An elderly French man has been charged with the rape and sexual assault of 89 teenagers in a mass abuse case that police allege spans many countries and dates back to the 1960s. Jacques Leveugle, 79, who is in custody in south-east France, was arrested after his nephew found a USB that allegedly detailed his sexual relations with minors aged 13 to 17, the Grenoble prosecutor, Etienne Manteaux, told a news conference.
In an unusual move, authorities are naming the suspect because out of the 89 assaults, only around 40 victims have been identified. If victims wish to come forward, now is the time, he added. Police allege the crimes took place between 1967 and 2022 and that throughout much of his life, Leveugle worked as an informal teacher or assistant at holiday camps.
A timeline of Leveugle's whereabouts from the 1960s shows he was active in multiple countries including France, Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, and India, often meeting young people while teaching. Arrested in 2024 after travelling from Morocco to visit family in Isère, Leveugle had a USB drive containing dense material about his relationships with minors.
Prosecutor Manteaux noted, The victims we have spoken to tell us that he spent a lot of time helping them to learn foreign languages, awakening their sense of culture... He has a complex personality. The investigation is ongoing, focusing on identifying more victims as names in Leveugle's journals lack full information. Authorities also revealed that under questioning, he allegedly confessed to the smothering deaths of his mother and aunt, which has led to a separate judicial investigation. Allegations prior to 1993 may not incur criminal charges due to statutes of limitations, but efforts continue to get a full picture of Leveugle's alleged crimes.
In an unusual move, authorities are naming the suspect because out of the 89 assaults, only around 40 victims have been identified. If victims wish to come forward, now is the time, he added. Police allege the crimes took place between 1967 and 2022 and that throughout much of his life, Leveugle worked as an informal teacher or assistant at holiday camps.
A timeline of Leveugle's whereabouts from the 1960s shows he was active in multiple countries including France, Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, and India, often meeting young people while teaching. Arrested in 2024 after travelling from Morocco to visit family in Isère, Leveugle had a USB drive containing dense material about his relationships with minors.
Prosecutor Manteaux noted, The victims we have spoken to tell us that he spent a lot of time helping them to learn foreign languages, awakening their sense of culture... He has a complex personality. The investigation is ongoing, focusing on identifying more victims as names in Leveugle's journals lack full information. Authorities also revealed that under questioning, he allegedly confessed to the smothering deaths of his mother and aunt, which has led to a separate judicial investigation. Allegations prior to 1993 may not incur criminal charges due to statutes of limitations, but efforts continue to get a full picture of Leveugle's alleged crimes.
