A Paris court has found Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, guilty of criminal conspiracy. The conviction relates to allegations that Mr. Sarkozy sought to finance his 2007 presidential campaign with funds from the government of then-Libyan leader Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. He was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros, approximately $117,000.
The court stipulated that Mr. Sarkozy’s incarceration would commence at a later date and would be enforced regardless of any appeal. This ruling is considered an unprecedented and harsh sentence for a former French president in modern history. Concurrently, Mr. Sarkozy was acquitted of charges for corruption and illegal campaign financing, as the court determined there was insufficient evidence to prove that Libyan funds had actually been transferred to his campaign.
Source: www.nytimes.com