Ten individuals eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60 are on trial in Paris for the alleged cyber-harassment of French First Lady Brigitte Macron. The case stems from a long-running wave of online abuse and false claims that she was “born male,” a rumour that has circulated since President Emmanuel Macron’s 2017 election victory.
The defendants face charges of sexist cyber-harassment and defamation. If convicted, they could face up to two years in prison. Prosecutors say the accused made repeated malicious comments online about Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality, with some even comparing her 24-year age gap with the president to “paedophilia.”
The French First Lady filed a formal complaint in August 2024, prompting investigations and subsequent arrests in December 2024 and February 2025. It is not yet known whether she will attend the trial proceedings.
Among those facing trial is Aurelien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known online as “Zoe Sagan,” a publicist often linked to conspiracy circles. Another key defendant is 51-year-old Delphine J., also known as “Amandine Roy,” a self-proclaimed spiritual medium who previously published an interview spreading the unfounded claim that Brigitte Macron was once a man named Jean-Michel Trogneux the name of her brother.
That 2021 video helped fuel a wave of misinformation online and led to a previous defamation case, which was later overturned on appeal. The First Lady has since taken the matter to France’s highest court.
The Macrons have also filed a defamation lawsuit in the United States against conservative commentator Candace Owens, who produced a video series titled “Becoming Brigitte.” The couple’s American lawyer has indicated they intend to present “scientific evidence” disproving the gender claim.
Brigitte Macron’s case highlights how digital platforms are increasingly used to target public figures, particularly women, with false and harmful narratives that spread quickly across borders.
