A Paris court has found 10 people guilty of cyberbullying France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, by spreading false online claims about her gender and sexuality, including allegations that she was born a man.
Brigitte Macron Cyberbullying Case: Sentences Handed Down
The court convicted all defendants to sentences ranging from a cyberbullying awareness training to eight-month suspended prison sentences. The defendants, eight men and two women aged 41 to 65, were accused of posting “numerous malicious comments” falsely claiming that President Emmanuel Macron’s wife was born a man and linking their 24-year age gap to paedophilia.
The court pointed to “particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious” comments posted, some of which were viewed tens of thousands of times. Brigitte Macron did not attend the two-day trial in October, but stated she launched legal proceedings to “set an example” in the fight against harassment.
Her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified about what she described as the “deterioration” of her mother’s life since the online harassment intensified. “She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her,” Ms Auzière told the court, adding that the impact had extended to the entire family, including Macron’s grandchildren.
The Macrons have been married since 2007, after first meeting at the high school where Emmanuel Macron was a student and Brigitte Macron was a teacher. Brigitte Macron, 24 years her husband’s senior, was then called Brigitte Auzière, a married mother of three.
Some Offenders Given Prison Sentences
Defendant Delphine Jegousse, 51, who is known as Amandine Roy and describes herself as a medium and an author, was considered to have played a major role in spreading the rumour after releasing a four-hour video on her YouTube channel in 2021. She was given a six-month prison sentence.
The X account of Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known as Zoé Sagan on social media, was suspended in 2024 after his name was cited in several judicial investigations. Poirson-Atlan was given an eight-month prison sentence.
Other defendants include an elected official, a teacher and a computer scientist. Several told the court their comments were intended as humour or satire and said they did not understand why they were being prosecuted.
The case follows years of conspiracy theories falsely alleging that Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is actually the name of her brother. The Macrons have also filed a defamation suit in the United States against conservative influencer Candace Owens.
AP
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