'Monster of Avignon': Firefighter, Painter and IT Worker Among 50 Men Charged in Connection with Gisele Pelicot Assault

A group of men accused of participating in the repeated rape of a drugged woman at the command of her husband has shocked France and the world.

For the first time, seven of the men who allegedly took part have been revealed. They come from various backgrounds and walks of life but are united by their involvement in a deeply disturbing crime orchestrated by the victim’s husband, Dominique Pelicot.

Over the course of a decade, Pelicot, a 71-year-old retired electrician, is accused of drugging his wife, 71-year-old Gisele Pelicot, at their retirement home in Mazan, Provence, and inviting strangers to sexually assault her while she was unconscious.

According to prosecutors, the men involved allegedly include Hugues Malago, a 39-year-old motorcycle worker and racer; Andy Rodriguez, a 37-year-old farm worker; Mathieu Dartus, a 53-year-old odd-job worker; Jacques Cubeau, a retired marine firefighter; Lionel Rodriguez, a 44-year-old former supermarket manager turned IT worker; Husamettin Dogan, a 43-year-old painter and decorator; and Thierry Parisis, a 54-year-old local businessman.

These seven men are suspected of being part of a larger group of around 50 who were recruited online by Dominique Pelicot, who is accused of luring them to his home, where they would allegedly rape his drugged wife.

The men, according to prosecutors, were instructed to park their cars nearby and enter the home discreetly. Pelicot, who has been dubbed "The Monster of Avignon," watched the alleged assaults and filmed them, amassing over 20,000 images and videos, according to law enforcement officials.

The full extent of the alleged abuse was uncovered in November 2020, leading to his arrest and trial.

The ongoing trial in Avignon has seen one man after another claim they were “tricked” by Pelicot into participating in his fantasies, according to the prosecution. However, Pelicot has vehemently denied this, maintaining that all the men were willing participants.

In a statement to the court, he declared, "I am a rapist — like everyone else in this room."

Gisele Pelicot waived her right to anonymity, making the trial highly publicized and attracting widespread outrage. The rape trial, which would typically be private in France, has become a symbol of the broader issue of abuse and exploitation.

The accused men have offered various defenses, with many claiming ignorance or coercion. Malago, who met Pelicot through a swingers' website, told the court that his behavior changed after a motorcycle accident in 2012.

Rodriguez, who met Pelicot in a bar, claimed he only agreed to go to the Pelicot house out of boredom. Dartus, who was allegedly under the influence of ecstasy during the assaults, said he had no recollection of the events. However, Pelicot dismissed their claims of innocence, asserting that each man knew exactly what they were doing.

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

Cubeau, the oldest of the accused, has been one of the few to offer an apology to Gisele Pelicot. During the trial, he expressed remorse, telling her he was devastated by his involvement.

Other defendants, such as Lionel Rodriguez, also apologized, while others, such as Dogan, portrayed themselves as victims of Pelicot's manipulation.

The sheer scale of the alleged abuse, along with the public’s horror and outrage, has made the trial one of the most significant in modern France.