Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme faces allegations of involvement with trafficked women

The star allegedly knew and engaged in sexual relations with women who had been trafficked by a criminal group. Photo / Getty Images

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Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme has been accused of having sex with trafficked women.

The Streetfighter star is the subject of a criminal complaint filed with the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (Diicot), which alleged the 64-year-old knowingly engaged in sexual relations with women who had been trafficked by a criminal group led by Morel Bolea, CNN affiliate Antena 3 reports.

Van Damme is accused of having received five Romanian women as a “gift” in Cannes, France, with prior knowledge they had come from a trafficking group.

Attorney Adrian Cuculis, who represents one of the victims, told the outlet the quintet “were in a state of vulnerability, with the suspicion that they were exploited within the meaning of Article 182 of the Criminal Code”.

He added: “Several Romanians who are currently being investigated for forming a criminal group and pimping allegedly offered Jean-Claude Van Damme five Romanian women – photo models in Romania – for him to have sexual relations with. The person who received those benefits knew their condition."

A woman who witnessed the alleged incident is said to have spoken with prosecutors, prompting Diicot to open a criminal investigation.

The incident is part of a larger investigation into human trafficking that the Prosecutor’s Office in Romania launched in 2020.

According to Antena 3, because the alleged incident happened in Cannes, the High Court of Cassation in France must authorise criminal proceedings for the case to move forward.

The suspects will then be summoned to Romania to give a statement.

Representatives for both Van Damme and Diicot have yet to comment on the news.

The action star – nicknamed the Muscles from Brussels - previously admitted he wanted to be “the macho man” when he was younger, which led to his falling out with Steven Seagal, but he insisted the row has now ended.

The pair were embroiled in a lengthy spat for years after Under Siege star Seagal questioned Van Damme’s martial arts ability in a 1991 interview and Van Damme later challenged him to a fight at a party thrown by Sylvester Stallone.

However, Van Damme is adamant there’s no longer any bad blood between them. He told DailyMail.com “I have no problem with Steven. When you’re young you want to be the macho man. If I saw him today, I’d have no problem.”

Van Damme previously admitted the actors were offered US$20 million ($34.91m) each to take part in a huge fight in Las Vegas, but he claimed his rival backed out.

He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “They were having an idea to have a fight between me and Steven at The Mirage [in Las Vegas]. Twenty million each. He didn’t take the fight.”