0
0
A Paris court on Monday, January 5, found ten people guilty of cyberbullying France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, following the spread of false online claims alleging that she is a transgender woman.
The defendants—eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60—were accused of posting malicious and defamatory comments targeting Ms Macron’s gender and sexuality. Some of the remarks also referenced the age difference between her and President Emmanuel Macron, with claims the court described as deeply offensive.
In its ruling, the court said the comments were “particularly degrading, insulting, and malicious.” Sentences ranged from mandatory cyberbullying awareness training to suspended prison terms of up to eight months.
Brigitte Macron did not attend the two-day trial held in October. Speaking to TF1 national television on Sunday, she said she initiated the legal action to “set an example” in the fight against online harassment.
One of the defendants, Delphine Jegousse, 51—who describes herself as a medium and is known online as Amandine Roy—was found to have played a significant role in spreading the rumour. In 2021, she published a four-hour video on her YouTube channel promoting the false claim. She has also been the subject of a separate defamation complaint filed by Ms Macron three years ago.
Other defendants included an elected official, a teacher, and a computer scientist. Several told the court they believed their posts were humorous or satirical and said they did not understand why they were facing prosecution.
During the trial, one defendant, Jérôme A., 49, was questioned about posts he wrote or shared suggesting that Ms Macron was born male. He told the court the posts were intended as jokes and described them as satirical.
Arrests related to the case were carried out in December 2024 and February 2025. All ten defendants denied wrongdoing.
The case follows years of conspiracy theories falsely claiming that Brigitte Macron was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux—a name that actually belongs to her brother.
The unsubstantiated claims have also circulated widely in the United States, where far-right podcaster Candace Owens has repeatedly promoted the false narrative online. The Macrons have since filed a defamation lawsuit against Owens in the U.S.
