The ex-spouses were reunited again, despite themselves. This time, in the dock of the criminal court of Grasse (Alpes-Maritimes). The famous dance choreographer Bruno Vandelli, 62, and Jessy Bourgeois, 31, appeared this Wednesday for “corruption of a minor”. The prosecution requested a one-year suspended prison sentence against Bruno Vandelli, director of a dance school in Cannes and known to the general public for his participation in the show “Popstars” in 2002 on M 6, where he was a member of the jury . The decision was reserved until June 28.
The two men are being prosecuted for having exchanged pornographic photos and videos with a teenager when he was 14 and then 15, between 2016 and 2017. They had met the alleged victim during dance workshops. At the hearing, Bruno Vandelli assured that he thought the young boy was older and that all exchanges had stopped when the couple learned his age. The master's student, 22 years old, today, "very affected", was not present at the hearing. Contacted, he did not wish to speak.
“Bruno Vandelli ruined my life”
According to Me Joseph Cohen-Sabban, Bruno Vandelli's lawyer, whom we were able to contact: “This story boils down to a 15-second video, that's next to nothing. This case destroys my client. In the event of a conviction, we will appeal. » The council claims to be ready for the "real deal, this one is just the appetizer", he says, in reference to choreographer Yanis Marshall's complaint against his former mentor.
A few weeks ago, the 34-year-old former Star Academy teacher filed a complaint against Bruno Vandelli for “aggravated rape”, “sexual assault” and “corruption of minors”. The investigation was entrusted to the Nice judicial police. Yanis Marshall denounces “a long controlling relationship” with his former teacher which began when he was 13 years old in Cannes.
“The truth must come out. Bruno Vandelli ruined my life and those of many others,” he denounced, in our columns, at the end of February. The sixty-year-old choreographer denies any violence, mentions a “consensual relationship” and a “media lynching”. “This accusation was the starting point of the Vandelli massacre,” denounces his lawyer.
On February 29, we revealed that another student had, in turn, filed a complaint against the choreographer. He accuses him of numerous “perverted” text messages and training sessions during which Bruno Vandelli allegedly rubbed his penis against him.