Cyberbullying: 10 Convicted for Spreading Rumors About Brigitte Macron
A Paris court has found ten people guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron for spreading false rumors about her gender identity. Sentences range up to six months in prison.
On January 5, 2026, a Paris court delivered a landmark verdict, convicting ten individuals of aggravated online harassment against First Lady Brigitte Macron. The defendants—eight men and two women, aged 41 to 65—had disseminated false claims on social media regarding her gender identity and sexuality, as well as unfounded accusations of child sexual abuse related to the age difference with President Emmanuel Macron.
Exemplary Sentences
The court handed down sentences of up to six months in prison for the most heavily sanctioned defendant, while the others received suspended prison sentences of up to eight months. Among the most prominent convicted individuals were writer Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, known under the pseudonym Zoé Sagan, sentenced to eight months suspended, and medium Amandine Roy and gallery owner Bertrand Scholler, each sentenced to six months suspended. The court labeled them "instigators" due to their influence on social media.
All of the defendants were also collectively ordered to pay €10,000 in damages to Brigitte Macron for emotional distress, as well as to attend a workshop on respecting individuals in the digital space.
Rumors Originated in 2021
The case has its roots in 2021, when conspiracy theories began circulating widely on social media, claiming that Brigitte Macron was born male. These rumors, initially confined to the French-speaking sphere, took on an international dimension in 2023 when American influencer Candace Owens gave them considerable resonance with an English-speaking audience.
The court found that the defendants' messages had "led to a deterioration in Brigitte Macron's living conditions" and that "the deterioration of her physical and mental health was proven."
A Strong Signal Against Online Disinformation
Brigitte Macron, who did not attend the trial held in October 2025, stated on TF1 that she had initiated the proceedings to "set an example" in the fight against online harassment. Her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, who was present at the hearing, welcomed the verdict.
This judgment comes in a context where European democracies are struggling to stem the spread of disinformation on the internet. In France, cyberbullying is punishable by law with up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine, but convictions remain rare due to the difficulty in identifying and prosecuting perpetrators.
The case does not stop at the French borders. The Macrons are also suing Candace Owens in American courts for defamation, in a separate proceeding that could set a precedent regarding the responsibility of foreign influencers in spreading false information.
For legal experts, this verdict constitutes a major precedent. As the Club des Juristes points out, the shift from acquittal for defamation to conviction for cyberbullying illustrates the evolution of French law in the face of new forms of digital violence. The qualification of aggravated moral harassment, broader than defamation, makes it possible to better understand coordinated online smear campaigns.
