Juan Branco Biography: Wife, Age, Net Worth, Books, Height, Legal Cases, Activism

Juan Paulo Branco López, known professionally as Juan Branco, is a French-Spanish lawyer, writer, and political activist known for his provocative critiques of power structures and involvement in high-profile legal cases.

Born in 1989 in Estepona, Spain, he gained prominence through his book Crépuscule (2019), a scathing critique of Emmanuel Macron‘s presidency, and his legal work with WikiLeaks and Julian Assange from 2015 to 2019.

A polarizing figure, Branco has defended Yellow Vest protesters, represented controversial figures like Petr Pavlensky, and faced legal and ethical scrutiny, including a 2021 indictment for alleged sexual violence and a 2023 arrest in Senegal.

Profile

• Full Name: Juan Paulo Branco López
• Stage Name: Juan Branco
• Born: 26 August, 1989
• Age: 35 years old
• Birthplace: Estepona, Málaga, Spain
• Nationality: French, Spanish
• Occupation: Lawyer, Writer, Political Activist
• Height: Unknown
• Parents: Paulo Branco, Dolores López
• Siblings: 3
• Spouse: None
• Children: None
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $5 million

Early Life and Education

Juan Branco was born on August 26, 1989, in Estepona, near Málaga, Spain, to Portuguese film producer Paulo Branco and Spanish psychoanalyst Dolores López.

One of four children, he grew up in Andalusia before moving to Paris’s affluent Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood in the 6th arrondissement.

He attended the elite École alsacienne, where he created a controversial Skyblog targeting classmates, including future French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, with sexist and homophobic remarks, leading to tensions later revisited in 2023.

Branco studied at Sciences Po Paris, earning a master’s in political philosophy and another in geopolitics, followed by a PhD in international law from the École normale supérieure in 2014, completed in eight months. He also conducted research at Yale University in 2013 and worked at the Max Planck Institute in Luxembourg and La Sapienza University in Rome.

His ethnicity is Portuguese-Spanish, and his religion is not publicly disclosed.

Career

Juan Branco’s career blends legal expertise, political activism, and writing.

He began as a political activist, opposing France’s HADOPI copyright law and supporting Dominique de Villepin before joining the Green Party and working on François Hollande’s 2012 presidential campaign.

After earning his PhD in 2014, he worked at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the International Criminal Court, authoring two books on the latter. From 2015 to 2019, he served as a legal advisor to WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, seeking asylum for Assange in France and interfacing with French authorities during the 2015 NSA espionage revelations.

In 2017, he became a lawyer by equivalence, defending Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the “OAS affair” and running unsuccessfully for the French legislative election with La France Insoumise.

In 2018, Branco joined the Yellow Vests movement, defending protesters pro bono, and represented his father in a legal dispute over The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, winning in the Paris Court of Appeal. His brief stint with the UN’s MINUSCA in the Central African Republic ended after he accused Rwandan peacekeepers of a massacre, leading to his dismissal.

In 2019, his book Crépuscule, a critique of Macron’s ties to elites, sold over 150,000 copies and was downloaded a million times, earning praise and criticism for its claims. That year, he filed a 245-page submission to the ICC with Omer Shatz, accusing the EU of crimes against humanity over Mediterranean migrant deaths. In 2020, he advised Petr Pavlensky in the Griveaux affair, facing a deontological inquiry for his role.

Branco’s recent activities include representing Senegalese opposition leader Ousmane Sonko in 2023, leading to his arrest in Senegal for conspiracy and spreading fake news after entering illegally.

He was deported to France after two nights in prison. In 2021, he faced rape and sexual assault allegations, which he denied as political persecution, but his publication of complainants’ private details led to a three-year suspension from the Paris Bar, currently under appeal.

He continues to engage in activism, with posts on X suggesting he’s working on a 2025 motion to censure the French government and defending cases at the ICC. His influence stems from his bold critiques, but his controversies, including a 2016 attempt to represent terrorist Salah Abdeslam before bar admission, have drawn significant criticism.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @brancojuan

Personal Life

Juan Branco is single, with no publicly known spouse or children. Raised in an affluent Paris milieu, he socialized with cultural figures like Catherine Deneuve and Raoul Ruiz through his father’s film industry ties. His 2023 arrest in Senegal, where he entered disguised as a fisherman, highlighted his penchant for dramatic gestures.

Filmography

• O Massacre de Gilles de Rais – Director
• Le Grand Procès de Macron – Himself
• Le Gros Journal – Himself

Net Worth

Juan Branco’s estimated net worth is $5 million USD, primarily derived from his legal work, book sales, particularly Crépuscule, and media appearances. His income is bolstered by high-profile legal cases and speaking engagements, though legal battles and suspensions may impact his financial stability.