Citing Paris prosecutors, Reuters and other news outlets are reporting that the French movie director Christophe Ruggia was arrested and taken into custody for questioning today over allegations he sexually assaulted a teen girl who was cast in one of his films nearly two decades ago.
Through an attorney, the filmmaker denies this claim, and any other charges of misconduct.
Adele Haenel, an actress who is now 31 years of age, claimed that Christophe Ruggia assaulted and harassed her circa 2001-2004, after she landed a role in the Ruggia-directed project “Les Diables,” or The Devils.
According to Haenel’s allegations, published in French media outlet Mediapart in November last year, when she was first harassed she was 12 years old and the abuse continued until she was 15.
The Paris prosecutor’s office in November opened a preliminary probe into “sexual assault of a minor under 15 by a person of authority, and sexual harassment”.
Ruggia’s arrest came days after French prosecutors opened a separate investigation into allegations of rape of a child that sent shockwaves through French cultural circles.
In a book published this month, Vanessa Springora, now 47 and head of France’s Julliard publishing house, alleged sexual abuse by Gabriel Matzneff, an 83-year-old prominent author, when she was 14.
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French filmmaker detained over alleged sexual assault: prosecutors [reuters.com]
[INFO @LCI de @mclbel] Le réalisateur Christophe Ruggia a été interpellé et placé en garde à vue ce matin, après les accusations d'attouchements et de harcèlement sexuel par Adèle Haenel
— William Molinié (@WilliamMolinie) January 14, 2020
[À LA UNE À MIDI] – Le réalisateur Christophe Ruggia, accusé d'"attouchements" par l'actrice Adèle Haenel lorsqu'elle était adolescente, a été placé en garde à vue, a-t-on appris auprès du parquet de Paris confirmant une information de LCI et Mediapart #AFP (2/5) pic.twitter.com/XPxqQ0t0JG
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) January 14, 2020
French Director Christophe Ruggia Questioned By Police In Adele Haenel Investigation https://t.co/UdMNnZVkr3 pic.twitter.com/ZqcNmrzXwB
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) January 14, 2020
Suite aux accusations d'Adèle Haenel, le réalisateur Christophe Ruggia placé en garde à vue https://t.co/VAfVgDLHNa pic.twitter.com/FlRxE85Gbe
— Paris Match (@ParisMatch) January 14, 2020
Le réalisateur Christophe Ruggia, mis en cause par Adèle Haenel, a été placé en garde à vue https://t.co/syVMtH84nv
— Le Monde (@lemondefr) January 14, 2020
Adèle Haenel : Christophe Ruggia en garde à vue https://t.co/NUoP6aCkF9
— Libération (@libe) January 14, 2020
Le réalisateur Christophe Ruggia, contre qui Adèle Haenel a porté plainte après avoir dénoncé des "attouchements" lorsqu'elle était adolescente, est en garde à vue, a-t-on appris auprès du parquet de Paris, confirmant une information de LCI et Mediapart #AFP pic.twitter.com/zNDbuDuIm5
— Agence France-Presse (@afpfr) January 14, 2020
#Justice Témoignage d’Adèle Haenel : Christophe Ruggia arrêté et placé en garde à vue, par @marineturchi #Pédocriminalité https://t.co/84mzU91op0
— Mediapart (@Mediapart) January 14, 2020