Sarkozy โขFound Guilty of “Criminal Association” โin Gaddafi Funding โขScandal – Facing Up to 10 Years in Prison
Paris, France – September 25, 2025, 11:11 a.m. – In โขa landmark and โคunprecedented ruling,former French President nicolas โฃSarkozy has been found guilty of forming a “criminal association” linked โto illicit funding from the late Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi. The โverdict,delivered today by a Parisian criminal court,marks a stunning fall from grace for the โonce-powerfulโ politician and sets a new precedent in French legal history.
While acquitted of charges of bribery and illegal campaign financing, the conviction for criminalโ association carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison and โa substantial fine. Sarkozy’s legal team โฃhasโฃ already announced โplans to โคappeal the decision.
the case centers around allegations that Sarkozy โorchestrated a clandestine pact with Gaddafi to โsecure funding for his successful 2007โข presidential campaign. Prosecutors argued that millions of eurosโค from Libya were channeled through intermediaries โto โคfinance Sarkozy’s bidโ for the รlysรฉe Palace.
“Thisโข is a momentous day โfor โฃaccountabilityโ in Frenchโฃ politics,” stated a legal analyst followingโ the verdict. “The conviction, even on the lesser charge, demonstrates that no โone is above theโค law, regardless of their โฃformer position.”
A โDecade-Long Investigation
The โคinvestigation into the alleged Libyan funding began nearly a decade ago, meticulously piecing together โฃa complex web of secret meetings, โfinancial transactions, and incriminating diary entries โขfrom gaddafi’s inner circle.The case file alone spans over 70 volumes, highlighting โคthe extensive nature of the inquiry.
Evidenceโ presented during the trial included testimony regarding suspicious payments to middlemenโ and detailed accounts โof clandestine encountersโข between Sarkozy’s associates and โLibyan officials. โ A keyโ piece of evidenceโฃ was the documented visit of Gaddafi to the รlysรฉe Palace shortly after Sarkozy’s election โคin late 2007, a symbolicโ gesture that fueled speculation about โa โquidโข pro quo arrangement.
twelve โขOthers Also charged
Sarkozy was not alone in โฃfacing prosecution. Twelve other individuals, including three โformer ministers,โ were also charged in connection with the scandal. The outcomeโ of their cases remains pending.
What’s Next?
The โคsentencing phase of the trial is yet toโข be determined.โ Sarkozy maintains his innocence and is expected to vigorously contest the convictionโฃ through the appeals process. The case is likely to continue to dominate headlines โin France and โbeyond,