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French authorities have uncovered a Russia-linked disinformation campaign falsely connecting President Emmanuel Macron to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a government source who spoke with AFP on Friday.
The operation was detected by France’s Viginum agency, which monitors foreign disinformation activities. The campaign involved a fabricated video report that circulated online Wednesday, claiming to reveal “documents” implicating Macron in what was termed the “Epstein affair.”
The false report was published on a fraudulent website mimicking the identity of French media outlet France-Soir, using a “.net” domain instead of the authentic site’s “.fr” domain. The government source attributed the operation to the “Storm-1516” project, a group known for spreading fabricated content.
The fabricated content falsely purported to be written by Victor Cousin, a 26-year-old journalist with Le Parisien. Cousin has since filed a police complaint regarding the identity theft. “I had to explain how pro-Russian individuals had stolen my identity to attack the French president,” Cousin wrote in Le Parisien. “The police officer in front of me stared at me with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what I was saying.”
The legitimate France-Soir quickly distanced itself from the fabrication, issuing a warning about “brand and content theft” and clarifying that the website had no connection to their organization.
According to the government source, the site was linked “with a high degree of confidence to the CopyCop information operation,” which is connected to John Mark Dougan, an American fugitive currently residing in Russia. Dougan reportedly “maintains part of the digital infrastructure of the Storm-1516 information operation.”
The disinformation campaign’s timing coincides with renewed public interest in Epstein following the U.S. Justice Department’s release of nearly three million documents related to the investigation of Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The documents have drawn attention to Epstein’s connections with various politicians, celebrities, and royals.
The false posts targeting Macron were shared simultaneously by several social media accounts that French authorities have identified as regular sources of pro-Russian disinformation. These accounts, with followings of several thousand users, cite an alleged email exchange between Epstein and Jean-Luc Brunel, a controversial French modeling agent who was found dead in his Paris prison cell in 2022 after being charged with raping minors.
The fabricated narrative claims that Brunel told Epstein in May 2017 that he would take “a few boys” to a party allegedly organized by Macron. However, the French government source confirmed that the alleged email does not exist in the Justice Department’s files.
The operation employed sophisticated techniques common to modern disinformation campaigns, including videos with audio dubbed using artificial intelligence, screenshots of altered documents, and links to the impersonated media website to add a veneer of credibility.
According to Viginum, the Storm-1516 operation has been behind at least 77 disinformation operations targeting Western countries between late 2023 and March 2025.
The Antibot4Navalny collective, which monitors pro-Kremlin bot networks, reported that Storm-1516 and another group called Matryoshka launched simultaneous campaigns targeting Macron in early February. However, the group noted there was no proven “direct link beyond the timing and topics” between the two operations.
French officials have repeatedly warned about Russian disinformation campaigns in Europe, which they say have intensified since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also been targeted by false posts following the release of the Epstein files. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed this week that the Epstein files demonstrate “how the Western elite treats children” and that such officials “stand behind the Kyiv regime.”
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8 Comments
This is a concerning example of how foreign actors are exploiting digital platforms to spread false narratives. While the specific details are troubling, it’s important to remember that fact-based journalism and robust public discourse remain our best defense against such manipulative tactics.
This is a concerning development. Disinformation campaigns like this, especially those linked to foreign actors, pose a serious threat to democratic institutions. We must remain vigilant in identifying and countering these malicious efforts to sway public opinion.
Absolutely. Tackling disinformation requires a coordinated, multi-faceted approach by governments, media, and civil society. Fact-checking, media literacy, and public awareness are crucial in exposing and discrediting these fabricated narratives.
The revelation of this Russia-linked disinformation campaign targeting the French president is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by foreign interference in domestic politics. Upholding the integrity of our democratic processes should be a top priority for all citizens.
Absolutely. We must remain vigilant and continue to strengthen our defenses against such malicious attempts to sow discord and undermine public trust. Fact-based, ethical journalism has a crucial role to play in exposing these manipulative tactics.
This case highlights the need for greater international cooperation and information-sharing to counter the spread of disinformation. Strengthening our collective resilience against foreign influence operations should be a shared goal for democratic societies.
While the details of this specific case are still emerging, it highlights the ongoing challenge of combating foreign influence operations. We must continue to strengthen our defenses against such attempts to undermine the integrity of our political processes.
Agreed. Disinformation campaigns like this undermine public trust and can have far-reaching consequences. Vigilance and a commitment to truth and transparency are essential in safeguarding our democratic values.