French Court Convicts 10 in Cyberbullying Case Targeting Brigitte Macron
A Paris court on Monday delivered a landmark ruling in a case centered on the relentless online harassment of France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron. Ten individuals were found guilty of cyberbullying, stemming from the dissemination of false and malicious claims about her gender and sexuality, including accusations that she was born a man. The case underscores the growing legal scrutiny of online harassment and the efforts to protect public figures from digitally-fueled defamation.
The court handed down a range of sentences, with one defendant receiving a six-month prison sentence, while eight others were given suspended sentences ranging from four to eight months. All ten were also mandated to complete cyberbullying training. The severity of the penalties reflects the court’s condemnation of the “particularly degrading, insulting and malicious” nature of the comments, which included false claims regarding Mrs. Macron’s alleged trans identity and accusations of pedophilia.
The accusations, amplified through social media, have circulated for years, rooted in conspiracy theories claiming Brigitte Macron was originally named Jean-Michel Trogneux – the name of her brother. Some of the posts viewed tens of thousands of times, according to court documents. The court stated that the “repeated publications have had cumulative detrimental effects.”
The legal proceedings, which took place over two days in October, saw testimony from Tiphaine Auzière, Mrs. Macron’s daughter, who described the “deterioration” of her mother’s life due to the intensified online harassment. “She can’t ignore the horrible things that are said about her,” Auzière told the court, adding that the impact extended to the entire family, including her mother’s grandchildren.
While Brigitte Macron did not attend the trial, President Emmanuel Macron publicly stated that he initiated the judicial process to “set an example” in the fight against harassment. His lawyer, Jean Ennochi, emphasized the importance of “immediate training to raise awareness about cyberbullying and, for some of the accused, a ban on using their social media accounts.”
Among those sentenced, Delphine Jegousse, 51, known as Amandine Roy, who identifies as a medium and author, received a six-month prison sentence for her role in spreading the rumors, particularly through a four-hour video posted on her YouTube channel in 2021. Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known as Zoé Sagan, faced an eight-month prison sentence alongside another defendant, a gallery owner. Poirson-Atlan’s X (formerly Twitter) account had been suspended in 2024 following previous judicial investigations.
A teacher, who offered an apology during the trial, was the only defendant not sentenced to prison, but was still required to attend cyberbullying training. Several others will have their access to social media platforms suspended for six months. The court stressed that the sentences were “proportional to the seriousness of the comments.”
French authorities largely withheld the names of the accused, but several individuals publicly identified themselves during the proceedings. Some defendants attempted to justify their actions as humorous or satirical, claiming they did not understand why they were being prosecuted.
The Macrons have also pursued legal action in the United States against conservative influencer Candace Owens for defamation related to the same conspiracy theories. The couple, married since 2007, first met when Emmanuel Macron was a student and Brigitte Macron – then Brigitte Auzière – was his teacher. At the time, she was already married and a mother of three children. Emmanuel Macron, currently 48, has served as President of France since 2017.
