Paris, France – French rapper Naps, whose real name is Nabil Boukhobza, was sentenced to seven years in prison on Thursday, February 19, 2026, for the rape of a young woman in a Paris hotel room in October 2021. The ruling, delivered by the Paris Criminal Court, included a detention order, meaning Boukhobza was immediately taken into custody.
The conviction centers on an incident that occurred after a night out in Paris. The victim, identified as Fanny*, alleged she was sexually assaulted while sleeping in Boukhobza’s hotel room, with two of her friends present in the room at the time. Boukhobza consistently maintained that any sexual contact was consensual, claiming the woman was awake during the encounter.
During the four-day trial, the prosecution highlighted inconsistencies in the rapper’s account, contrasting it with the testimonies of the victim’s two friends, Céline and Léa, who stated that Fanny was asleep at the time of the assault. The court, in its ruling, emphasized the “absence of consent” and noted the victim’s consistent testimony that she was asleep and awoke during the penetration due to pain, according to TF1 Info.
The prosecutor had requested a seven-year sentence, a request the court ultimately followed. Following the verdict, the victim reportedly broke down in tears of relief, while Boukhobza embraced his wife before being led away by police. His lawyers have requested he be held in the vulnerable persons’ unit at the Santé prison in Paris, according to Le Monde.
The case gained significant attention in France, with Naps known for his hit song “La Kiffance.” The defense argued throughout the proceedings that the encounter was consensual, describing a night involving alcohol and nitrous oxide. Yet, the court found this account unconvincing.
The prosecution presented the case as a “rape by surprise,” emphasizing the victim’s unwavering account of being asleep during the assault. The court’s decision reflects a rejection of the defense’s narrative and a validation of the victim’s testimony.
