French investigators say a decades-long serial rape case involving 89 alleged victims came to light after a relative handed over a USB drive containing detailed writings by the suspect himself.
The accused, identified as 79-year-old Jacques Laveugle, has been charged with raping and sexually assaulting minors over a period spanning more than 55 years, in a case that has shocked the country.
Digital trail triggered probe
According to prosecutors, the investigation centres on a digital “memoir” found on a USB drive. The device reportedly contained 15 volumes of dense writings compiled by the suspect, the Associated Press reported.
The documents helped investigators identify 89 alleged victims — boys aged between 13 and 17 at the time of the incidents — with cases dating from 1967 to 2022. Grenoble prosecutor Etienne Manteaux said many of the writings listed victims using incomplete names or nicknames, making identification difficult without a public appeal.
Name made public to trace victims
In an unusual step under French law, prosecutors publicly disclosed Laveugle’s identity in an effort to encourage other potential victims to come forward.
“This name must be known because the goal is to allow possible victims to come forward,” Manteaux said at a press briefing, as reported earlier.
Authorities have since set up a dedicated hotline and released photographs of the suspect from different decades, urging anyone with relevant information to contact investigators.
Alleged crimes across countries
Prosecutors said the memoir describes alleged abuse in several countries, including France, Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Algeria, Niger, the Philippines, India and the French territory of New Caledonia.
Laveugle reportedly worked in various capacities — including as a school teacher, private tutor and cave exploration guide — roles that allegedly gave him access to minors in France and abroad.
Manteaux also confirmed that the suspect has admitted to killing his terminally ill mother and later suffocating his 92-year-old aunt, prompting a separate parallel investigation. (Agencies)
