PARIS – On Monday, a Parisian court is set to deliver its verdict in a case involving ten individuals accused of launching a cyberbullying campaign against France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron. The charges stem from the dissemination of false claims regarding her gender and sexuality, allegations that her daughter claims have adversely affected her health and family life.

The accused, comprising eight men and two women aged between 41 and 60, allegedly made numerous defamatory remarks online. These included baseless assertions that Brigitte Macron was born male and insinuations linking her 24-year age difference with President Emmanuel Macron to inappropriate behavior. Several of these posts were widely circulated, garnering tens of thousands of views.

Brigitte Macron was notably absent from the two-day trial held in October.

During the proceedings, her daughter, Tiphaine Auzière, spoke about the profound negative impact that the online abuse had on her mother. She described a significant decline in her mother’s well-being due to the relentless harassment, stating, “She cannot ignore the horrible things said about her.” Auzière emphasized that the repercussions have touched the entire family, including the grandchildren.

Among the defendants, Delphine Jegousse, 51, also known by her alias Amandine Roy, stands out for her role in amplifying the rumor. She is accused of producing a four-hour video on her YouTube channel in 2021, which significantly contributed to the spread of the false narrative.

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.

Other defendants include an elected official, a teacher and a computer scientist. Several told the court their comments were intended as humor or satire and said they did not understand why they were being prosecuted. They face up to two years in prison if convicted.

The case follows years of conspiracy theories falsely alleging that Brigitte Macron 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.

The Macrons, who have been married since 2007, first met at the high school where he was a student and she was a teacher. Brigitte Macron, 24 years her husband’s senior, was then called Brigitte Auzière, a married mother of three.

Emmanuel Macron, 48, has been France’s president since 2017.