The 2020 trial in France for the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy dealt with allegations that he bribed a judge with a retirement package in return for information on an investigation into alleged campaign finance violations due to payments he is said to have received from heiress Liliane Bettencourt. The trial opened on 24 November 2020.[1] Prosecutors have asked for a four-year jail sentence (of which two would be suspended) for Sarkozy, the implicated judge (Gilbert Azibert) as well as Sarkozy's lawyer, Thierry Herzog.[2][3] On 4 December 2020, Ziad Takieddine, a Lebanese businessman who allegedly helped finance Sarkozy's 2007 campaign with help from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was detained in Lebanon,[4] but was allowed a condition prison a few days later after agreeing to abide by a travel ban.[5] The defendants deny the accusations.[6] The trial concluded on 10 December; the verdict was rendered on 1 March 2021.[7] Sarkozy, Azibert and Herzog were found guilty and sentenced to three years in jail for corruption.[8][9] Two years of this sentence are suspended, and one to be served in prison.[9] Sarkozy has appealed, which suspends the ruling.[10][11]

On 20 May 2021, a new criminal trial related to illegal campaign funding began for Sarkozy, as well as 13 other defendants who were said to have been involved in the Bygmalion scandal.[12][13] Sarkozy's second corruption trial involved allegations of diverting tens of millions of euros which was intended to be spent on his failed 2012 re-election campaign and then hiring a PR firm to cover it up.[14][12] Rather than spend this illicit money on his re-election campaign, Sarkozy instead overspent it on lavish campaign rallies and events.[12][14] On 30 September 2021, Sarkozy, as well as his co-defendants, was convicted at the conclusion of this corruption trial as well.[15][14] For this conviction, he was given a 1 year prison sentence, though he was also given the option to instead serve this sentence at home with an electronic bracelet.[14][15]

References

  1. ↑ Breeden, Aurelien (23 November 2020). "Corruption Trial of Ex-President Sarkozy Opens in France". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "French prosecutors seek prison term for ex-president Sarkozy in graft trial". France 24. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  3. ↑ "French prosecutors seek jail in Sarkozy corruption trial". ABC News. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  4. ↑ Businessman linked to Sarkozy corruption allegations detained in Beirut - sources, Reuters, December 4, 2020
  5. ↑ Lebanon orders release, travel ban on businessman tied to Sarkozy case, Reuters, December 8, 2020
  6. ↑ "Nicolas Sarkozy corruption trial: co-defendant wants Covid postponement". the Guardian. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  7. ↑ "French Court To Rule In Ex-president Sarkozy's Corruption Trial". www.barrons.com. AFP. 10 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  8. ↑ Sarkozy: Former French president sentenced to jail for corruption
  9. 1 2 Corbert, Sylvie (1 March 2021). "France's Sarkozy convicted of corruption, sentenced to jail". Associated Press. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Nicolas Sarkozy va faire appel après sa condamnation pour corruption". L'Obs (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  11. ↑ "Affaire des "écoutes" : Nicolas Sarkozy va faire appel". Le Point (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  12. 1 2 3 "Nicolas Sarkozy: Ex-president goes on trial for illegal campaign funding". BBC News. May 20, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  13. ↑ Sebag, Gaspard (20 May 2021). "Sarkozy a No-Show as Second Criminal Trial Begins in Paris". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "France's ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy to serve a year of house arrest for illegal campaign financing". France 24. 30 September 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  15. 1 2 "Sarkozy: Ex-French president gets jail sentence over campaign funding". BBC News. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
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