PARIS (AP) – French singer and actor Patrick Bruel has been placed under preliminary charges of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment following allegations made by several women. The charges span from 2008 to 2019, and Bruel, aged 67, has denied all accusations.
Bruel was presented before four investigative judges at the court of Nanterre, located in the western suburbs of Paris, after being held in police custody for two days. The Nanterre prosecutor’s office stated that the investigation is focused on several specific incidents, including an alleged rape in 2008 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, attempted rape in 2010 in Brussels, and multiple cases of sexual assault and harassment in Perpignan and Ajaccio in 2019.
Furthermore, the judicial investigation is ongoing into additional allegations of rape, attempted rape, and sexual harassment that reportedly occurred between 2010 and 2019 across three French cities and in Nyon, Switzerland. Some accusations that had previously been dismissed are now being revisited as part of the investigation, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Bruel has been released under strict judicial supervision, prohibiting him from leaving France. He is required to surrender his passport, undergo psychological treatment, and post bail amounting to 500,000 euros (approximately $576,760). Additionally, he is forbidden from contacting his accusers or their families and from entering massage parlors where some of the alleged offenses are said to have taken place.
In a statement released by his legal team, Bruel expressed his intention to fully cooperate with the investigation and remain available to the judicial authorities. The situation escalated in recent weeks due to a series of media reports, particularly from the French investigative platform Mediapart, which highlighted the allegations by multiple women against Bruel, leading to new complaints being filed.
Prosecutors have included accusations from other women that may be impacted by the statute of limitations in the case file to help investigating judges understand the broader context of the allegations. Additionally, complaints filed in other jurisdictions might also be integrated into the Nanterre investigation in the future.
Patrick Bruel rose to become one of the biggest stars in the French-speaking music and acting scene during the late 1980s and 1990s. His immense popularity led French media to coin the term "Bruelmania," drawing comparisons to the phenomenon of Beatlemania. His 1989 second album yielded numerous hit songs that have since become staples of French popular culture, covering universal themes of love, heartbreak, nostalgia, and childhood, thus uniting fans across generations. In parallel to his music career, Bruel also made a name for himself as an actor, starring in various film and television productions.
In light of these developments, Bruel has canceled all scheduled performances in France, Canada, Switzerland, and Belgium for this summer, along with additional shows planned for the end of the year in Canada.
