French prosecutors have charged a 79-year-old former teacher with aggravated rape and sexual assault involving 89 alleged victims, marking one of the most far-reaching child abuse investigations ever announced in France.
The suspect, a retired educator born in 1946 in the Alpine town of Annecy, was formally indicted in 2024 and has remained in custody since then, according to officials. Prosecutors say the alleged crimes span more than five decades, from 1967 to 2022, and occurred across several continents.
Allegations Span Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific
Speaking at a press briefing in the southeastern city of Grenoble, regional prosecutor Etienne Manteaux said the alleged offenses took place in multiple countries where the suspect worked as a freelance teacher and instructor.
Authorities listed the locations as Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India, Colombia, and New Caledonia, a French overseas territory in the Pacific.
During this period, the suspect reportedly held a range of teaching and instructional roles, including work as a French language teacher and as an instructor in speleology, the study and exploration of caves.
Evidence Found in Personal Writings
Prosecutors said the number of alleged victims was identified through extensive personal writings recovered from a USB storage device discovered by a family member. The documents reportedly contain detailed accounts referencing sexual encounters with minors aged 13 to 17.
According to investigators, the materials were organized into 15 volumes, which authorities described as central to establishing the scope of the alleged abuse.
In a rare step, prosecutors publicly identified the suspect, saying the decision was intended to encourage additional witnesses or potential victims to come forward.
Separate Confessions to Unrelated Crimes
During the investigation, authorities say the man also admitted to killing two relatives decades earlier—separate from the sexual abuse case.
Prosecutors stated that he confessed to suffocating his terminally ill mother in the 1970s and later killing his aunt in the 1990s. Both incidents, they said, were described in his personal writings.
These admissions are being handled as part of a broader judicial review, though prosecutors emphasized that the primary case centers on alleged crimes against minors.
Ongoing Investigation and Call for Witnesses
French authorities say the investigation remains active and international cooperation is ongoing, given the number of countries involved. Prosecutors have urged anyone who may have had contact with the suspect during his years of teaching abroad to reach out to law enforcement.
“This case is exceptional due to its duration, geographic reach, and the number of alleged victims,” Manteaux said.
No trial date has yet been announced.
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