French singer Patrick Bruel detained for questioning over sexual assault allegations from 13 women
The 67-year-old French singer and actor was taken into custody on Monday for questioning over allegations involving at least 13 victims, spanning from 1991 to 2015.
Detention
Patrick Bruel, the 67-year-old French singer and actor, was taken into police custody at 8:25 on the morning of Monday 8 June, the Nanterre prosecutor's office confirmed. The detention, which can last up to 48 hours, stems from a widening judicial investigation into multiple allegations of sexual violence. The probe was launched after three women filed complaints concerning sexual assault and attempted rape said to have occurred between 1997 and 2001.
The allegations
Prosecutors now say the file covers 13 identified victims, with some speaking of rape or attempted rape, sexual assault, and harassment in both France and Belgium. Among the earliest accusations, television presenter Flavie Flament alleges that Bruel raped her in 1991 when she was 16. Other women have described episodes in Acapulco (1997), Monaco (2000), Paris (2001), Brussels (2010), and at the Dinard Film Festival (2012), where Bruel was jury president. Investigative reports by Mediapart, Elle, RTL and the Belgian broadcaster RTBF suggest that around 30 women have come forward with accounts of sexual violence against the entertainer, dating from 1991 to 2015. A separate complaint for rape dating from 2015, previously closed, has been reopened. The wave of accusations gained momentum after Mediapart published its first article in March, followed by a detailed piece in mid-May that included Flament’s testimony.
- Flavie Flament alleges rape at age 16
- Attempted rape and sexual assault in Acapulco
- Attempted rape in Monaco
- Sexual assault reported to authorities
- Sexual assault and rape alleged in Brussels
- Rape alleged at Dinard Film Festival
- Mediapart publishes first testimonials
- Mediapart revelations widen, Flament comes forward
- Bruel cancels concerts
- Cancels Paris theatre performances of 'Deuxième Partie'
- Taken into police custody in Nanterre
Defense
Patrick Bruel has consistently denied all charges, describing his relationship with Flament as a short romantic involvement. Through his lawyers Christophe Ingrain, Céline Lasek and Fanny Colin, he stated he had been ready to cooperate for weeks.
He will answer all questions from investigators and provide all necessary evidence to demonstrate his innocence.
I have never forced any woman. I have never drugged, manipulated, or sought to subjugate anyone.
Career fallout
Amid the mounting pressure, the artist cancelled nearly all of his scheduled performances. On 29 May, he scrapped concerts in France and festival appearances in Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States. Last Friday, 5 June, he halted the final shows of his Paris theatre play “Deuxième Partie.” He has also stepped back from the long-running charity collective Les Enfoirés, which he had joined in 1993. Concerts in Montreal were dropped by the local promoter, though dates in October and November remain unchanged for now. Some city authorities, including those in Paris, Marseille, Brest and Nancy, had urged cancellations. Bruel, a household name in France for decades, rose to fame with songs like ‘Casser la voix’ and appeared in dozens of films.
