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Jean-Claude Van Damme has issued a firm denial in response to sex trafficking allegations involving several Romanian women.
This comes after reports surfaced that a criminal complaint had been filed with Romanian authorities, accusing the 64-year-old of engaging in sexual activities with five women allegedly trafficked by a criminal network headed by Morel Bolea.
Van Damme’s statement comes a week after CNN affiliate Antena 3 reported that a formal complaint had been submitted to the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism.
The actor’s agent, Patrick Goavec, addressed the allegations on Wednesday, saying: “We have become aware of articles referencing an alleged incident in Cannes involving Mr. Jean-Claude Van Damme.”
Speaking to People, Goavec added: “The claims are both grotesque and entirely false. Mr. Van Damme does not wish to further comment or give life to a rumor that is as ridiculous as it is baseless.”
The reported incidents are alleged to have taken place in Cannes during an event hosted by Jean-Claude Van Damme, where the women—all of whom were models—were allegedly presented to him as a “gift.”
According to Adrian Cuculis, an attorney representing one of the women, the individuals were described as being “in a state of vulnerability,” with strong indications they were being exploited under Article 182 of the Romanian Criminal Code.
Cuculis stated: “During an event in Cannes organized by Jean-Claude Van Damme, several Romanians—who are currently under investigation for forming a criminal group and engaging in pimping—allegedly presented five Romanian women, known photo models, to Van Damme for sexual purposes.”
He added: “The person who accepted these ‘benefits’ was aware of the women’s situation. Based on witness testimony, it’s evident that Jean-Claude Van Damme knew these individuals were being exploited.”
One of the women who witnessed the alleged events reportedly came forward to prosecutors, prompting Romania’s Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) to open a criminal investigation into Jean-Claude Van Damme.
The case is expected to be sent to the High Court of Cassation in France, where any potential criminal proceedings would require official approval before moving forward.
According to Antena 3, the suspects tied to the case are expected to be summoned to Romania to provide official statements.
Attorney Adrian Cuculis added that the incident involving Van Damme is now part of a larger investigation into human trafficking and the exploitation of minors, which was initiated by the Romanian Prosecutor’s Office back in 2020.
Jean-Claude Van Damme, born in Belgium, shot to fame with his breakout role in Bloodsport (1988) and solidified his status as a martial arts action star in films like Kickboxer, Double Impact, and The Expendables 2. More recently, he lent his voice to Minions: Rise of Gru (2022) and appeared in The Gardener (2025).
The actor has been married five times to four different women and is a father to three children: Kristopher and Bianca Brigitte with third wife Gladys Portugues, and Nicholas with fourth wife Darcy LaPier.
In 2018, Van Damme’s son Nicholas pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct following an incident in which he allegedly held his roommate at knifepoint in Phoenix, Arizona.
As a result, he was sentenced to 18 months of probation.
