Paris:
One of three judges who charged former French president Nicolas Sarkozy with exploiting France's richest woman, has received a bullet in the mail.
Jean-Michel Gentil received a death threat along with a blank cartridge by post, said a statement on the French magistrates' union website.
The statement says the judge's family and several other magistrates were also threatened. The magistrates' union says Mr Sarkozy's supporters have made insulting remarks against the judiciary and his lawyers have questioned the impartiality of the judges. The statement claims that an "unbearable fury of hatred has been unleashed against the magistrates of justice".
Mr Sarkozy was placed under investigation last week. He has been charged with taking advantage of L'Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, who was declared in state of dementia in 2006. Mr Sarkozy has been accused of accepting cash from her for his electoral campaign.
Earlier this week, Mr Sarkozy used his Facebook page to respond to these accusations, calling the investigation "unfair and unfounded". He said, "I will devote all of my energy to prove my honesty. Truth will triumph. I have no doubt about it." The Facebook status signed "NS" got more than 90,000 likes.
Mr Sarkozy has been hinting at a political comeback and if he has to face a trial, it would ruin his hopes of running for President in 2017. French President Francois Hollande, who beat Sarkozy in the 2012 election, is going through a rough patch as his popularity is at an all time low. Opinion polls show a majority of French voters think he is a "bad President."