He fought against drug trafficking by day and practiced chemsex by night: the case that embarrasses the French bar.

It's a story of a supposedly exemplary career followed by a brutal fall. A deputy prosecutor from the Bobigny public prosecutor's office, in the Île-de-France region, in charge of the criminal affairs and anti-narcotics division, had to admit that he was a drug user.

The 48-year-old magistrate used methamphetamine, approximately three grams per month, according to 20 Minutes and Le Parisien, costing him around 500 euros monthly. He claimed he only used it on weekends, outside of work hours, at chemsex parties—a portmanteau word referring to drug use intended to enhance sensations or improve sexual performance.

Sex and methamphetamine

These practices nonetheless had consequences for his professional life, with persistent fatigue lasting several days after these evenings. The deputy prosecutor was finally questioned by police in 2024 in connection with a manslaughter case involving an overdose at a chemsex party. He was not present, but investigators were on the trail of a sex worker whom the magistrate was believed to know, as well as the man's drug dealer.

The Bobigny prosecutor admitted to his drug use, and his superiors were informed by the local police. From a legal standpoint, the case was closed with a court-ordered treatment program, decided by the Paris prosecutor's office. But for the French justice system, internally, the matter is not over: the deputy prosecutor appeared this Tuesday before his peers on the High Council of the Judiciary. The hearing was initially scheduled to be held behind closed doors, but it was ultimately held openly in the interest of transparency.

Imposter syndrome

He spoke of profound loneliness and imposter syndrome within a prosecutor's office known for its difficult working conditions, which he said led him to seek relief from the pressure through synthetic drugs. "Social mobility worked perfectly for me," he confided. "I come from a modest background and I was the first in my family to pursue higher education."

He remains in his post in Bobigny, but now heads the civil affairs division, according to Le Parisien. He wishes to leave the town and become a juvenile court judge. For its part, the French Ministry of Justice has requested his transfer, believing that his drug use raises concerns in light of his position. A decision will be made in the coming weeks.