France probes ex-Rafale M pilot over alleged China spy aid
Pierre-Henri Chuet has been questioned by a judge, his home searched and is now under judicial supervision.
French authorities have opened a formal investigation into Pierre-Henri Chuet, a former French Navy pilot who flew Rafale M from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, over alleged intelligence activity benefiting China. Chuet was brought before an investigating judge in Paris on 20 July 2026 after being questioned by the domestic intelligence service DGSI, and his home was also searched. He faces four charges, including divulging national defense secrets, intelligence contact with a foreign power, gathering information tied to the country's fundamental interests, and handing information to a foreign power. Under French procedure, mise en examen indicates serious evidence for further investigation, not a conviction. Chuet, now known as a YouTuber and a former Air Canada employee, is said to have carrier operations experience seen as valuable to China.