French Mayor Gaël Perdriau Convicted in Sex-Tape Blackmail Scandal Targeting Political Rival

On Monday, December 1, 2025, a French court delivered a decisive verdict that effectively ended the political career of one of France's prominent mayors. Gaël Perdriau, 53, who has served as mayor of Saint-Étienne, the second-largest commune in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, since 2014, was found guilty of blackmail, criminal conspiracy, and misappropriation of municipal funds.

The Lyon criminal court sentenced Perdriau to four years in prison, with an additional year suspended, alongside a €50, 000 fine and an immediate five-year prohibition from holding public office. Judge Brigitte Vernay, the presiding judge of the 16th chamber of the Lyon criminal court, made the consequences unmistakably clear: "Mr. Perdriau, you can no longer serve as mayor of Saint-Etienne. "

The court ordered Perdriau's immediate resignation, which will be formalized through a decree from the local prefect, ending his second term. The implementation process will follow a similar procedure to that of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who recently served three weeks in prison following a five-year sentence he has appealed.

The case centers on allegations that Perdriau orchestrated an elaborate operation in early 2015 to obtain compromising material against his political opponent. Prosecutors alleged that Perdriau commissioned the secret recording of an intimate video involving Gilles Artigues, his former deputy, and a male sex worker in a hotel room.

According to prosecutors, Perdriau used this footage for years as a tool of coercion and control. Prosecutor Audrey Quey characterized Perdriau as the "decision-maker"in the scheme, stating: "He was the one with his finger on the nuclear button. " The blackmail was allegedly designed to ensure Artigues'political loyalty and to neutralize his ambitions for the mayor's office by threatening to release the compromising images if he broke ranks.

The blackmail continued for years until 2022, when investigative outlet Mediapart publicly exposed the scheme, triggering immediate public and political fallout. Following the exposure, Perdriau was expelled from the Republicans party and resigned from his metropolitan-level responsibilities. However, he initially refused to step down from his mayoral position, prompting approximately ten members of his political majority to resign in protest.

Throughout the trial, Perdriau consistently denied ordering the recording or orchestrating the blackmail scheme. However, critical evidence emerged that contradicted his assertions. In 2017, Artigues had secretly recorded a conversation with Perdriau in which the mayor can be heard discussing a "USB stick"full of compromising images and threatening to release them.

Judge Vernay emphasized the weight of evidence against Perdriau, declaring him "entirely guilty. " The court also noted Perdriau's own public statements from September, when he vowed to relinquish his mandates "if the slightest guilt was found, "making his conviction particularly significant.

Following the verdict, Perdriau maintained his innocence and announced his intention to appeal the decision.

Beyond the blackmail charges, Perdriau faced investigation for misappropriation of municipal funds. Prosecutors accused him of diverting approximately €40, 000 in subsidies to compensate those involved in the sex tape operation.

The court also issued prison sentences to three co-defendants, including Perdriau's former chief of staff and another deputy, who admitted to their roles in setting up the scheme. These individuals acknowledged their participation in organizing the covert operation against Artigues.

A significant element of this case involves the targeting of Artigues based on his sexual orientation and religious beliefs. Artigues is identified as a Roman Catholic who had publicly opposed same-sex marriage. The blackmail scheme exploited intimate footage involving a male sex worker, weaponizing Artigues'sexual orientation and his publicly stated opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.

This dimension of the case raises important questions about the intersection of political power, sexual orientation, and coercion. The targeting of Artigues through intimate imagery—particularly given his public positions on same-sex marriage—demonstrates how LGBTQ+ identities and relationships can be weaponized in political contexts. While Artigues'public opposition to same-sex marriage represents a position contrary to LGBTQ+ equality, the use of intimate footage to silence and control him through blackmail represents a serious violation of his fundamental rights and dignity.

The criminal lawsuit against Perdriau and his chief of staff was filed by Artigues, who alleged "aggravated blackmail, the organization of an ambush and embezzlement. " This lawsuit sparked a judicial investigation that ultimately led to the December 1, 2025 conviction.

The exposure by Mediapart in 2022 served as the turning point in the case, bringing the scheme into public view after years of alleged coercion. The subsequent investigation and trial process took approximately three years to reach its conclusion.

Perdriau's conviction represents a significant moment in French politics, particularly given his prominent position as mayor of a major industrial city. His expulsion from the Republicans party and the resignation of approximately ten members of his political majority demonstrate the political fallout from the scandal.

Prior to his conviction, Perdriau had focused his mayoral efforts on urban development and retail revitalization in Saint-Étienne. He had implemented comprehensive development strategies aimed at strengthening local retail, promoting entrepreneurship, and making Saint-Étienne a center for design and innovation. However, these professional accomplishments are now overshadowed by his criminal conviction.

The immediate enforcement of the five-year ban from holding public office means Perdriau cannot seek elected positions during this period. His incarceration, set to begin in the coming weeks once prosecutors formally summon him, will mark a dramatic fall from his position as a major city's leader.

This case underscores serious issues regarding the abuse of political power and the weaponization of intimate imagery for coercion—crimes that have gained increased attention globally. The targeting of Artigues through material involving a male sex worker also highlights how LGBTQ+ relationships and identities can be exploited in contexts of political power dynamics, even when directed at individuals with positions contrary to LGBTQ+ equality.

The court's decisive verdict and immediate enforcement of consequences send a clear message about the seriousness of blackmail and embezzlement in public office. The conviction of Perdriau, a sitting mayor of a significant French city, demonstrates that political status does not shield individuals from accountability for criminal conduct.