French Singer Patrick Bruel Charged With Rape and Sexual Assault
French singer and actor Patrick Bruel was charged on Wednesday evening with rape and sexual assault in one of the biggest MeToo cases the French music industry has seen.
Bruel, 67, considered a major figure in French pop culture, was investigated in several cases involving allegations of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment. The Nanterre prosecutor's office said Bruel was questioned on Wednesday over incidents involving nine complainants that allegedly took place between 2000 and 2019. In addition, complaints from 13 other women accusing him of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment between 1992 and 2008 were forwarded to investigating judges, although prosecutors said that for some of them, "it appears at this stage that the statute of limitations applies."
Bruel's lawyers said he denies all the allegations against him. He was released on bail Thursday morning.
The indictment came after the investigative site Mediapart and Elle magazine published a series of testimonies in recent months from women against Bruel, some concerning alleged assaults that took place as early as the 1990s. Bruel, whose lawyers told Mediapart that he denied "any allegation of violence, brutality or coercion," had continued performing until recently and intended to continue a concert tour across France. However, following protests by feminist activists and calls from the mayors of major cities, including Marseille, Paris and Nancy, to cancel his shows, he announced the tour's cancellation.
Bruel appeared at a police station earlier this week and, after hours of questioning before judges on Wednesday evening, was formally charged. Among the women who spoke out against Bruel in recent months is Daniella Alster, who currently heads Unifrance, a major cultural body that promotes French cinema abroad.
Separately from the indictment, attorney Miriam Gadzh-Benayon said this week that she had filed a new complaint against Bruel over the alleged attempted rape of a 19-year-old woman at his home in 2000. The woman, now a 46-year-old actress, had taken part in filming one of Bruel's music videos. In this case as well, his lawyers said he denies all the allegations.
Bruel's pop career took off in the 1990s thanks to several highly successful albums. His face regularly appeared on the covers of teen magazines. At the height of his fame, French media often described him admiringly as a "seducer" or a "Don Juan." He also appeared in dozens of films. Over the years, he performed several times in Israel and collaborated with Israeli artists, including Shlomo Artzi and Idan Raichel.
Bruel is also known as one of the most consistent public voices of the Jewish community in France, and in 2024 he released the song Les chaises vides, inspired by the events of October 7. The current case joins a series of similar incidents in France's entertainment industry in recent years, most notably actor Gerard Depardieu, who was accused by numerous women of sexual harassment and assault and was convicted in May of sexually assaulting two of his accusers.
