A 79-year-old Frenchman, Jacques Leveugle, is under formal investigation in France for the alleged rape and sexual assault of 89 boys across several countries over more than five decades. The case, made public by French prosecutors last week, has sent shockwaves through Morocco and Algeria, where many of the abuses are said to have occurred.
Leveugle was arrested in Morocco in 2024 and is now behind bars in France. He is also accused of smothering his mother to death during her terminal cancer and later killing his 92-year-old aunt. The crimes came to light when a relative discovered a digital memoir on a USB drive and handed it to authorities.
In Morocco, where he lived until his arrest, Leveugle is suspected of abusing more than a dozen children. In Algeria, where he worked as a language teacher in the 1960s and 1970s, he is suspected of abusing at least two. The revelations have renewed attention to child exploitation in a region where abuse remains underreported, according to activists.
In the Moroccan town of Khenifra, Leveugle was known as 'Monsieur Jacques,' a discreet and helpful man who swept streets at dawn, offered free language lessons, and organised outings for children. Residents described him as deeply integrated into the community, but now feel a sense of shame and betrayal. Many are considering moving out, speaking anonymously for fear of harassment.
Neighbours recalled how he once took children to a lake and told them to swim naked, claiming it was healthy—a practice deeply at odds with local culture. One neighbour said his trust is so shaken he no longer lets his five-year-old son sleep at his brother's house. Leveugle had no known criminal complaints in Morocco, according to a justice official.
