A Paris court has sentenced ten individuals to suspended prison terms and ordered them to pay damages to France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, following a sustained campaign of online harassment. The case highlights the growing legal challenges faced by public figures targeted by disinformation and malicious attacks on social media, as well as the increasing willingness of officials to pursue legal recourse. The charges stem from the defendants’ repeated dissemination of false and harmful claims about Macron, including baseless conspiracy theories regarding her gender and accusations of pedophilia, which have circulated for years alongside her husband’s political career. This ruling coincides wiht a separate defamation lawsuit the Macrons have filed in the U.S.against conservative commentator Candace Owens over similar allegations.
A Paris court on Monday sentenced ten individuals to prison terms ranging from four to eight months for cyberbullying France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, though the sentences are conditional, meaning they will only serve time if they re-offend.
In addition to the suspended prison sentences, the court ordered all ten defendants to jointly pay Macron €10,000 in moral damages.
The case centered around the repeated dissemination of false claims alleging that Brigitte Macron was born male and is transgender – a conspiracy theory that has circulated since her husband, Emmanuel Macron, rose to power. The defendants also made malicious comments regarding the age gap between the President and First Lady, with some even falsely accusing Macron of pedophilia.
The defendants: from a psychic to a stockbroker
The individuals convicted range in age from 41 to 65 and represent a diverse range of professions, including a psychic, a stockbroker, a local elected official, a writer, and an art gallery owner.
The ruling represents a significant victory for the Macrons, who are also currently pursuing a defamation lawsuit in the United States against right-wing influencer and podcaster Candace Owens. Owens has also claimed Brigitte Macron was born male.
Owens has repeatedly asserted that Brigitte Macron was originally named Jean-Michel Trogneux – the legal name of her brother – and later transitioned to female. The complaint, which contains 22 charges, was filed in Delaware and accuses Owens of spreading “false” statements to “promote her independent platform, gain notoriety and make money.” The Macrons also allege that Owens has launched “a campaign of global humiliation” against them.
