Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy for accepting illicit funds from Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.
The Paris court acquitted him of related charges including passive corruption and illegal campaign financing, but prosecutors had sought up to seven years in prison. The 70-year-old Sarkozy becomes the first former French head of state convicted for taking illegal foreign money to win office. Though he plans to appeal — suspending any sentence — this conviction adds to a series of legal setbacks tarnishing his post-presidential legacy.
The long-running case began after Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the late Libyan leader’s son, alleged in 2011 that Sarkozy received €50 million in covert payments. In 2012, investigative outlet Mediapart published a Libyan memo confirming the claim. Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine later said he delivered cash-filled suitcases from Tripoli, though he later recanted. That retraction has since sparked a witness tampering investigation involving Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, both of whom deny wrongdoing.
Sarkozy dismissed the case as a political plot driven by revenge for his role in Gaddafi’s 2011 downfall. Despite the convictions, Sarkozy remains a significant voice in French conservative politics, though his legal troubles continue to shadow his legacy. Previously convicted of judicial bribery in 2014 and campaign overspending in 2012, Sarkozy has already lost his Legion of Honor. His legal battles are ongoing, with additional appeals pending in France’s highest courts.