French Man Accused of Abusing 89 Boys Across Multiple Countries Over 50 Years

A 79-year-old French man who spent decades in North Africa as a teacher is now facing charges for allegedly sexually abusing 89 boys across several countries over five decades. Jacques Leveugle was known as a respected community member who offered free tutoring and helped local families before his arrest in 2024.

KHENIFRA, Morocco (TV Delmarva) — A man who spent decades building trust as a community helper and educator in Morocco now faces shocking criminal charges that have stunned two North African nations.

Jacques Leveugle, a 79-year-old French citizen, is currently imprisoned and facing formal charges in France for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting 89 boys spanning more than 50 years across multiple countries. French prosecutors revealed the case to the public last week, also stating that Leveugle admitted to suffocating his terminally ill mother and later murdering his 92-year-old aunt.

For years in the Moroccan city of Khenifra, residents knew Leveugle as a skinny French man who cleaned streets before sunrise, provided no-cost language instruction, and arranged educational trips for local students. His fluency in Arabic, Morocco’s local dialect, and Shilha — a regional Berber language — allowed him to become deeply embedded in the community, according to neighbors.

The unassuming man would bicycle to local markets wearing simple jeans and collared shirts, and established a small children’s library in the working-class Lassiri district.

Most of the alleged sexual crimes took place in North Africa, where Leveugle established himself as a dedicated educator and trustworthy individual throughout his lifetime.

Authorities uncovered the alleged crimes after a family member discovered Leveugle’s electronic diary on a USB device and provided it to law enforcement.

Grenoble Prosecutor Etienne Manteaux confirmed to The Associated Press that Leveugle is suspected of victimizing more than a dozen boys in Morocco, where he resided until his 2024 arrest. During his eight-year tenure as a foreign language instructor in Algeria during the 1960s and 1970s, he allegedly abused at least two children.

The disturbing allegations have created widespread shock throughout both nations and brought renewed focus to child exploitation issues in a region where advocates report abuse continues to be widespread and frequently unreported.

“This case demonstrates exceptional gravity and understandably creates profound outrage,” stated Najat Anwar, who leads the Moroccan child protection organization Don’t Touch my Child. “We stand ready to participate as a civil party in legal proceedings if Moroccan witnesses or victims step forward.”

The Associated Press interviewed twelve individuals who personally knew Leveugle, including Moroccan neighbors and former Algerian students, plus Moroccan officials familiar with the investigation. Those acquainted with him characterized a person widely regarded as reserved, supportive, and someone who enjoyed spending time around children.

Throughout the narrow pathways of Khenifra’s Lassiri district, populated by many traditional Moroccans, the pleasant atmosphere of a winter morning stands in stark opposition to what locals describe as deep embarrassment they’ve experienced since prosecutors disclosed Leveugle’s alleged offenses last week.

Community members report feeling disrespected and degraded. Several are now contemplating relocating. All requested anonymity due to concerns about potential harassment or retaliation.

They indicated Leveugle’s residence, an incomplete, unpainted single-level structure encircled by fig trees, positioned beside a river where children frequently play nearby.

Local residents explained that “Monsieur Jacques,” his common nickname, financially supported community initiatives and assisted people in securing employment, occasionally distributing cash directly. Khenifra has historically maintained among Morocco’s highest jobless rates, with many inhabitants working in unofficial employment sectors. Residents frequently relocate seeking improved opportunities.

Community members recalled how Jacques once brought children to Agelmam Agezga, a popular regional lake, and instructed them to swim without clothing, beginning with himself and claiming health benefits. This behavior conflicts with Moroccan cultural norms and broader Islamic customs, which prohibit men from being unclothed in each other’s presence.

One neighbor explained that the revelations have so severely damaged his ability to trust others that he now refuses to allow his 5-year-old son to spend nights at his brother’s home.

According to a knowledgeable Moroccan official, Leveugle was born during the 1940s in Annecy, France, and initially came to Morocco in 1955. His father served at the French Embassy, and Leveugle attended school in Morocco’s capital city during the concluding years of French colonial rule.

A Moroccan justice official confirmed that Leveugle maintained Moroccan residency status and faced no documented criminal complaints within the kingdom. Both officials requested anonymity in accordance with Moroccan governmental protocols.

Neighbors reported that Leveugle relocated to Khenifra’s Lassiri neighborhood during the early 2000s. Local residents noted his regular interactions with teenage boys ranging from 13 to 15 years old.

He operated as a private instructor and, according to community members, provided complimentary lessons, coordinated educational excursions, and occasionally offered financial support to families. Some neighbors reported that he also purchased homes and vehicles for local residents and assisted with European immigration processes.

His extensive time spent with teenage boys sometimes raised questions about his minimal engagement with adult community members.

French investigators identified 89 victims of Leveugle, all boys between ages 13 and 17, through examination of a 15-volume electronic memoir discovered on a USB drive that a relative provided to police, according to the Grenoble prosecutor. He confirmed that Leveugle’s Moroccan victims date to at least 1974.

French authorities believe additional victims exist and have issued a global request for witnesses. The prosecutor informed The Associated Press that French investigators plan to travel to Morocco for evidence collection. Moroccan authorities have not issued public statements.

The French prosecutor did not indicate whether Algeria has opened an investigation, despite Leveugle’s teaching positions at three Algerian schools. The revelations have deeply affected his former students.

“I felt completely shocked upon learning this information,” Ali Bouchemla, who studied French under Leveugle during the late 1960s at a northern Algerian school, told The Associated Press. He remembered a “committed and excellent teacher” who never aroused suspicion.

Lahlou Aliouate, another former student, similarly described a dedicated educator who maintained professional conduct.

Child protection experts say Leveugle’s characteristics mirror patterns observed globally.

“Offenders frequently present themselves through educational or cultural programs, develop respectable reputations and use social or cultural influence to establish trust,” explained Najat Anwar from Don’t Touch my Child. “They subsequently focus on children experiencing vulnerable emotional or social circumstances.”