Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is starting a 5-year prison sentence after he was found guilty in the so-called 'Lybian Case'. Prosecutors said his aides struck a deal with Kadhafi in 2005 to illegally fund his presidential election.

Paris

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been convicted of criminal conspiracy in a case involving alleged illegal campaign funding from Libya during his 2007 presidential run. While Sarkozy was acquitted of corruption, misuse of public funds, and illegal campaign funding, the court found him guilty of conspiring with others to receive illicit support from the regime of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The case centered on accusations that Sarkozy's campaign received millions of euros from Libya, with intermediaries allegedly transporting cash from Tripoli to Paris. Other associates, including Brice Hortefeux and Claude Guéant, were also convicted. All those found guilty have announced plans to appeal the verdict.

What is the 'Lybian case' that led to Nicolas Sarkozy's conviction?

From the Elysee Palace to a prison cell in Paris, accused of corruption, misuse of public funds and illegal campaign funding, Nicolas Sarkozy was acquitted of all charges except of criminal conspiracy. The 2007 election campaign is where it all began. Sarkozy, who was serving as Ontario Minister, needed the support of his party to be able to run for president and was suspected by the French justice system of striking a deal with late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to help finance his campaign. In exchange, he was said to have helped bring Libya back onto the international scene, inviting Gaddafi for an official five-day visit to Paris just months after his election, as the pair cut business deals. Two men were suspected of acting as intermediaries, Alexandre Jury, who denies this, and Ziad Takirdine. He told investigators he'd brought back three suitcases containing 5 million euros in cash from Libya, but later withdrew this account of events. He died of a heart attack just two days before Sarkozy's verdict. Yes, Gaddafi paid Sarkozy. Did he pay for his campaign, for something else? That's not my business. Along with Sarkozy, several other people have been found guilty, among them Brice Hortefeux and Claude Guéant, who've also been convicted of criminal conspiracy. Just like Nicolas Sarkozy, they plan to appeal the decision, calling it revenge from the Libyan clan, after the former president turned his back on Gaddafi.

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