PARIS, (TDI): France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, on Wednesday former president Nicolas Sarkozy’s conviction for corruption and influence peddling.
Sarkozy had appealed his 2021 conviction, in which he was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspended and the final year to be served under house arrest with an electronic monitoring bracelet.
The conviction stemmed from Sarkozy’s attempt to bribe a judge and use his influence to obtain confidential information about an investigation into his 2007 campaign finances.
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The court found that Sarkozy had conspired to secure a job in Monaco for judge Gilbert Azibert in exchange for inside details about the probe into allegations that he had received illegal payments from L’Oréal heiress Liliane Bettencourt. Azibert was also convicted for his role in the corruption and influence peddling scheme.
Though Sarkozy remains an influential figure in French politics, despite stepping down from the presidency in 2012, he is facing another trial next year over allegations of corruption and illegal financing related to his 2007 presidential campaign, which is said to have been funded by Libya.
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Sarkozy denies any wrongdoing. If convicted in the Libya case, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
The court’s ruling also means that Sarkozy must wear the electronic bracelet and will be ineligible to run for public office for three years.
