Paris
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Ten people went on trial in Paris on Monday on charges of online harassment of France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, for spreading what prosecutors called “malicious comments” about Emmanuel Macron’s gender and sexuality.
The trial comes three months after the Macrons filed a 22-count defamation lawsuit in the US state of Delaware against right-wing podcaster Candace Owens over claims that Brigitte Macron could be male.
The French case relates to a legal complaint filed by the first lady’s lawyer in August 2024 alleging cyberbullying, which led to two arrests in February and March 2025.
Prosecutors said the initial investigation identified several claims about Brigitte Macron’s gender and sexuality, and also described the age difference between her and the president as “pedophilia.” The trial is expected to last two days, after which a verdict is expected.
The eight men and two women, ranging in age from 41 to 60, on trial include an elected official, a gallery owner, an IT professional, a teacher, a property manager and a business owner. CNN affiliate BFMTV provided details about one of the defendants, Aurelien Poirson-Atran, a 41-year-old advertising executive who uses the pseudonym “Zoe Sagan” on social media. His X account, which has since been suspended, has been the subject of several complaints and has often been linked to conspiracy theorists.
The Delaware lawsuit alleges that Mr. Owens broadcast a “relentless, year-long defamation campaign against Mr. Macron.”
In March, the conservative commentator revived the conspiracy theory with a YouTube video titled “Is France’s First Lady a Man?” According to the complaint. Owens said the conspiracy theory, widely promoted by X, was “probably the biggest scandal in political history.”
Since then, Ms. Owens has produced numerous videos about Brigitte Macron for her approximately 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, including a multi-part series called “Becoming Brigitte.”
