Overview
- The criminal hearing began Monday in Paris without Brigitte Macron present, and judges rejected defense bids to postpone the proceedings.
- Ten defendants—eight men and two women aged roughly 41 to 60—face charges over repeated, malicious online attacks tied to her gender and sexuality, with penalties of up to two years in prison.
- The case centers on posts pushing the false claim that she is her brother Jean‑Michel Trogneux, including a fake Time cover and a call for door‑to‑door “clarification” in Amiens.
- Among those on trial are publicist Aurélien Poirson‑Atlan, known online as “Zoé Sagan,” and Delphine J. (Amandine Roy), whose 2024 defamation conviction was overturned on appeal in July and is now being challenged by the Macrons.
- The probe followed her August 27, 2024 complaint handled by the BRDP, while in a separate Delaware case the Macrons plan to present photographic and scientific expert evidence against Owens.