A French court has delivered a landmark verdict in a high-profile political corruption case, sentencing Saint-Etienne Mayor Gael Perdriau to four years imprisonment for blackmailing a political opponent using a covertly recorded sex tape. The Lyon court found the 53-year-old mayor guilty on multiple charges including blackmail, criminal conspiracy, and misappropriation of public funds.
The case centered on Perdriau’s attempt to control former deputy mayor Gilles Artigues, a conservative Catholic politician who had expressed opposition to same-sex marriage. Prosecutors demonstrated that Perdriau orchestrated the filming of Artigues with a male sex worker in a hotel room in early 2015, maintaining the compromising material as political leverage.
Presiding Judge Brigitte Vernay declared Perdriau “entirely guilty” following a trial that exposed severe ethical breaches in local governance. The court additionally imposed a five-year ban from public office effective immediately, along with a suspended sentence.
Three co-defendants, including the mayor’s former chief of staff and another deputy, received prison sentences for their roles in orchestrating the scheme. During proceedings, prosecutor Audrey Quey characterized Perdriau as the “decision-maker” who maintained “his finger on the nuclear button” regarding the tape’s potential release.
Artigues testified to experiencing severe psychological distress, describing himself as a “puppet” in city hall meetings and revealing he had contemplated suicide. The former deputy welcomed the verdict, stating he could now “rebuild my life” after years of psychological torment.
Perdriau maintained his innocence throughout the trial and immediately announced plans to appeal the decision. The case has raised significant questions about ethical standards in French municipal politics and the lengths to which officials might go to maintain political control.