Prosecutors seek prison and ineligibility for Saint-Étienne mayor
In a high-profile trial in Saint-Étienne, prosecutors have demanded a firm prison sentence and immediate ineligibility for Gaël Perdriau, the city's mayor, accused of sextape blackmail. The case dates back to 2014 and involves the distribution of a compromising video. Perdriau denies any involvement.
The trial of Gaël Perdriau, mayor of Saint-Étienne since 2014, took place before the city's criminal court on September 29, 2025. Accused of commissioning the distribution of a sextape showing sexual relations between Nicolas Thierry, then deputy mayor, and Juan Pablo Mogollon, a journalist, Perdriau faces severe demands from the prosecution.
Deputy prosecutor Anne-Cécile Challeton requested four years in prison, two of which suspended, a 50,000 euro fine, and five years of ineligibility with immediate enforcement. 'We are seeking a firm prison sentence and immediate ineligibility to punish the seriousness of the acts,' she stated, emphasizing that Perdriau, as mayor, had used his power to intimidate an elected official.
The case broke in 2022 when the video, recorded in 2014, was anonymously distributed. According to the prosecution, Perdriau allegedly tasked a close associate, Gilles Artigues, to produce and spread it to discredit Thierry, who was considering running against him in the 2020 municipal elections. Artigues, sentenced to two years in firm prison in first instance in 2024, was acquitted on appeal but remains involved in Perdriau's case.
Perdriau, 55, has denied the charges throughout the trial, claiming he never saw the video and alleging a political plot. Placed under psychological assistance during hearings due to his health, he pleaded innocence: 'I am the victim of manipulation; I have nothing to do with it.' His lawyers demanded acquittal, arguing a lack of direct evidence.
This scandal has shaken local politics in Saint-Étienne, an industrial city of 170,000 residents in the Loire department. Perdriau, a member of Les Républicains, was reelected in 2020 despite suspicions. The prosecution's demands could lead to his immediate removal if the sentence is handed down, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks. The case highlights the risks of using technology for blackmail in French politics.