Appeal trial of Elysée Ade: the "guru of La Villette" denies abuse
Elysée Ade, convicted at first instance for abuse of weakness, appeared on Monday 28 September at an appeal hearing in Paris. Supported by his followers, the accused denied exerting any influence over members of his group, the "Warriors of Light".
Appeal trial of Elysée Ade: the "guru of La Villette" denies abuse
According to BFM TV, Elysée Ade appeared on Monday 28 September before the Paris court of appeal for his appeal hearing concerning accusations of abuse of weakness. Convicted at first instance in 2022 to 30 months' imprisonment, of which 12 were custodial, he is contesting this conviction and returning before the courts for facts involving around twenty people.
His followers filled the public benches of the courtroom, displaying visible support: the men had shaved heads like their leader, the women had long hair worn loose. Dressed in a black satin jacket over a white shirt, Elysée Ade repeatedly insisted from the witness stand that no members of the group followed him under duress. "They follow me of their own free will, with no obligation," he stated during his questioning.
The accused presented the "Warriors of Light" as a structure organised "in a circle" rather than hierarchically. He denied being the guru which those who, according to him, "hold a grudge against him" presented him as. Several members are said to have joined the group after following the free kung-fu classes he taught in La Villette park. A smaller group participated in "awakening circles" where Elysée Ade discoursed on philosophical subjects.
The practices incriminated include therapeutic sessions for payment, dispensed without training, as well as meetings with a sub-group of women called "FOX" (Female Orgasm Expert). According to the accusations, Elysée Ade taught masturbation with a vibrator there, presented as a method to "free sexual energy" contributing to the salvation of the world.
The court president noted that the defendant set strict precepts: fasting, sleeping on the ground, showering in cold water. When questioned on this, Elysée Ade answered: "There is nothing systematic, nothing compulsory." However, the case files report reproaches addressed to a FOX deemed above her ideal weight fixed at 42 kilograms for 1 metre 55.
François C., the first complainant in 2012, had received a violent email after leaving the group. The civil parties' lawyer cited these terms addressed to the defendant: "I'm telling you to fuck off, I won't give in to the blackmail of a piece of shit." After his departure, François C. had been treated as "total shit" or "a heap of rotten meat" by other members. Elysée Ade played it down: "People expressed their frustration, that's all."
The defendant justified the demands imposed as reflecting a logic of personal transcendence borrowed from kung-fu. "When one claims to help others, one must have strength and willpower. I asked them to be in a logic of excellence. If they didn't want to, they could remain in their basic life."
Elysée Ade described the complaints as a vendetta: the accusers would have in common that he had asked them to leave. He criticised the work of the investigators, accusing the gendarmes of having directed the questioning and distorted the statements of the witnesses. "They exaggerate the facts to make Mr Ade out to be a monster," he declared. "They take things out of context."
The UNADFI (National Association for the Defence of Families and Individuals, Victims of Cults) had reported the practices of Elysée Ade, noting in particular that some members had broken all family or social ties outside the group. The defendant denied any cult-like deviation. "I hate cults. It's the paradox: I'm here because I'm supposed to be a cult, when I'm anti-cult!"
On several occasions during the hearing, his supporters present shared laughter, notably in reaction to questions from the court. The court president had to intervene: "Please, at the back of the courtroom, I don't see what is funny." The followers continued to exchange knowing looks, remaining visibly at ease.
Source: BFM TV