The essentials
Perdriau launches appeal of blackmail conviction in Lyon.
Gaël Perdriau, the former mayor of Saint-Étienne, began his appeal trial on June 8, 2025 in Lyon, challenging his conviction in a blackmail scheme involving a sextape recorded without consent in 2015. Perdriau had been convicted and sentenced to two months imprisonment, alongside his cabinet director Pierre Gauttieri, who received a two-year sentence.
The appeal comes over three years after Mediapart's 2022 exposure of the case, which revealed the orchestrated extortion plot. Audio recordings presented at trial had contradicted Perdriau's earlier claims of ignorance regarding the blackmail operation. The appeal proceedings will reassess evidence and legal arguments in the case that implicated multiple members of the former municipal administration.
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Appeal court examines evidence in high-profile extortion case
The June 8, 2025 appeal trial marks a critical juncture in the judicial process. The court will reassess the conviction based on original evidence, including the audio recordings that contradicted Perdriau's denials. Appeal proceedings allow examination of legal procedures and evidentiary foundations from the initial trial, determining whether the conviction will be upheld, modified, or overturned.
High-profile municipal scandal continues through appellate review
The appeal trial represents an ongoing chapter in a scandal that became public knowledge in 2022 when Mediapart exposed the case. The proceedings involve multiple former members of Saint-Étienne's municipal administration, maintaining public scrutiny of governance and institutional accountability. The trial outcome will provide further clarity on the extent and responsibility for the orchestrated extortion scheme.