- Nicolas Sarkozy convicted of criminal conspiracy related to alleged Gaddafi campaign funds.
- Cleared of passive corruption and illegal campaign financing charges.
- Court ruled he allowed aides to solicit Libyan support, influencing the 2007 election.
- Alleged payments from Libya totaled €50 million, claims made by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Ziad Takieddine.
- Other French officials, including Claude Gueant and Brice Hortefeux, were also convicted.
- Sarkozy’s wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, faces separate charges of hiding evidence.
- Sarkozy previously served as president from 2007–2012 and has prior legal convictions.
- Sentencing for the current conviction is expected today.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of criminal conspiracy in a high-profile case over alleged illicit funding from the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. The Paris criminal court, however, cleared him of other accusations, including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing.
The ruling found that Sarkozy permitted close aides to solicit financial support from Libyan officials to back his 2007 presidential campaign. While the court said there wasn’t enough evidence to prove he personally gained from the funds, it confirmed his actions facilitated foreign influence on the election. Sarkozy, 70, maintains his innocence, describing the case as politically motivated. His sentencing is expected later today.
The investigation began in 2013 following claims from Gaddafi’s son and was bolstered by Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, who alleged that Sarkozy’s campaign received up to €50 million from Tripoli. Other senior officials, including former interior ministers Claude Gueant and Brice Hortefeux, were also convicted. Sarkozy’s wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, faces separate charges of hiding evidence, which she denies.
Sarkozy, who served as president from 2007 to 2012, has been no stranger to legal controversies, with previous convictions for campaign overspending and attempting to bribe a judge.
