Sarkozy Found Guilty of Criminal Conspiracy in Gaddafi Funding Case
Paris, France – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of criminal conspiracy in a case centered on illicit funds allegedly received from the late Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi. The Paris criminal court delivered the verdict today, finding Sarkozy guilty of allowing close aides to seek financial support from Libyan officials for his 2007 presidential campaign.
However, Sarkozy, 70, was acquitted of charges including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing. Judge Nathalie Gavarino stated the court lacked sufficient evidence to prove Sarkozy directly benefited from the alleged illegal campaign financing.
The prosecution argued Sarkozy promised to assist gaddafi in improving his standing with Western nations in exchange for the funds. The investigation began in 2013, sparked by accusations from Gaddafi’s son, Saif al-Islam, that Sarkozy had accepted millions for his campaign.Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine later claimed to possess proof of €50 million (£43 million) in payments from Tripoli to Sarkozy’s campaign, continuing even after he took office.
Sarkozy, who served as President of France from 2007 to 2012, has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming the case is politically motivated.
Alongside Sarkozy, others were also implicated. Former interior ministers Claude Gueant and Brice Hortefeux were both accused in the trial; Gueant was found guilty of corruption and related charges, while Hortefeux was convicted of criminal conspiracy. Sarkozy’s wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, faces charges of concealing evidence and associating with wrongdoers related to the case, allegations she denies.
This conviction marks the latest in a series of legal challenges for Sarkozy as leaving office in 2012. He is currently appealing a february 2024 ruling finding him guilty of overspending on his 2012 re-election campaign and covering it up,receiving a one-year sentence.In 2021, he was convicted of attempting to bribe a judge in 2014, becoming the frist former French president to receive a custodial sentence, later served at home with an electronic tag.
