A Paris court has delivered a landmark verdict, finding ten individuals guilty of orchestrating a vicious cyberbullying campaign against France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron. The case centred on persistent and malicious online falsehoods alleging she is a transgender woman.
The Verdict and the Charges
On Monday, January 5, the court ruled that the eight men and two women, aged between 41 and 60, were responsible for making "particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious" comments. Their attacks focused on Brigitte Macron's gender and sexuality, with some even equating the age difference between her and President Emmanuel Macron to criminal behaviour.
The penalties handed down reflect the severity of the harassment. They range from mandatory cyberbullying awareness training to suspended prison sentences of up to eight months. All ten defendants, arrested in December 2024 and February 2025, had previously denied any wrongdoing.
Key Figures and Their Defence
Among the convicted was a prominent figure in spreading the rumours: Delphine Jegousse, 51, who operates under the name Amandine Roy. Identified as a medium, she played a major role by releasing a four-hour video on her YouTube channel in 2021. Ms Macron had previously filed a defamation complaint against her three years ago.
The group also included an elected official, a teacher, and a computer scientist. During the two-day trial in October, which the First Lady did not attend, several defendants argued their posts were meant as humour or satire. Jérôme A, 49, when questioned about posts discussing Ms Macron's gender, told the court, "it was just a joke" and claimed a satirical intent.
A Broader Fight Against Online Harassment
This legal action is the latest effort to combat years of baseless conspiracy theories. These false claims wrongly state Brigitte Macron was born as Jean-Michel Trogneux—a name that actually belongs to her brother. Speaking on TF1 television before the verdict, Brigitte Macron explained she initiated proceedings to "set an example" in the broader fight against harassment.
The case highlights how such disinformation crosses borders. The wild claims about Mrs Macron's gender have gained traction in the United States, amplified by far-right commentator Candace Owens. In response, the Macrons have also filed a separate defamation lawsuit against Owens in the US.
This conviction sends a strong message about the legal consequences of online abuse and the spread of harmful falsehoods, even when perpetrators attempt to disguise them as satire.
