Ex-French President Sarkozy Jailed Over Gaddafi Funds Scandal

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison and fined for accepting illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal association in a scheme to finance his campaign between 2005 and 2007 in exchange for diplomatic favors.

He was cleared of some charges, including passive corruption and embezzlement. Prosecutors alleged that Sarkozy made a deal with Gaddafi in 2005 while he was France's interior minister.

Other individuals, including former interior minister Claude Gueant and Brice Hortefeux, were also implicated in the case. This verdict marks a significant legal blow to a former French head of state.