A 79-year-old former teacher is accused of sexually exploiting 89 minors in nine countries over five decades. The matter came to light after a USB drive was found containing complete details of the exploit.
A major case of sexual exploitation of children in France has shaken the authorities. Prosecutors have publicly named a 79-year-old former teacher accused of sexually abusing 89 minors over more than five decades. The unique case spans nine countries and multiple continents, leading to a rare appeal for witnesses and victims to come forward as the investigation still continues.
The suspect, identified as Jacques Lavegalle, was formally charged with aggravated rape and sexual assault of minors in 2024. He is in pretrial detention since April 2025. Prosecutors in the city of Grenoble revealed that the alleged abuse took place between 1967 and 2022, making it one of the longest-running cases of child exploitation in recent times.
Accusations across boundaries and roles
Authorities say Levegle used his various professional roles – including working as a teacher, tutor and speleology (cave-exploration) instructor – to gain access to vulnerable youth. The alleged crimes were committed in several countries where he lived and worked, including Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India, Colombia and the French territory of New Caledonia. The alleged victims were mainly boys aged 13 to 17.
A turning point in the investigation came when Levegalle’s nephew became concerned about his uncle’s personal life and discovered a USB drive containing voluminous hand-written and typed “writings”. These articles, described as 15 volumes of material, detailing the suspect’s sexual relationships with minors formed the backbone of the case against him. Prosecutors believe the documents helped identify at least 89 alleged victims documented over the decades.
Public Appeal and Legal Side
In an unusual move under French law, authorities made Lavegalle’s identity public to encourage other potential victims and witnesses to come forward. French criminal procedure generally protects the anonymity of suspects, but prosecutors argued that it was necessary to make his name public because of incomplete identifications in the records. They have also set up a hotline to support reporting and witness testimony.
Shocking confessions and parallel investigations
The case took an even darker turn when Levegle allegedly confessed to murdering his terminally ill mother and elderly aunt by suffocating them, which investigators are now investigating in a separate investigation. The confessions emerged amid questioning related to the wider exploitation investigation.