French star Hallyday denies sex allegations

Legendary French rock star Johnny Hallyday, no stranger to tabloids and gossip, is fending off allegations he sexually assaulted a young woman who worked on his yacht.

Hallyday’s lawyer, Daniel Vaconsin, immediately branded the assertion as “blackmail,” telling Le Monde newspaper today that the singer has faced similar baseless allegations since rising to prominence more than four decades ago.

Hallyday, 59, whose real name is Jean-Philippe Smet, is credited with bringing rock and roll to France in 1959.

He is best known for French versions of rock classics like Let’s Twist Again, and Tutti Frutti.

Le Monde reported that the chief prosecutor from the French Riviera city of Nice, Eric de Montgolfier, opened an inquiry on March 5 into the accusations by the woman, identified as 34-year-old Marie-Christine.

The woman worked as the hostess on Hallyday’s yacht, which in April 2001 was near Cannes when she says Hallyday entered her cabin one night and forced sexual relations.

Vaconsin accused the woman of seeking to cash in on Hallyday’s wealth, saying that someone acting on her behalf requested cash in exchange for dropping the charges.

“In the 17 years I have taken care of Johnny, we have regularly come across stories like this one,” Vaconsin said.