France’s Sarkozy Convicted of Breaking Campaign Finance Laws

PARIS—Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was found guilty Thursday of breaking campaign finance laws during his failed 2012 re-election bid, compounding his legal woes.

A Paris court convicted Mr. Sarkozy on charges of illegally financing an election campaign, handing him a one-year prison sentence to be served at home wearing an electronic bracelet. France places a legal limit of 22.5 million euros, equivalent to $26.1 million, on campaign spending. In a trial this spring, prosecutors alleged Mr. Sarkozy’s campaign spent more than €40 million, using phony receipts in an attempt to mask the spending.