A French appeals court has sentenced Moroccan singer Saad Lamjarred to 10 years in prison for raping a 20-year-old woman in 2016. The court in Créteil, southeast of Paris, handed down the sentence on Saturday, which is more severe than the original sentence imposed by the trial court. Lamjarred, 41, was found guilty of raping the woman, known as "Lora. B", in a hotel room after meeting her at a Parisian nightclub.
The prosecution had requested an eight-year prison sentence for Lamjarred, who has maintained his innocence throughout the trial. One of his lawyers, Marie Bourgobure, said they would appeal the sentence to the Court of Cassation. The victim, Lora. B, was 20 years old at the time of the alleged assault, while Lamjarred was 30. The court also ordered Lamjarred to be taken into custody immediately.
This is not Lamjarred's first conviction for rape. In May, he was sentenced to five years in prison by a court in Draguignan for raping a young woman in 2018 near Saint-Tropez. He has appealed that sentence. The Créteil trial was held in closed sessions, and the court had previously postponed the trial in July 2025 to conduct additional investigations.
According to David Chemine, one of the victim's lawyers, the harsher sentence can be attributed to Lamjarred's persona and the aggressive defense strategy employed by his team. Chemine said that the systematic questioning of the victim's testimony and the attacks on investigators and experts had a negative impact on the judges. Five people were also convicted in April of attempting to extort Lamjarred, demanding €3 million in exchange for withdrawing the complaint.
The five individuals, including the victim's mother, a lawyer, and a social media influencer, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to two years with suspended sentences. Lora. B was acquitted of the charges. Lamjarred has faced allegations of similar crimes in the past, including in Morocco in 2015 and in the United States in 2010.
The US case was settled out of court with a financial agreement with the victim. Lamjarred's lawyer has stated that he will appeal the sentence to the Court of Cassation. The singer's conviction has sparked widespread attention, and his team is expected to continue fighting the sentence.
The case has raised concerns about the treatment of victims of sexual assault and the accountability of high-profile individuals. The court has sent a strong message with its sentence, emphasizing the severity of the crime and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable.
Key points
- Saad Lamjarred sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a 20-year-old woman in 2016.
- The sentence is more severe than the original sentence imposed by the trial court.
- Lamjarred has maintained his innocence and plans to appeal the sentence.
