Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison by a Paris criminal court after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a high-profile case over alleged illicit campaign financing from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The 70-year-old ex-president, who led France from 2007 to 2012, was acquitted of other charges, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing.
Prosecutors accused Sarkozy of accepting millions of euros from Gaddafi to bankroll his 2007 presidential campaign, in exchange for improving the Libyan leader’s standing with Western nations. Sarkozy has consistently denied wrongdoing, describing the proceedings as politically motivated.
The ruling marks the latest in a series of legal battles for Sarkozy, who has already been convicted in separate corruption and influence-peddling cases. His legal team is expected to appeal the judgment.
