Ten Individuals Convicted in Brigitte Macron Cyber Harassment Case in Paris

Paris Court Delivers Verdict in High-Profile Cyber Harassment Trial

A Paris court on Monday, January 5, 2026, delivered a verdict in the trial of 10 individuals accused of cyber-harassment against France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron. The court found all 10 defendants guilty of spreading false and malicious claims online, which included allegations that Ms. Macron was born a man and linking her age difference with President Emmanuel Macron to paedophilia.

The defendants, comprising eight men and two women aged between 41 and 65, were accused of posting 'particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious' comments across various social media platforms. These false narratives, which suggested Ms. Macron's birth name was Jean-Michel Trogneux (the name of her brother), gained significant traction online, with some posts viewed tens of thousands of times.

Sentences Handed Down to Perpetrators

The sentences varied based on the individuals' involvement, ranging from compulsory cyberbullying awareness training to suspended prison sentences. Key sentences include:

• One defendant, a property developer who was absent from the trial hearings, received a six-month prison sentence.
• Amandine Roy (Delphine Jegousse, 51), a self-proclaimed medium considered a major instigator for releasing a four-hour video spreading the rumors, was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence. Her online accounts will also be suspended for six months.
• Aurélien Poirson-Atlan (41), known as Zoé Sagan on social media, received an eight-month prison sentence, and his X (formerly Twitter) account will be suspended for six months.
• Gallerist Bertrand Scholler (55) also received a six-month suspended sentence.
• The remaining defendants received suspended prison sentences ranging from four to eight months, with one individual, Jean-Christophe D., ordered to attend a cyberbullying awareness course.

All 10 convicted individuals were mandated to attend cyberbullying awareness training. Additionally, the court ordered them to jointly pay €11,675 in compensation to Brigitte Macron for moral damages.

Impact on the First Lady and Broader Implications

Brigitte Macron did not attend the two-day trial in October, but her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified about the profound impact of the harassment. Auzière stated that the online attacks had 'strongly affected' her mother and family, leading to a 'deterioration' of her mother's life. Ms. Macron had previously indicated that she initiated legal proceedings to 'set an example' in the ongoing fight against online harassment.

This verdict in Paris is part of a broader legal effort by the Macrons to combat these false claims. They have also filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States against conservative podcaster Candace Owens, who amplified and repeated the allegations.