Former French President Found Guilty of Conspiracy in Libyan Funding Case

 A Paris court has found former French President Nicolas Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case concerning the alleged financing of his 2007 election campaign by the Libyan government under Muammar Gaddafi. He was sentenced to five years in prison, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

Sarkozy "allowed his close associates (...) to act with the aim of obtaining financial support," explained presiding judge Nathalie Gavarino. However, the former president was acquitted of corruption charges.

During the trial, Sarkozy, who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012, faced charges of passive corruption, illegal campaign financing, concealment of embezzlement of public funds, and criminal conspiracy. Sarkozy himself denied all allegations of illicit funding, stating that the trial was orchestrated by "liars and fraudsters."

In January, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the former Libyan leader, claimed that he personally participated in handing over suitcases of cash to the former French president to finance his 2007 campaign.

Maria Safonova