Jean-Claude Van Damme Sex Trafficking Allegations Are 'Absurd' and 'Unfounded,' Says Actor's Agent
"We have become aware of articles alleging an alleged affair in Cannes involving Mr. Jean-Claude Van Damme. The reported facts are both grotesque and non-existent," the actor's agent, Patrick Goavec, told PEOPLE in a statement translated from French on Wednesday, April 9.
"Mr. Van Damme does not wish to comment or fuel this rumor, which is as absurd as it is unfounded," the statement added.
A criminal complaint was filed with the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) against the Streetfighter star, 64, alleging that he knowingly engaged in sexual relations with women trafficked by a criminal group led by Morel Bolea, according to CNN affiliate Antena 3.
The incident allegedly took place during an event organized by Van Damme in Cannes, where the actor is accused of having received five Romanian women as a "gift" with prior knowledge that they came from a group of traffickers, according to the criminal complaint obtained by the outlet.
Attorney Adrian Cuculis, who represents one of the victims, told the outlet that the women "were in a state of vulnerability, with the suspicion that they were exploited within the meaning of Article 182 of the Criminal Code."
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
One woman who claimed see witnessed the incident shared what she allegedly saw with prosecutors, according to Antenna 3 CNN. This prompted the DIICOT to open a criminal investigation into the incident.
'Several Romanians who are currently being investigated for forming a criminal group and pimping, allegedly offered Jean-Claude Van Damme five Romanian women — photo models in Romania — for him to have sexual relations with. The person who received those benefits knew their condition,' attorney Adrian Cuculis told the outlet in a translated post.
Cuculis told Antena 3 that the incident is part of a larger investigation into human trafficking and the trafficking of minors that began in 2020 by the Prosecutor's Office in Romania. The next step in the case would be the High Court of Cassation in France authorizing criminal proceedings. Then, suspects identified in the case will be summoned to Romania to give statements, Antena 3 reported.Van Damme, who was born in Belgium, made his breakout with 1988's Bloodsport and went on to star in several action films including Kickboxer, Double Impact and The Expendables 2. He most recently appeared as a voice actor in 2022's Minions: Rise of Gru and 2025's The Gardener.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Elle
2 hours ago
- Elle
Here's Where You Know the Cast of ‘The Hunting Wives' From
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. In the mood for a mystery thriller that's just the right amount of unhinged? The Hunting Wives might scratch that itch. Based on the 2021 bestselling novel of the same name by May Cobb, the series follows Sophie (Brittany Snow) as she moves with her family to Maple Brook, Texas, and becomes enraptured by an alluring Southern socialite. When the series landed on Snow's desk, she told People that she 'read the scripts of all eight episodes within a couple hours. I was completely hooked. I was desperate to find out what was going to happen.' All eight episodes are now streaming on Netflix. Ahead, get to know the main cast—and see where you might already recognize them from. Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect, John Tucker Must Die) plays Sophie, a former PR exec who moves with her family from Massachusetts to Texas. There, she quickly gets wrapped up in a cliquey socialite circle. Malin Åkerman (Dollface, Billions) plays Margo, the wife of an oil tycoon and the HBIC of a group of MAGA-esque socialites known as the Hunting Wives. Dermot Mulroney (Shameless, Chicago Fire) plays Jed, Margo's husband and a successful oil tycoon. He's also running for Texas governor. Evan Jonigkeit (Sweetbitter) plays Graham, Sophie's husband. While in Texas, he begins working for Jed as an architect for a big project. Chrissy Metz (This Is Us) plays Starr, a devout Christian and single mother who is a bit of an outsider in the Maple Brook community. Jaime Ray Newman (Dopesick) plays Callie, Margo's close friend and ex-lover who is very possessive of her. Katie Lowes (Scandal) plays Jill, the disregarded wife of a reverend at a megachurch. She mostly focuses on her son, Brad, and the Hunting Wives. Madison Wolfe (The Conjuring 2) plays Abby, girlfriend to Brad—Jill's son—and daughter to Starr. Joyce Glenn (Checkmate) plays Monae, a member of the Hunting Wives.
