Breaking News: Sarkozy guilty of illegal campaign financing

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been found guilty of illegal campaign financing.

He had denied any knowledge of fraudulent activities despite the campaign coffers being twice the size of what was legally allowed.

Sarkozy was accused of spending double the authorised campaign financing limit of €22.5 million euros on his re-election. He eventually lost the ballot to left-of-centre Francois Hollande in 2012.

Sarkozy has the right to appeal the decision of guilty.

Earlier this year Sarkozy, 66, was given a one-year prison sentence for corruption after being found guilty in a separate case. He remains free because the decision is pending appeal.

According to EuroNews: “The former French leader is also being investigated over accusations he took money from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to fund his successful 2007 presidential campaign and for influence-peddling in cases relating to his advisory activities in Russia. The latter aims to determine whether he ‘engaged in potentially criminal lobbying activities’ on behalf of Russian oligarchs.”

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