Paris, Oct 27 (EFE).- The trial of 10 people accused of spreading false claims online that France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, was born male, opened Monday in Paris amid heavy media attention and failed attempts by the defense to postpone the proceedings.
The case, which has drawn wide public interest in France, targets individuals accused of launching or amplifying conspiracy theories about the “gender” and “sexuality” of the French president’s wife.
If convicted, the defendants face up to two years in prison.
High-profile absences and defense maneuvers
The first of two hearings before the Paris Criminal Court took place without Brigitte Macron, who was represented by two lawyers.
Outside, dozens of photographers crowded the entrance, while journalists and onlookers formed long lines to enter the small courtroom.
Due to the high attendance, a second room was opened to broadcast the session live.
The 10 defendants, aged between 41 and 60, come from diverse backgrounds. They allegedly spread malicious and unfounded statements claiming that Macron’s birth name was Jean-Michel Trogneux, the name of her real brother.
They also face accusations of implying pedophilia in the early relationship between Brigitte and Emmanuel Macron, given their 24-year age difference and the fact that they met when she was his teacher.
Seven defendants appeared in court, while three were absent, notably Natacha Rey, a self-proclaimed “self-taught journalist” believed to have originated the rumor during the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2021. Rey, whose real name is Christelle L., is reportedly battling advanced cancer.
Another prominent figure is Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, known online as Zoé Sagan, whose main lawyer, Franco-Spanish attorney Juan Branco, was unable to attend due to a suspension by the French Bar Association for breaching confidentiality in an unrelated rape case involving him.
Defense lawyers requested an adjournment, claiming insufficient time to review the case file, particularly the section detailing the physical and psychological distress allegedly suffered by Brigitte Macron.
After that motion was denied, they filed a second one, arguing that the charges violated their clients’ constitutional rights, also rejected by the court.
Anatomy of a conspiracy
The “Jean-Michel Trogneux” rumor began circulating online in 2021, initially pushed by Natacha Rey and later amplified by Amandine Roy — a self-described clairvoyant whose real name is Delphine J. — and Xavier Poussard, a far-right activist based in Milan.
Poussard, who collaborates with the antisemitic far-right publication Faits et Documents, helped internationalize the hoax in March 2024 after contacting Candace Owens, a United States conservative influencer close to US President Donald Trump, who shared the false claims with her millions of followers.
The Macrons have since filed a defamation lawsuit in the US against Owens for repeating the baseless allegations.
The court is also considering whether Tiphaine Auzière, one of Brigitte Macron’s daughters, will testify on Tuesday, when the trial concludes and the verdict could be announced.
Outside the courtroom, Amandine Roy told reporters she had “committed no offense” and intended to “make that clear to the judges.” EFE
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