Dutch Rapper and TV Personality Ali B Sentenced to Three Years in Prison Following Rape Convictions
In a significant escalation of a long-running legal battle, Dutch rapper and television presenter Ali Bouali—known professionally as Ali B—has been sentenced to three years in prison by Amsterdam’s appeals court on May 7, 2026. The ruling comes after the artist was found guilty of two counts of rape.
The court’s decision marks a harsher penalty than the 2.5 years sought by the public prosecution department. It also represents an increase from the two-year sentence handed down by lower court judges in 2024. In reaching the verdict, judges described Bouali’s conduct as “totally unacceptable,” noting that the artist’s repeated denials of the rapes contributed to the severity of the final sentence.
The convictions pertain to the rape of a woman identified as Naomi and singer and performer Ellen ten Damme. Reacting to the verdict, ten Damme noted that “people have always known.” However, the court found Bouali not guilty of sexually assaulting a third woman, Jill Helena. Following the announcement, Helena expressed a need to process the ruling in peace, stating that the associated stress has had a significant impact.
The case is the legal culmination of a massive “me too” scandal that rocked the Dutch entertainment industry and the television talent show The Voice of Holland. The controversy first gained widespread public attention in early 2022 following a report by the YouTube channel Boos, which alleged that dozens of women had been subjected to harassment and abuse by men working behind the scenes of the program.
While the investigation sparked a wave of reports and a formal inquiry by the public prosecution, Bouali was the only one of four men at the center of the scandal to face trial in court. This legal fallout has fundamentally altered the trajectory of the 44-year-old Almere native’s career, shifting him from one of the country’s most prominent media figures to a convicted felon.
Bouali was not present in the courtroom to hear the verdict, as he had been permitted to await the appeal proceedings at home. Despite the ruling, he retains the right to make a further appeal.
