Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy gets three-year sentence on corruption charge, might not see a day in jail

Published by BBN Staff at March 1, 2021

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Posted: Monday, March 1, 2021. 10:29 am CST.

By BBN Staff: A Paris court has sentenced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy to three years in prison on charges of corruption and influence peddling; however, it is unlikely he will see a day in prison, reports The Guardian.

The verdict was handed down by a panel of judges earlier today. Sarkozy was accused of forging a “corruption pact” with his lawyer and a magistrate between 2007-2012, and the court ruled there was “serious evidence” that the three men conspired to break the law. Sarkozy had reportedly instructed his lawyer to offer the magistrate a high-paying job in exchange for information regarding an ongoing investigation, among other things.

“It is unlikely the former president will spend a day in jail. The one-year prison sentence can be served with certain conditions, including the wearing of an electronic bracelet, or limited home confinement,” the Guardian notes.

French authorities started monitoring Sarkozy’s communications back in September 2013, during an investigation into claims that he had illegally received an undeclared €50m donation from the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, which was used to fund his successful 2007 presidential campaign. He repeatedly denied committing any wrongdoing and said last year that the upconing trial was an opportunity for him to clear his name.

He is expected to appeal the verdict.

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