France, Feb. 5 -- A French court has found that the centrist MoDem was involved in misusing European Parliament funds to pay for party work in France, but party leader Francois Bayrou was not involved.

The Paris tribunal Monday found Francois Bayrou not guilty of embezzlement,and let off two other of the eleven people on tria.

The eight found guilty were ordered to pay fines, sentenced to prison terms of 10 to 18 months and were banned from serving in public office.

Bayrou's MoDem party was ordered to pay €350,000, the amount prosecutors say was unlawfully paid to parliamentary assistants between 2005 and 2017.

Those found guilty, including former Justice Minister Michel Mercier,were accused of using money intended to pay for pa...