Gerard Depardieu under investigation for aggravated fiscal fraud amid ongoing sexual assault trial

Depardieu faces new legal troubles for alleged tax evasion while also standing trial for sexual assault charges.

French actor Gérard Depardieu, who is already facing rape and sexual assault charges, is now under investigation for aggravated fiscal fraud in France, according to French investigative outlet Mediapart.

The actor, who became a naturalized citizen of Russia and Belgium after leaving France in 2012, is accused of falsely claiming Belgium as his primary residence to evade French taxes.

Depardieu’s move followed a proposed 75% tax on income over €1 million announced by then-French President François Hollande. In December 2012, Depardieu publicly renounced his French citizenship, citing personal reasons. He also claimed to have paid 85% of taxes on his earnings in 2012, while maintaining a fond connection to France. Depardieu later bought a €1.2 million villa in Belgium, close to the French border, which has since been transformed into a bed and breakfast.

However, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) in France launched a preliminary investigation last year, suspecting that Depardieu had misrepresented his residence to avoid taxes, while continuing to live in France. The PNF’s investigation includes questioning individuals in both France and Belgium, with several people taken into police custody as part of the inquiry.

Depardieu’s lawyer, Jeremy Assous, denied the allegations, asserting that the claims of fiscal fraud are inaccurate. He also dismissed the investigation as a failed attempt to prove fraud and criticized the legal process as “shabby,” though he acknowledged it was legal.

In addition to the fiscal fraud investigation, Depardieu faces charges related to two alleged sexual assaults from 2021 during the filming of The Green Shutters in southern France. A trial for those charges is scheduled for March 24-25, with the actor facing up to five years in prison and a €75,000 fine. Depardieu, 75, has appeared in over 150 films, including notable works such as Cyrano de Bergerac and Green Card.