Jean-Marie Pontaut

Pontaut is the author of several books in collaboration, including a book on the affaire des écoutes de l'Élysée [fr] (Les Oreilles du Président) and another on the affaire Clearstream Affair cowritten with Gilles Gaetner (Règlement de comptes à l’Élysée). The former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin lodged a complaint against him for defamation. The trial set for 21 and 22 June 2007, was postponed, Jean-Marie Pontaut having called as witnesses Jean-Louis Gergorin, Imad Lahoud [fr] and Denis Robert, charged in the criminal part of the Clearstream affair, as well as General Philippe Rondot. It is now time for the criminal investigation to be completed and the case finally decided, which can take years.

From 1970 to 1972, he was a reporter for the weekly Paris Match. From 1972 to July 1984, he was a reporter and head of inquiry at the weekly newspaper Le Point, in charge of judicial and police files. In September 1981, he became a member of the study commission of the Ministry of the Interior on the police. From July 1984 to November 1984, he was head of the society department of the weekly Le Point. From November 1984 to September 1986, he became a senior reporter for the weekly L'Express, and from September 1986 to August 1987, became head of the newspaper company's service department, where he became deputy editor-in-chief and head of the investigations section, from August 1987 to December 1988. From December 1988 to July 1995, he remained deputy editor-in-charge of the weekly newspaper Le Point, in charge of investigations at the service "Nation" and editor in chief of investigations. From September 1995 to February 1996, he was Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Europe 1, where he also presented the weekly investigations magazine Témoin n°1. Since April 1996, he has been editor (investigations) of the weekly L'Express.

Jean-Marie Pontaut (born 26 February 1947 in Neuilly-sur-Seine) is a French investigative journalist, working for the daily L'Express, after a start and a return trip to Le Point.