Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has left his Paris home to begin serving his prison sentence after being found guilty of seeking illegal Libyan funding for his 2007 presidential campaign, AFP reported.
Sarkozy was seen leaving hand-in-hand with his wife, singer Carla Bruni, before entering a car escorted by police motorbikes. The convoy departed quietly as photographers and reporters gathered outside his residence.
The 69-year-old, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, now holds the distinction of being the first former leader of a European Union nation to serve time behind bars.
His conviction stems from allegations that he accepted millions of euros from the regime of late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, a scandal that has dogged him for over a decade and sent shockwaves through French politics.
Sarkozy continues to deny all wrongdoing and has vowed to appeal the verdict, insisting that he is the victim of political persecution.
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