Former French President Sarkozy’s career marred by corruption scandals

By Feiza Ben Mohamed

NICE, France (AA) – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday was sentenced to three years of prison after he lost his appeal against a 2021 corruption and influence peddling conviction.

Although his lawyer announced that he will file a cassation complaint, Sarkozy is already implicated in many affairs.

Many scandals, including the Bygmalion affair, allegations that he received Libyan financial support for his electoral campaign, and wiretapping affairs, stained the former Republican right-wing politician's career.

- Bygmalion affair

On Sept. 30, 2021, Sarkozy was sentenced to a year of prison for illegal funding of his election campaign in 2012.

He will be tried once again in November for this on appeal.

The former president is suspected of fraud using fake invoices of the Bygmalion company.

- Wiretapping affair

Sarkozy was wiretapped in 2013 after suspicions that he illegally funded his election campaign from Libyan sources.

Investigators found that the former president was using two other phone lines registered on Paul Bismuth. Sarkozy only communicated with his lawyer Thierry Herzog via those two numbers.

Sarkozy, who led the country between 2007 and 2012, and his lawyer Thierry Herzog were accused of bribing Gilbert Azibert, a former judge in the French Court of Cassation, in 2014 to give them information about a judiciary investigation.

In exchange, Sarkozy promised the judge a prestigious position in Monaco.

- Libyan funds for 2007 campaign

Sarkozy is suspected to have received money in several suitcases coming from the Libyan regime in 2006-2007 to fund his electoral campaign in 2007.

The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) launched an investigation in 2013 and Sarkozy may be tried for criminal association, illegal funding of his election campaign, and concealment of stolen public funds.

*Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara