Ten people found guilty of cyberbullying France's First Lady Brigitte Macron

Ten people have been found guilty of cyberbullying France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron, by spreading false online claims about her gender and sexuality, including allegations she was born a man.

The defendants, eight men and two women aged 41 to 65, are accused of having posted “numerous malicious comments” falsely claiming that President Emmanuel Macron’s wife was born a man and linking their 24-year age gap to paedophilia. Some of the posts were viewed tens of thousands of times.

A court in Paris on Monday convicted all defendants to sentences ranging from cyberbullying awareness training to eight-month suspended prison sentences.

Macron did not attend the two-day trial in October.

France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron. / Credit: AP

Speaking on TF1 national television on Sunday, she said she launched legal proceedings to “set an example” in the fight against harassment.

Defendant Delphine Jegousse, 51, who is known as Amandine Roy and describes herself as a medium and an author, is considered to have played a major role in spreading the rumour after she released a four-hour video on her YouTube channel in 2021.

She was handed a six-month prison sentence.

Defendant Delphine Jegousse, known as Amandine Roy, was given a six-month prison sentence. / Credit:

The X account of Aurélien Poirson-Atlan, 41, known as Zoé Sagan on social media, was suspended in 2024 after his name was cited in several judicial investigations. Poirson-Atlan was given an eight-month prison sentence.

Other defendants include an elected official, a teacher and a computer scientist. Several told the court their comments were intended as humour or satire and said they did not understand why they were being prosecuted.

Aurélien Poirson-Atlan was given an eight-month prison sentence. / Credit: AP

Macron’s daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, testified about what she described as the “deterioration” of her mother’s life since the online harassment intensified.

“She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her,” Auzière told the court. She said the impact has extended to the entire family, including Macron’s grandchildren.

The case follows years of conspiracy theories falsely alleging that Brigitte was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, which is actually the name of her brother.

The Macrons have also filed a defamation suit in the United States against conservative influencer Candace Owens.