FACT CHECK: No, Alexandre Trudeau Was Not Arrested For Sexual Misconduct Or Possession Of Child Pornography

Brad Sylvester | Fact Check Editor

A viral Facebook post claims Alexandre Trudeau, the brother of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has been arrested on charges of “sexual misconduct with a minor and possession of child pornography.”

Verdict: False

There is no evidence Alexandre Trudeau was recently arrested for such crimes. Montreal’s police department said it has “no file” on him.

Fact Check:

Alexandre Trudeau is the son of the late former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and the brother of the current prime minister, Justin Trudeau. He works as a documentary filmmaker and freelance journalist. (RELATED: Does This Photo Show Fidel Castro Holding Justin Trudeau As A Baby?)

A viral post baselessly alleges he was recently arrested on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor, possession of child pornography and possession of a “small quantity of crystal meth.” The post also claims Montreal police said “in a statement shared with The Beaver” that he was booked into jail Aug. 26.

“The Beaver” seemingly refers to the Conservative Beaver, a Canadian website that has published misinformation in the past. The Conservative Beaver on Aug. 25 posted an article originally titled “Justin Trudeau’s brother arrested on charges of sexual conduct with a minor” that appears to be the source of the Facebook post’s claim, though the article is no longer available on the website.

There is no mention of Alexandre Trudeau being arrested in press releases published by the Department of  Justice Canada or the Service de Police de la Ville de Montreal. Canadian news outlets such as CBC News, Global News, the Montreal Gazette and The Globe and Mail also haven’t reported on him getting arrested.

“The SPVM has no file on the individual in question,” said a spokesperson for the Montreal Police Department in an email to Check Your Fact. ” It should also be noted that we have never been contacted by The Conservative Beaver on this matter.”

The Canadian prime minister’s office did not return a request for comment.

Brad Sylvester

Fact Check Editor
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