Nearly 250 Women Allege They Were Drugged During Job Interviews in France

One of the alleged victims, Anaïs de Vos, said she met Nègre in Paris in 2011 while interviewing for a position at France’s Ministry of Culture. She accepted a coffee he prepared for her and soon began experiencing an uncontrollable urge to urinate, followed by weakness, dizziness and exhaustion.

De Vos said Nègre suggested they leave the office and walk through Paris, eventually directing her towards a storage area beneath a bridge near the River Seine when she urgently needed a toilet. She became increasingly uncomfortable and insisted they continue to another location. At a café, she eventually lost control and urinated on herself. She said the incident affected her confidence and career for years.

In 2019, police contacted De Vos and told her she was among a large number of women allegedly targeted by Nègre. Investigators reportedly found a spreadsheet on his computer titled “Experiments P”, which allegedly contained details about women he interviewed, including the timing of their visits, when a substance was administered, how long it took them to urinate and what underwear they were wearing. Police believe diuretics, drugs that increase urine production, may have been used.

Another alleged victim, Marie-Hélène Brice, said she experienced a similar episode during an interview with Nègre in Strasbourg in 2016. She recalled developing an uncontrollable need to urinate while walking with him and eventually being forced to urinate in public. She said the experience left her deeply embarrassed and later caused urinary problems.

The investigation reportedly began in June 2018, after a colleague caught Nègre taking a photograph of a woman from beneath a table. He was suspended and later dismissed by the Ministry of Culture in 2019. Prosecutors said he told investigators that he had subjected women to humiliating situations during job interviews.

Nègre, now in his 60s, is under formal investigation on allegations including drugging, invasion of privacy and sexual assault and is awaiting trial. Through his lawyer, he declined to comment on the allegations.

The case has renewed debate in France about chemical submission and drug-facilitated sexual assault. Campaigners say many victims may not realise they were drugged until years later, making it difficult to obtain toxicology evidence. French MP Sandrine Josso has backed a pilot programme allowing women who believe they were drugged to submit blood, urine or hair samples for testing without first making a formal police complaint.

The alleged victims have also criticised the lengthy investigation. De Vos said she felt abandoned after first speaking to police in 2019 and waiting years for updates, while Brice described the delay as “secondary victimisation.” UN Women has also called for stronger action from governments, police and justice systems to address drug-facilitated sexual violence.