The presiding judge, Nathalie Gavarino, explained that Sarkozy, 70, is guilty of having "allowed his close collaborators to act in order to obtain financial support."
This conviction adds to two previous ones for corruption, influence peddling, and illegal campaign financing in 2012, one of which led to the revocation of France's highest honor, the Legion of Honor.
Sarkozy, who maintains his innocence, attended the sentencing at the Paris court accompanied by his wife, model, singer, and actress Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and three of his children, as reported by AFP.
The former president, who served from 2007 to 2012, will learn the imposed sentence at the end of the hearing. The prosecution had requested seven years in prison, considering him the "true" mastermind behind a deal with the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.