France's Sarkozy faces jail term in campaign financing case

PARIS – Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is facing a imaginable situation word successful a verdict to beryllium rendered connected Thursday astir run financing successful his unsuccessful 2012 re-election bid — a ruling that comes 7 months aft helium was convicted successful a corruption and power peddling case.

Sarkozy, France’s president from 2007 to 2012, has vigorously denied wrongdoing during the May-June trial.

He is accused of having spent astir doubly the maximum ineligible magnitude of 22.5 cardinal euros ($27.5 million) connected the reelection bid that helium mislaid to Socialist Francois Hollande.

Prosecutors person requested a six-month situation term, arsenic good arsenic a six-month suspended condemnation and a good of 3,750 euros ($4,354).

Thursday's verdict comes aft Sarkozy, 66, was recovered blameworthy connected March 1 of corruption and power peddling successful different case. He was fixed 1 twelvemonth successful situation and 2 years suspended successful that lawsuit but is escaped pending appeal.

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In the run financing case, prosecutors concluded that Sarkozy knew weeks earlier the 2012 predetermination that his expenses — which are strictly constricted nether French instrumentality — were getting adjacent to the ineligible maximum. They accused him of having ignored 2 notes from his accountants informing astir the wealth issue.

Prosecutors argued Sarkozy is “the lone idiosyncratic liable for his run financing” and that helium chose to transcend the bounds by organizing galore rallies, including elephantine ones.

During his hearing, Sarkozy told the tribunal the other wealth did not spell into his campaign, but alternatively helped marque different radical richer. He denied immoderate “fraudulent intent.” He besides insisted helium did not grip day-to-day enactment due to the fact that helium had a squad to bash that and truthful could not beryllium blamed for the magnitude of spending.

In summation to the erstwhile president, 13 different radical went connected trial, including members of his blimpish Republicans party, accountants and heads of the connection radical successful complaint of organizing the rallies, Bygmalion. They look charges including forgery, breach of trust, fraud and complicity successful amerciable run financing.

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Some person acknowledged wrongdoing and elaborate the strategy of mendacious invoices that aimed to screen up the overspending.

Prosecutors person requested mostly suspended situation sentences, and up to 1 twelvemonth successful situation for Bygmalion's co-founder.

Sarkozy retired from progressive authorities successful 2017, but is inactive playing a relation down the scenes. French media person reported that helium is progressive successful the process of choosing a blimpish campaigner up of France's statesmanlike predetermination adjacent year.

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