Jean-Claude Van Damme's Biggest Scandals Exposed After Sex Trafficking Accusation — Including 'Shocking' Gay Remarks
Jean-Claude Van Damme's scandals have been unearthed following his sex trafficking allegations.
April 3 2025, Published 6:20 p.m. ET
Jean-Claude Van Damme has found himself in the hot seat once again after making disparaging comments about same-sex marriage.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the action star's long-list of scandals, including his recent sex trafficking allegations.
Van Damme has been married four times to three different women.
Van Damme, 64, has been married four times to three different women, including Maria Rodriguez from 1980 to 1984; Cynthia Derderian from 1985 to 1986; Gladys Portugues from 1987 to 1992 and Darcy LaPier from 1994 to 1997.
While married to bodybuilder Portugues, whom he shares two children with, he began having an affair with LaPier.
After his divorce from Portugues, Van Damme married LaPier in 1994 and the couple welcomed a son together in 1995. While LaPier was pregnant, Van Damme had an affair with his Street Fighter co-star Kylie Minogue, though LaPier did not find out about the scandal until Van Damme publicly confessed years later in 2012.
Following his third divorce, Van Damme and Portugues reunited and have been married since 1999.
Van Damme cheated on two of his wives.
LaPier cited spousal abuse in her 1997 divorce filing from the Bloodsport star.
She stated in her filing: "I am presently too afraid to stay with Jean-Claude. His physical and mental abuse and his drug abuse are at a dangerous level."
The martial artist claimed his high-stress job, including filming and promoting movies, led him to develop an intense cocaine habit.
He confessed he would spend up to $10,000 per week on the illegal drug during his marriage to LaPier. After his divorce, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1998.
Van Damme admitted to spending $10,000 weekly on his cocaine habit.
While he claimed his medication to treat his bipolar disorder turned his life around, he still battled substance abuse issues.
Following unsuccessful rehab stints, Van Damme was arrested for driving under the influence in 1999. He eventually decided to quit cocaine cold turkey and credited exercise as an immense help in the process.
In 2018, Van Damme faced backlash after his appearance on the French talkshow On n’est pas couch, during which a variety of topics were discussed including feminism and same-sex marriage.
Viewers were outraged over Van Damme's treatment of French minister Marlène Schiappa, who he interrupted on several occasions, leading the minister to accuse Van Damme of "mansplaining."
While discussing gender roles in families, Van Damme insisted a woman's "prerogative" was to take care of children, while a man was to work and provide for the family.
As he was pushing his point, Schiappa pressed him on his thoughts about same-sex marriage.
Van Damme has most recently been accused of sleeping with five victims of sex trafficking.
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She asked: "According to your theory, if a man marries another man or a woman marries a woman, how does that work?"
Van Damme quipped back: "Men marry other men? Men get married, women get married, dogs get married… Everybody is getting married and everybody is getting divorced."
Schiappa didn't find Van Damme's attempt at making a joke funny and branded his marks "shocking" as she highlighted violent abuse many members of the LGBTQ+ community faced.
Most recently Van Damme has been accused of sleeping with five Romanian women he allegedly knew were victims of sex trafficking.
According to Antena 3, a criminal complaint was filed with the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) alleging Van Damme had sex with five women who were victims of criminal organization allegedly run Romanian businessman and modeling agency owner Morel Bolea.
The victims were said to be presented to Van Damme as a "gift" during an event he organized in Cannes.
