Former French spy chief sentenced to four years in influence-peddling trial

A Paris court on Friday sentenced the former head of France’s domestic intelligence agency to four years in prison, two of them suspended, on charges of using his security contacts for private gain including by obtaining confidential information for luxury giant LVMH. Bernard Squarcini, 69, known as “le Squale” (the shark), will appeal the verdict, said Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, one of his lawyers. LVMH chief Bernard Arnault, France’s richest man, testified during the trial but was never charged and denied any knowledge of a scheme to protect the luxury group.