Patrick Bruel, one of the best-selling French-speaking artists of all time, has been taken into police custody on Monday (June 8) as part of an investigation into alleged sexual violence.
The probe currently concerns 13 alleged victims, according to the Nanterre prosecutor’s office.
Bruel denies all allegations. His lawyers, Christophe Ingrain, Céline Lasek and Fanny Colin, said in a statement that the performer had “for several weeks made it known that he was at the disposal of the justice system, in order to finally respond within the framework of the judicial proceedings before the competent authority.” “He will answer all investigators’ questions and provide all the elements necessary to demonstrate his innocence,” they added.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the investigation initially focused on allegations made by three women accusing Bruel of sexual assault and attempted rape between 1997 and 2001. Authorities said additional alleged victims were subsequently identified and interviewed during the course of the investigation.
The case has attracted growing attention in France in recent months as Bruel is one of France’s most famous entertainers with a career spanning music, film and television — stretching over four decades.