Elle
2 hours ago
- Elle
Want to Look Like You Just Stepped Off the Amalfi Coast? Try the Retro Dolce Vita Bob
Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. From claw clips to finger waves, French twists and Bardot bangs, retro hairstyles have been making a major resurgence of late. And the latest one rising to the top of our mood boards, signaling the return of polished and glamorous styles, is the 'dolce vita' bob. Popularized in the 1950s, and reemerging thanks to celebrities like singer-songwriter Raye, whose sculpted, coiffed bob is now something of a signature, this retro bob is officially trending. Everyone from Sabrina Carpenter to Cardi B and Zendaya are making a strong case for the bouncy, polished curls and short crop. Think of it as the new, more modern iteration of the 'old money' bob, which went viral last year and saw the return of rather expensive-looking, shiny lengths and the signature 'tucked under' crop from the '50s take shape. Drawing inspiration from the voluminous silhouette of old, the 'dolce vita' bob is all about achieving an ultra-polished finish and bouncy volume. 'This longer bob length shape shares the same luxurious and glamorous texture of the old money bob, but with extra volume and a more cushioned, weightless finish,' shares trend forecaster and hair expert, Tom Smith. How to make it work for your hair type? 'This is for those who like volume and who have thick hair or who want to create that illusion,' shares Smith. 'The long, soft, and fluid layers help to give movement to finer hair and manage the bulk of thicker hair,' he adds. Though it's best suited to those with naturally wavy or curly hair, anyone with straighter lengths can also achieve the look using heated rollers or a classic curling wand. If you haven't mastered the art of rollers yet, fear not—there are plenty of tools, tips, and techniques at your disposal to recreate this hairstyle too, like ghd's Duet Blowdry to Dyson's Airwrap. 'The look can be achieved with a blow-dry using a round brush, but you can also use heated rollers, or tools such as the Dyson Airwrap with the curl attachments,' Smith agrees. Finally, don't forget copious hairspray and a smoothing cream for that polished finish. From: ELLE UK
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Zookeeper Dies After Being Attacked by a Leopard that Escaped Its Enclosure: Reports
Uriel Nuri, 36, was preparing for a behind-the-scenes visitor tour when the attack occurredNEED TO KNOW A zookeeper died after being attacked by a leopard while working at the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, more commonly referred to as the Biblical Zoo on Aug. 1 Uriel Nuri, 36, was mauled by the animal that escaped from its enclosure as he was preparing for a behind-the-scenes visitor tour The zoo stressed that none of the visitors sustained injuries, as they were safe behind glassA zookeeper in Israel's capital city Jerusalem died after being mauled by a leopard. 36-year-old Uriel Nuri — who worked at the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens, commonly referred to as the Biblical Zoo — died of wounds that he sustained from the attack that occurred in the early hours of Friday, Aug. 1, according to local outlet Ynetnews. "During a routine activity to prepare food for the leopards, which took place as part of a behind-the-scenes tour for visitors of the zoo, a leopard managed to escape from the leopard house into the inner courtyard and attacked one of the zoo employees," the Biblical Zoo said in a statement shared with The Jerusalem Post. Nuri suffered "severe injuries" and was reportedly already unconscious when emergency responders arrived on the scene. Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic Dov Shari told The Jerusalem Post that responders "immediately attempted to stop the bleeding," noting that the injuries were on his neck. 'We gave him life-saving treatment, including CPR, before he was evacuated for further treatment," they said. Despite their attempts, Nuri was pronounced dead at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center after "prolonged resuscitation efforts," the hospital told Ynetnews. In their statement shared with The Jerusalem Post, the zoo stressed that "at no point was there any physical danger to the visitors, who were protected behind a glass window." They noted that they were unsure of how the leopard escaped its enclosure and that they would be investigating with the help of local police. The outlet reported that the leopard was not injured in attempts to recover Nuri from the enclosure. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In a Facebook statement, the Biblical Zoo announced that the zoo would be closed in the coming days. 'Dear visitors, the zoo is closing its doors due to a serious event,' a translation of the statement read. 'We apologize and ask for the audience's understanding in order to process the event that happened to us.' It continued: 'Due to the difficult case, the garden will be closed to visitors tomorrow, Saturday, and on Sunday.' PEOPLE reached out to the Israel police, the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center and the Biblical Zoo for further comment. Read the original article on People
