieur, my heart bleeds.