This week, a French mayor was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of blackmailing a political rival by secretly recording a sex tape of him engaging in same-sex acts with a male escort.
Gaël Perdreault, a member of the Republican Party and mayor of Saint-Etienne since 2014, was found guilty on Monday of extortion, conspiracy, and misappropriation of public funds. His sentence includes four years in prison, although it’s suspended for one year, a fine of 50,000 euros, and a five-year ban from holding public office, as reported by Le Monde.
The accusations against the mayor involve him allegedly instructing a junior aide to film former councilor Gilles Artigue in a hotel with a male prostitute back in 2015. The stated aim was to ensure Artigue’s compliance, with a threat to publicize the tape if he protested.
Although Perdolio claims he is innocent and plans to appeal the ruling, Artigue presented in court an audio recording where the mayor supposedly warned him about a “USB stick” containing sensitive images and threatened to release them.
Artigue later expressed that this threat effectively turned her into a puppet of the mayor, even leading her to contemplate suicide.
In addition to Perdolio, his former chief of staff, Pierre Gautieri, received a two-year prison sentence, while co-conspirators Sammy Keffi Jerome and Gilles Rosary Lenglet were each sentenced to three years in prison along with a 40,000 euro fine, according to reports from Le Figaro.
Prosecutors described Gautieri’s actions as indicative of a “mafia-like operation” centered around City Hall.
Perdolio asserted that he never had possession of the sex tape and denied explicitly directing anyone to film Artigue. His attorneys countered that the audio was merely “a threat, not a threat.”
Judge Bridget Varney remarked on the very serious nature of the crimes committed, emphasizing the mayor’s responsibility as an elected official to demonstrate integrity and exemplary conduct. She noted that Perdolio had shown no change in his narrative throughout the proceedings and that he is the only one still denying the situation’s clear reality, pointing out that he remained in his position, which increased the risk of further offenses.
