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French singer Patrick Bruel has long been regarded as an incorrigible seducer—at the expense of many women, as allegations of rape, sexual assault, and harassment now suggest. (File photo).
Keystone
French singer Patrick Bruel was charged Wednesday in Nanterre, France, with rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. He was released on judicial supervision.
Preliminary investigations have been launched against 67-year-old Patrick Bruel in four cases: for an alleged rape in Neuilly-sur-Seine in 2008, an alleged attempted rape in Brussels in 2010, a case of alleged sexual assault and sexual harassment in Perpignan in 2019, and a case of alleged sexual harassment in Ajaccio, Corsica, in 2019. This was announced by the public prosecutor’s office in Nanterre.
In addition, there are four other cases in which he has been granted the more lenient status of “assisted witness” ("témoin assisté") applies to him: an alleged rape in Dinard in 2012, an alleged rape in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in 2015, alleged attempted rapes in 2010 and 2011 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, and an alleged sexual assault in 2019 in Nyon, Vaud, at the Paléo Festival.
An alleged rape in Grenoble in 2000 is now past the statute of limitations.
Bruel has been placed under judicial supervision and is prohibited from leaving French territory, contacting the victims or their families, going to their places of residence, or visiting massage parlors, according to the public prosecutor’s office. The artist must also provide proof of psychological counseling and post bail in the amount of 500,000 euros.
One of Bruel’s attorneys said after a closed-door hearing before the judge that the singer is at the disposal of the judicial authorities. Shortly before, Bruel had appeared in the courtroom looking visibly exhausted. The prosecutor’s office had previously appealed to the judge to request pretrial detention. This recommendation was not followed.
On Wednesday morning, the prosecution announced that it had requested a preliminary investigation against Bruel regarding allegations involving nine alleged victims; the nine offenses spanned the period from 2000 to 2019. Cases covering the period between September 1992 and September 2008 were “added to the investigation file,” although the offenses “are apparently time-barred at this point,” the prosecution added.
This consolidation is intended to determine whether the statute of limitations has expired; in addition, the authorities aim to gain a comprehensive overview of the offenses with which Patrick Bruel is charged.
11.06.2026, 10:22
