Joël Le Scouarnec faces new investigation for 10 rapes and 40 sexual assaults

A judicial inquiry has been opened in Lorient, France, regarding 10 new counts of rape and 40 counts of sexual assault involving former surgeon Joël Le Scouarnec. The Lorient prosecutor's office announced that these additional charges involve 48 victims and stem from incidents occurring between 1987 and 2017.

Le Scouarnec, 75, was previously sentenced in May 2025 to the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison by the Morbihan Criminal Court. That conviction was related to nearly 300 instances of rape and sexual assault committed between 1989 and 2014, primarily targeting minor patients while they were in a state of sedation. The new investigation follows the emergence of further complaints and confirmed infractions during his previous trial.