French authorities are investigating a 79-year-old man accused of sexually abusing 89 minors over a span of more than five decades, a case that has stirred nationwide concern and revived memories of recent high-profile sexual violence trials.
The suspect, identified as Jacques Laveugle, has been under formal investigation since February 2024 on charges related to aggravated rape and sexual assault of minors. He has remained in pretrial detention since April. Officials revealed that he had previously worked in multiple roles involving children, including positions in schools, private tutoring, and guiding cave expeditions.
The case took shape after a relative discovered a USB drive containing extensive writings believed to have been compiled by the suspect. Investigators described the material as a 15-volume digital memoir that helped authorities trace 89 alleged victims, mostly boys aged between 13 and 17, linked to incidents dating from 1967 to 2022.
The documents reportedly reference alleged abuse in several countries, including India, Switzerland, Germany, Morocco, Algeria, Niger, the Philippines, and New Caledonia, indicating the potential international scope of the investigation.
Authorities made the suspect&rsquo;s identity public in an effort to encourage additional victims or witnesses to come forward. A hotline has been established, and photographs from different periods of his life have been released as investigators attempt to identify individuals whose details remain incomplete in the recovered files.
The probe also uncovered admissions by the suspect that he killed his terminally ill mother and later his elderly aunt, adding another dimension to the case.
Officials stress the urgency of the investigation given the suspect&rsquo;s age and the challenges of tracing victims across more than 55 years. Many of the alleged assaults occurred while he was working abroad as an educator. He reportedly spent decades in Morocco tutoring children from low-income families and is suspected of abusing multiple victims there. He also worked as a teacher in Algeria during earlier periods, where additional victims have been identified.
The revelations have drawn comparisons to the Gis&egrave;le Pelicot trial, which exposed systemic sexual abuse through digital evidence. Investigators note that in both cases, electronic records played a crucial role in uncovering the alleged crimes, underscoring the growing importance of digital trails in complex, long-term investigations.

USB writings expose alleged abuse of 89 minors across nations, prompting urgent probe

France Probes 79-Year-Old in Decades Abuse Case

USB writings expose alleged abuse of 89 minors across nations, prompting urgent probe

February 11, 2026 | 09:41 IST