Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has received a five-year prison sentence after being convicted of criminal conspiracy in a prominent case linked to illicit funds purportedly received from the late Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi.
On Wednesday, the Paris criminal court determined that Sarkozy permitted close associates to seek financial assistance from Libyan officials to finance his 2007 presidential campaign.
Although he was acquitted of charges related to passive corruption and illegal campaign financing, Judge Nathalie Gavarino stated that his conduct facilitated Gaddafi’s regime’s influence over French politics.
Prosecutors contended that the Libyan leader funneled as much as €50 million (£43m) to Sarkozy’s campaign. While the court found insufficient evidence to demonstrate that he directly received the funds, it concluded that he played a pivotal role in facilitating the conspiracy.
The investigation commenced in 2013, two years after Gaddafi’s son, Saif al-Islam, accused Sarkozy of secretly accepting millions in campaign contributions. Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine subsequently claimed to possess written evidence that Sarkozy’s campaign was significantly financed by Tripoli.
Several of Sarkozy’s associates were also found guilty. Former interior minister Claude Gueant was convicted of corruption, while another ex-interior minister, Brice Hortefeux, was found guilty of conspiracy. Sarkozy’s wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, still faces related charges of concealing evidence, which she denies.
Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, has consistently denied the allegations, asserting that the case is politically motivated. His legal challenges have escalated in recent years: in 2021, he became the first former French president to be sentenced to prison after being found guilty of attempting to bribe a judge. In 2024, he was also convicted of overspending on his unsuccessful re-election campaign.
With this latest ruling, Sarkozy confronts his most severe punishment to date—a five-year custodial sentence.
