French prosecutors announced on Tuesday that a 79-year-old former educator has been charged with aggravated rape and sexual assault involving 89 minors, with alleged crimes spanning more than 50 years and involving multiple countries.The defendant, Jacques Leveugle, was formally charged in 2024 for crimes allegedly committed between 1967 and 2022, prosecutor Etienne Manteaux told reporters in the southeastern city of Grenoble. In a rare move, prosecutors have publicly named the suspect and urged potential witnesses and other victims to come forward.Lewgler, who was born in the Alpine town of Annecy in 1946, has been detained since his indictment, Manto said.Prosecutors said the alleged crimes occurred in several countries where Leougrad worked over the years, including Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India and Colombia, as well as the French overseas territory of New Caledonia. During this time, he worked as a freelance teacher and lecturer, according to AFP. Manto said Lewgler held a range of professional positions, including teaching French and serving as a lecturer in speleology, cave studies and exploration.Investigators identified at least 89 alleged victims based on extensive written records collected by the defendants on USB drives. The documents reference what he described as “sexual relationships” with minors between the ages of 13 and 17.The USB drive was reportedly discovered by Leveugle’s nephew, who became increasingly concerned about his uncle’s emotional and sexual life, prosecutors said. The material, described as a “15-volume” collection, formed a key part of the investigation.During interrogation, Lewegler also admitted to killing two family members decades ago, according to prosecutors. He admitted suffocating his mother, who had terminal cancer, with a pillow in the 1970s.Mantle said he also admitted to suffocating his 92-year-old aunt with a pillow while she slept in the 1990s.Prosecutors added that Lewegler said in his personal writings, described as “memoirs,” that he “killed two people.”Authorities said the investigation is continuing and asked anyone with information or who may have been a victim to contact investigators.
