Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy linked to illegal campaign financing from Libya during his 2007 presidential bid.

The ruling was delivered on Thursday by the Paris Criminal Court after a three-month-long trial involving Sarkozy and 10 other defendants. Among the accused were three former ministers and Franco-Lebanese businessman Ziad Takieddine, a central figure in the high-profile case.

While the court cleared Sarkozy of charges of passive corruption and direct illegal campaign financing, it ruled that he conspired to benefit from millions of euros allegedly sent by the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

Speaking outside the court, the 70-year-old ex-president maintained his innocence and criticized the judgment.

“What happened today is extremely serious for the rule of law and for the trust one can have in the justice system,” Sarkozy told reporters.

The investigation into Sarkozy’s campaign finances began in 2013, two years after the fall of Gaddafi’s regime in Libya. It was then that documents and testimonies began to emerge linking Tripoli to Sarkozy’s campaign funds.

Takieddine had claimed that he personally delivered over €5 million (about $5.87 million) in cash to Sarkozy’s team between 2006 and 2007. Investigators believe this cash was used to fuel Sarkozy’s successful presidential campaign.

This is not Sarkozy’s first brush with the law. In 2021, he was convicted in a separate corruption case involving illegal wiretapping and influence peddling, earning him a three-year prison sentence — though much of that sentence was served under house arrest.

Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, remains one of the most controversial figures in modern French politics. His latest conviction is seen as a major moment in France’s fight against high-level political corruption.

Despite the verdict, Sarkozy insists the accusations are politically motivated and based on fabricated evidence. His lawyers have indicated that they will appeal the judgment, potentially delaying the start of his prison term.

The case has reignited debates in France about political campaign funding and transparency, as well as the shadowy dealings that sometimes accompany international diplomacy.