Patrick Bruel is now accused by nearly 30 women of sexual and gender-based violence. Several testimonies allege rape. The case, which became public in the spring of 2026, has expanded with new testimonies covering different periods, locations, and contexts.
Accusations spanning nearly three decades
The alleged incidents spanned from 1991 to 2019. The published testimonies describe situations occurring on the sidelines of concerts, film shoots, professional meetings, festivals, and even massages. Fifteen new testimonies were added to the case on May 7, following an initial set of fourteen women. One of these testimonies concerns a woman who claims to have been raped when she was a minor.
Three judicial investigations opened
The singer is the subject of three investigations: one in Paris for attempted rape and sexual assault, one in Saint-Malo for rape, and one in Belgium following a complaint of sexual assault. The Paris investigation stems from a complaint filed on March 12 by Daniela Elstner, the current CEO of Unifrance, concerning alleged events dating back to 1997.
Daniela Elstner confirms her accusations
Daniela Elstner was questioned by the judicial police as part of the investigation opened in Paris. She accuses Patrick Bruel of assaulting her in 1997, on the sidelines of the Acapulco French Film Festival, while she was working for Unifrance. Her questioning is part of a procedure aimed at verifying the facts she is alleging.
Saint-Malo, Brussels: two further legal proceedings
In Saint-Malo, the investigation concerns a complaint filed in September 2024 by a woman accusing Patrick Bruel of an alleged rape in October 2012, on the sidelines of the Dinard British Film Festival. In Belgium, another investigation focuses on alleged events dating back to 2010, following a complaint filed by a press officer associated with RTBF.
Testimonies are piling up.
The testimonies describe repetitive behaviors: imposed gestures, non-consensual sexual situations, physical contact denounced as aggressive, persistent propositions, or more serious acts described by some women as rape. The contexts vary, but several accounts place the alleged events in professional or semi-professional settings, where the power dynamic of notoriety and influence played a central role.
Patrick Bruel denies the accusations
Through his lawyers, Patrick Bruel denies any violence or coercion. His defense maintains that he has never ignored a refusal nor forced any sexual gesture or act. The singer's lawyers acknowledge that he may have, in the past, attempted to seduce or propose an intimate relationship, but reject the accusations of force.
