French mayor sentenced to prison for using sex tape to blackmail political opponent

Gal Perdriau, the mayor of Saint-tienne in Frances Loire region, has been sentenced to four years in prison for orchestrating a blackmail campaign against a political rival using a covertly filmed sex tape. The victim, Gilles Artigues, a former deputy, was secretly recorded engaging in intimate acts with a male escort.

Perdriau was found guilty of blackmail, criminal conspiracy, and misappropriation of public funds. Prosecutors revealed that around 50,000 of municipal money was diverted to finance the operation, targeting Artigues, a married father and outspoken Catholic who had opposed gay marriage, in order to control his political actions.

The secret filming occurred in a Paris hotel room in 2015. The verdict, announced on Monday, represents the dramatic downfall of the centre-right politician who had once been seen as a potential national figure. Judge Brigitte Vernay stated that Perdriau had gravely violated the trust placed in him through a premeditated plan involving manipulation, humiliation, and misuse of public funds.

Perdriau, 53, was declared entirely guilty and additionally received a suspended sentence, along with a five-year ban from holding public office. Lead prosecutor Audrey Quey described the mayor as the one in control at every step, from approving the initial honey trap to issuing threats years later.

Three accomplices, including Perdriaus former chief of staff, were also convicted for their roles in arranging the clandestine filming and showing Artigues an edited teaser titled In Bed with Gilles Artigues. The case turned against Perdriau after Artigues presented a secret audio recording from 2017 in which the mayors secretary threatened to distribute the footage to parents if Artigues went to prosecutors.

The recording included exchanges in which Perdriau suggested sharing the tape in small circles while warning, Once this is on social media, its no longer blackmail, its an execution. Artigues described feeling paralysed during city hall meetings, stating, I was like a puppet. They put me there and I smiled.

Perdriau maintained his innocence throughout the trial, calling the recordings out-of-context bluster, and announced plans to appeal after sentencing. Artigues, who revealed that he had contemplated suicide during the ordeal, welcomed the verdict, saying, Today, I think I will be able to rebuild my life.

Author: Sophia Brooks