Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is facing a criminal complaint in Romania, accused of engaging in sexual relations with trafficked women.
The 64-year-old Street Fighter star is allegedly involved in accepting five Romanian women as a "gift" from a criminal network led by Morel Bolea, according to CNN affiliate Antena 3.
Romanian authorities have filed the complaint with the Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), claiming Van Damme knew the women were victims of human trafficking.
The alleged incident is said to have occurred in Cannes, France, during an event organized by Van Damme. One of the women later gave testimony, prompting DIICOT to initiate an investigation.
Attorney Adrian Cuculis, representing one of the victims, said, "The women were in a state of vulnerability, with clear indications of exploitation."
He further said, "Several Romanians under investigation for forming a criminal group and trafficking offered Jean-Claude Van Damme five Romanian women. The recipient knew their condition."
It's the second high-profile case from Romania after Andrew and Tristan Tate were arrested on sex trafficking charges in 2022 and only recently permitted to leave the country.
Van Damme is a Belgian martial artist, actor, and filmmaker, best known for action films like Bloodsport (1988), Kickboxer (1989), and Universal Soldier (1992). Born in 1960 in Belgium, he trained in karate and kickboxing before moving to Hollywood in the 1980s.
