An investigative judge in France is examining a massive criminal case involving more than 240 women who allege they were drugged by a senior human resources official during job interviews. The suspect, Christian Nègre, allegedly targeted women over a nine-year period while working for the French culture ministry and later at a regional office in Strasbourg.
For years, Nègre has been embroiled in a scandal that has left many questioning how such an individual could rise to a position of authority. Despite his high-profile role in the civil service, he has only recently begun to face scrutiny as new evidence came to light. In an interview with a French newspaper, Nègre did admit to some of the accusations, yet he has not faced a trial to answer for his alleged crimes.
According to the allegations, Nègre would offer candidates coffee or tea that he secretly spiked with a powerful, illegal diuretic. He would then lead the women on lengthy outdoor walking interviews far from public restrooms. As the spiked drinks took effect, the victims experienced severe physical distress—including heart palpitations, trembling, sweating, and dizziness—alongside an overwhelming, urgent need to urinate. Deprived of access to toilets, some women were forced to urinate in public, while others wet themselves. Many left the interviews feeling a deep sense of personal shame, failure, and confusion, unaware that they had been targeted in a calculated medical assault.
The scheme unraveled in 2018 when a colleague caught Nègre attempting to photograph a senior official's legs, urging police investigation. Authorities subsequently discovered a spreadsheet on his computer labeled "Experiments," where he had meticulously logged the timings of the druggings, details of the victims, and photographs of their lower legs.
In 2019, Nègre was dismissed from the civil service and placed under formal investigation for charges including drugging and sexual assault. While awaiting trial, he has been permitted to work in the private sector, and his lawyer has declined to comment during the ongoing investigation.
Lawyers and victims have criticized the legal process, noting that the six-year delay in bringing the case to trial has caused "secondary victimisation" and prolonged the women's trauma. Legal representatives state that the case highlights issues of power, domination, and control over women's bodies. The scandal is being viewed alongside other high-profile cases in France, such as the Gisèle Pelicot trial, which have heightened public awareness surrounding "chemical submission" (drug-facilitated abuse).
While some victims have successfully obtained civil compensation from the state, trade unions argue that the culture ministry bears systemic responsibility as an employer, asserting that previous red flags regarding Nègre's behavior in the workplace had been ignored.