Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to one year in prison Monday after being convicted of corruption and influence peddling.
The conviction stems from Sarkozy’s 2014 attempt to bribe a magistrate so that he would reveal information about a legal proceeding the former president was involved in, according to the Associated Press. Sarkozy also received a two year suspended prison sentence.
Nicolas Sarkozy, who was president of France from 2007 to 2012, was convicted for having tried to illegally obtain information from a senior magistrate in 2014 about a legal action in which he was involved. https://t.co/w7O0pAWpdr
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 1, 2021
Prosecutors alleged that Sarkozy and his lawyer, who was also charged in the case, offered a magistrate a job in Monaco in exchange for confidential information about campaign finance charges against Sarkozy, Voice of America News reported. Sarkozy’s lawyer, Thierry Herzog, and the judge, Gilbert Azibert, were also convicted and received the same sentence, according to France 24. (RELATED: French President Nicolas Sarkozy Backs Ban On Full Islamic Veils)
Sarkozy is also facing campaign finance charges related to his 2007 and 2012 presidential runs. The son of former Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi alleged in 2011 that Gaddafi sent Sarkozy the equivalent of more than $58 million for his successful 2007 campaign. Sarkozy is also accused of violating campaign spending limits for his 2012 campaign, and conspiring with a communications firm to hide the true costs. He has denied all charges.