French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzling EU funds to finance her National Rally (RN) party, alongside eight ex-EU lawmakers and 12 aides.
A Paris court ruled the group ran an “organized system” from 2004–2016 to divert public money, paying parliamentary assistants for “fictitious work” that solely benefited the party.
The presiding judge, Benedicte de Perthuis dismissed claims of administrative errors, calling it deliberate embezzlement to cut party costs.
Prosecutors said 7 million Euros in EU funds were misused to pay RN staff while Le Pen, who denied wrongdoing and shook her head during the verdict, is expected to appeal.
Le Pen, a three-time presidential candidate, received a four-year prison term (two suspended) and a ban from public office, although the length of the ban is not yet clear.
It also remains unclear if she will serve jail time or face alternatives like electronic monitoring.
The ruling deals a blow to her political ambitions as her anti-immigration party gains traction in France and Europe.
BBC/Maxwell Oyekunle
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