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- By Shivangi Sharma
- Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:37 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
France has been shaken by a major sexual abuse scandal after prosecutors revealed that a former freelance teacher has been charged with aggravated rape and sexual assault against at least 89 minors across several countries over more than five decades. Speaking to reporters in the southeastern city of Grenoble, public prosecutor Etienne Manteaux said the accused, Jacques Leveugle, 79, was formally charged in 2024 for offences allegedly committed between 1967 and 2022. In a rare step, Manteaux publicly identified the suspect to encourage possible witnesses and other victims to come forward.
Leveugle, born in 1946 in the Alpine town of Annecy, has been in custody since his indictment. According to the prosecution, the alleged crimes took place in several countries where he worked over the years, including Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India, and Colombia, as well as in New Caledonia, a French overseas territory. News agency AFP reported that he was employed as a freelance teacher and instructor during this period.
Teaching And Cave Exploration Roles Under Scrutiny
Manteaux said Leveugle held a range of professional roles, including teaching French and working as an instructor in speleology, the scientific study and exploration of caves. Investigators believe these positions enabled him to gain access to minors in different parts of the world.
The scale of the alleged abuse was established from writings found on a USB drive compiled by Leveugle. The device, reportedly discovered by his nephew, contains 15 dense volumes referring to what the suspect described as “sexual relations” with minors aged between 13 and 17. Investigators reviewed the material and identified 89 alleged victims.
Confessions To Multiple Murders Emerge
During the investigation, Leveugle also confessed to killing two family members. According to the prosecutor, he admitted to suffocating his terminally ill mother with a pillow in the 1970s. He also confessed to killing his 92-year-old aunt in the 1990s after she begged him not to leave when he planned to travel. In his memoirs, he wrote that he had “killed two people,” prompting authorities to open a separate murder investigation.
Manteaux said the suspect justified his actions by claiming he would want someone to do the same for him in an end-of-life situation. Authorities have now launched a formal appeal for witnesses and any additional victims. Anyone with information or who may have been a victim has been asked to contact the Grenoble Gendarmerie Research Section.