Patrick Bruel held in police custody as sexual assault investigation expands
The 67-year-old entertainer has been detained by judicial police in Paris following the filing of two new rape complaints, while historical allegations from the late 1990s remain under review.
French singer and actor Patrick Bruel remains in police custody until Wednesday morning, following intensive questioning by judicial police in Paris regarding allegations of sexual assault and rape. The Nanterre prosecutor’s office confirmed that the investigation now concerns 13 victims at this stage, marking a significant escalation in the legal proceedings against the 67-year-old public figure.
The inquiry has been widened by the recent filing of two new rape complaints on 27 May and 3 June. According to the complainants' lawyer, these allegations add to a complex legal landscape that already includes historical claims from 1997, 2000, and 2001. The Mediapart news website has identified the new complainants as Florima Treiber, who accuses Bruel of rape in April 2008, and a physiotherapist named Séverine, who reports an incident in May 2000.
Bruel was taken into custody on Monday morning at the Paris police headquarters' judicial police headquarters. While police can hold suspects for questioning for up to 48 hours, the prosecutor's office in the western Paris suburb of Nanterre stated that Bruel would be kept in custody for another 24 hours before his release is scheduled. The prosecutor's office is handling all proceedings associated with the case.
In a statement issued through his legal team, Bruel denied all allegations. His lawyers stated that he would "answer all the investigators' questions and will provide all the elements necessary to demonstrate his innocence." Despite his legal team's assurances, the singer has been forced to cancel most of his upcoming tour, which was due to commence in Paris this month.
The case places Bruel among a growing list of French entertainment figures facing serious legal challenges. He is the latest in a string of movie and music celebrities to face sexual assault claims, following the recent sentencing of film legend Gérard Depardieu, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison last year. Depardieu’s appeal is scheduled to be heard in November.
