French star Patrick Bruel charged with rape and sexual assault | France
French singer Patrick Bruel has been accused of rape and sexual assault in one of the biggest #MeToo cases in the French music industry.
The 67-year-old man, one of the important figures of French pop culture, was put under official investigation for numerous cases, including allegations of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment.
The Nanterre prosecutor’s office said Bruel was interrogated on Wednesday in connection with cases involving nine alleged victims between 2000 and 2019. Complaints from 13 other women accusing him of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment from 1992 to 2008 were added to the file given to the investigating judges, “even though they appear to have exceeded the statute of limitations at this stage.” he said.
Bruel’s lawyers said he denied all the accusations. The singer was released on bail early Thursday.
Bruel’s pop career began with best-selling albums in the 1990s. His face was routinely featured on the cover of teen magazines, and his screaming fans were described as being in the thrall of “bruelmania”. At the height of her fame, the French media often described her admiringly as a “seductress” or “Don Juan”. He has appeared in dozens of films, briefly became world poker champion in 1998, and continues to be a regular on TV chat shows.
Investigative website Mediapart and Elle magazine have published a series of accusations by women against Bruel in recent months; some of these detailed allegations of attacks dating back to the 1990s.
Bruel, whose lawyers told Mediapart that he denied “all allegations of violence, brutality or restraint”, continued to perform in Paris until the last days and was planning to continue his concert tour throughout France. However, he faced protests from feminist campaigners and mayors of major cities such as Marseille, Paris and Nancy pressured him to cancel his concerts, causing him to cancel the tour.
Bruel went to the police station by appointment earlier this week and was charged on Wednesday night after hours of questioning by judges.
Among the women who have spoken out against Bruel in recent months is Daniela Elstner, the current director of Unifrance, an important cultural institution that promotes French cinema abroad.
Separately, lawyer Myriam Guedj Benayoun said she filed a new complaint against Bruel this week, alleging he attempted to rape a 19-year-old woman at her home in 2000. The woman, who is now a 46-year-old actress, took part in the filming of a music video with Bruel. Bruel’s lawyers said he denied all the allegations.
Bruel became the latest French celebrity to face sexual assault allegations. Last year, 76-year-old actor Gérard Depardieu was convicted of sexually assaulting two women, one a set worker and one an assistant director, during the shooting of the feature film Les Volets Verts (Green Shutters) in Paris in 2021 and was sentenced to an 18-month suspended prison sentence. The judge ruled that his name should be added to the sex offenders’ list in France.
Depardieu’s appeal will be heard in November. He was also sentenced to stand trial on charges of raping and sexually assaulting actor Charlotte Arnould at her home in Paris in 2018. He denies the accusations.
