Sarkozy Sentenced in Libyan Campaign Case.

Last week, Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption. Two years ago, Sarkozy was found guilty of accepting millions of euros from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. According to a report in the BBC, Sarkozy will spend time in prison even if he launches an appeal. He will also have to pay a fine of €100,000. According to a report in The London Times, Sarkozy will reject any pardon from the French government because that would suggest that Sarkozy would have to admit guilt in accepting money from the Libyan government. No matter what happens in the future, the fact that a former French president will spend time behind bars is astonishing.

Former French President Sarkozy Stripped of Legion of Honor Due to Corruption Conviction.

Yesterday, the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was stripped of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor. According to a report in The Guardian, Sarkozy was found guilty of corruption in 2021 for attempting to bribe a judge and peddle influence in return for intelligence about an investigation into his campaign finances in 2007. The only other people to be stripped of the legion of honor are Phillippe Petain, the French Vichy leader who collaborated with the Nazis during WWII, Bashar Al Assad the former Syrian despot, Lance Armstrong, and finally Harvey Weinstein (quite a rogue’s gallery of people). According to a report, Sarkozy allegedly received millions of euros in campaign funds from the Gadhafi regime in Libya in 2007. It is unclear what will happen next, but French prosecutors have asked for a 7-year jail term in the Libya case.

The European Union takes a Rightward Turn.

Yesterday, the elections for the Parliament of the European Union took place. According to a report in BBC, the right wing in Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands all made solid gains and will be able to have more of a say in dictating EU policy going forward. Briefly, the way that the EU parliament is that individual parties within a country form blocs within the parliament; for example, the Eurosceptic Alternative for Deutschland party in Germany (AFD) is part of the Identity and Democracy Party bloc (ID) within the EU. Some of the shocking news of the evening came out of France. According to a report in the Washington Post, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, called a snap legislative election due to the gains made by the far-right National Rally (RN). My fear with elections is that these far-right will undermine European democracy and stop the flow of aid to Ukraine, as it is well known that some of these parties have close ties to Russia.

Paris 2024 Olympic Committee in Corruption Scandal.

Today, French financial police raided the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic Committee. According to Reuters, officers were looking into allegations of favoritism and embezzlement of public funds. A report in Politico states that the office of the French financial prosecutor (PNF) is also looking into allegations of misconduct at Solideo, an organization related to Olympic construction projects. Corruption and the Olympics have a rich history; in recent years, the Olympics in Rio and Tokyo have been dogged by corruption scandals. Despite the Olympic Committee partnering with Transparency International, Paris 2024 may be in the running for a gold medal in malfeasance.

Lebanon Still Plagued by Corruption Issues.

Recently, the Lebanese central bank head has been summoned back to the country for questioning. According to a report by AP News, Riad Salameh is facing many financial crimes, including, but limited to, illicit enrichment and money laundering of $330 million. Salameh is facing possible investigations in Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Lebanon. A report by the Washington Post suggests that Lebanon may not send Salameh over to French authorities despite France issuing an Interpol warrant for Salameh’s arrest. The legal wrangling over Salameh appears to be unresolved for some time.

Along with Salameh’s travails, Lebanon has been “grey listed” by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). FATF will closely monitor Lebanon’s efforts to combat money laundering and other financial crimes. According to a report by Reuters, Lebanon scored as only partially compliant in enacting money laundering laws and transparency regarding shell companies. This is another blow to an economy already suffering from high inflation post-COVID-19. Lebanon has much to do if it wants to make progress in eradicating corruption.

Sarkozy Loses Appeal on Corruption Charge.

The former president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, has lost his appeal against a prison sentence relating to corruption charges. According to the BBC, Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to influence a judge. Sarkozy offered the judge a job in Monaco in return for information about the status of an investigation centering on allegations of whether or not the Libyan government gave money to his presidential campaign. Reuters reports that despite being sentenced to three years, two are suspended, and Sarkozy will wear an electronic tag for the other year. Sarkozy is facing several further criminal investigations, so, likely, he is not out of trouble yet.

The Diack Doping Case.

Recently an appeal trial has started in Paris involving the son of the former head of World athletics, Papa Massata Diack. According to Reuters, Diack was convicted on charges relating to kickbacks from Russian athletes in return for hiding their positive drug tests. He was sentenced to five years in prison and was fined €1 million. He is also facing similar legal issues in his native Senegal. This trial is ongoing, and I will update as more information becomes available.