Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was on Thursday convicted of criminal association over allegations that his 2007 election campaign received illicit funding from the regime of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The Paris Criminal Court ruled that Sarkozy allowed members of his inner circle to solicit funds from Tripoli between 2005 and 2007.
However, he was acquitted of misappropriation of public funds and passive corruption. Presiding judge Nathalie Gavarino said Sarkozy was guilty of complicity by enabling his associates to pursue the financing.
Several former allies also received convictions. Claude Guéant, Sarkozy’s ex-campaign director, was found guilty of criminal association, passive corruption, influence peddling, forgery, and aggravated money laundering.
Ex-minister Brice Hortefeux was convicted of criminal association linked to illegal campaign financing.
Others were acquitted, including Saudi businessman Ahmed Salem Bugshan, businessman Édouard Ullmo, and former minister Éric Woerth.
Sentencing and additional rulings in the long-running case are expected in the coming weeks.
