Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty on Thursday of criminal conspiracy following a trial in which he was accused of accepting millions of euros in illegal payments from the late Libyan ruler, Muammar Gaddafi, between 2005 and 2007.

The Paris Criminal Court sentenced him to five years in prison: it is the first time a former French president has received a prison sentence.

Sarkozy, 70, was found not guilty of other charges, including illegal campaign financing and passive corruption.

Sarkozy has always denied all the charges. He claims the charges against him were politically motivated by Gaddafi’s inner circle in revenge for his backing of the antigovernment uprising in Libya in 2011.

Here is what we know.

Who is Nicolas Sarkozy?

Sarkozy is the right-wing, fo

See Full Page