Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has been accused of engaging in sexual relations with five women he allegedly knew had been trafficked.
The alleged incidents took place in Cannes, France, where the Belgian actor reportedly received the Romanian women as a “gift” from a network of human traffickers.
The complaint was filed by a Romanian woman, now 26 years old, who claims the events occurred when she was a minor, Romanian news outlet Antena 3 CNN reported.
Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) in Iași has opened a criminal case, suspecting a larger network involved in trafficking minors and adults, allegedly led by Romanian businessman and modeling agency owner Morel Bolea.
“The women were in a state of vulnerability, with the suspicion that they were exploited,” said Adrian Cuculis, a lawyer representing one of the alleged victims.
Cuculis added that at an event in Cannes, Van Damme was allegedly offered five Romanian women who were known photo models in Romania by individuals now under investigation for human trafficking and organized crime.
“The person who received those benefits knew their condition. Witness statements clearly indicate that Jean-Claude Van Damme was aware that these individuals were being exploited,” Cuculis told Antena 3 CNN.
Since the alleged incident took place in France, the High Court of Cassation, the country’s top court for civil and criminal cases, must authorize any criminal proceedings.
Van Damme, 65, is a Belgian-born martial artist and actor, known for starring in more than 80 action films over a career spanning nearly five decades.
The complaint was filed by a Romanian woman, now 26 years old, who claims the events occurred when she was a minor, Romanian news outlet Antena 3 CNN reported.
Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) in Iași has opened a criminal case, suspecting a larger network involved in trafficking minors and adults, allegedly led by Romanian businessman and modeling agency owner Morel Bolea.
“The women were in a state of vulnerability, with the suspicion that they were exploited,” said Adrian Cuculis, a lawyer representing one of the alleged victims.
Cuculis added that at an event in Cannes, Van Damme was allegedly offered five Romanian women who were known photo models in Romania by individuals now under investigation for human trafficking and organized crime.
“The person who received those benefits knew their condition. Witness statements clearly indicate that Jean-Claude Van Damme was aware that these individuals were being exploited,” Cuculis told Antena 3 CNN.
Since the alleged incident took place in France, the High Court of Cassation, the country’s top court for civil and criminal cases, must authorize any criminal proceedings.
Van Damme, 65, is a Belgian-born martial artist and actor, known for starring in more than 80 action films over a career spanning nearly five decades.
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