Couldn't he setup some crypto fund instead? Or investment in ballroom? Or simply just receive present, let say plane, instead of money? Would that help him in this case?
An other French politician, Francois Fillon, tried that with bribes as gift including some luxury Suits. In addition of some public money redirection to his own family.
And it did not play well for him either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fillon_affair
Ironically, he was Sarkozy's Prime Minster.
The party that they both come from (The republicans, previously UMP, previously RPR) has a long history of financial abuses and associated judgements.
The only "new" thing here is that it explicitly condemned a previous President.
In a banana republic, the optics don't really matter in these kinds of situations.
Additionally budget for political campaigns are strictly regulated in France. And getting bribes from foreign dictator is, of course, not allowed.
The reason he did not get condemned also for that is that the judge could not proove the usage of the money.