Patrick Bruel faces new sexual‑assault complaints and media controversy
The French singer and actor Patrick Bruel, 67, has been formally charged with four offences – two counts of rape, one of attempted rape and one of sexual assault – and was placed under judicial supervision after being placed in police custody. Two additional complaints were filed on 12 June at the Nanterre court: one alleging an attempted rape and sexual assault at the 2007 Réunion Film Festival, the other alleging a rape and sexual assault in May 2012. Bruel has denied the accusations and his lawyers say he is available to cooperate with investigators.
In parallel, the media outlet Mediapart has accused CNews of deceptive practices in securing testimonies for a documentary titled “Patrick Bruel: de séducteur à prédateur ?”. Mediapart’s journalist Marine Turchi and several other participants say they were led to believe the interview was for RTL Belgium, not a channel owned by the Bolloré group, and claim they would not have consented to broadcast on CNews. The production company denies any wrongdoing.
The mayor of L’Isle‑sur‑la‑Sorgue, Pierre Gonzalvez, where Bruel has lived for more than two decades and opened a luxury hotel, issued a statement distancing the town from the scandal, emphasizing support for victims of sexual violence and stressing the seriousness of the case.