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Man accused of recruiting dozens of strangers to rape drugged wife is among “worst sexual criminals,” daughter testifies

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The daughter of a French retiree on trial for enlisting strangers to rape his drugged wife Friday described him as “likely one of the worst sexual criminals in past 20 years.”

Dominique Pelicot, 71, has admitted to abusing his wife without her knowledge between 2011 and 2020, drugging her with sleeping pills and then recruiting dozens of strangers to rape her in her own home.

“How are we supposed to rebuild ourselves when we know” what he did, said his daughter, 45-year-old Caroline Darian, who uses a pen name, speaking in court in the southern city of Avignon on the fifth day of a case that has horrified France.

Pelicot kept meticulous records of the abuse of his wife, which police only discovered by chance after he was caught filming up women’s skirts in a supermarket.

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Gisele Pelicot (right) speaks to one of her lawyers, beside her daughter Caroline Darian (center) and her son, at the courthouse during the trial of her husband accused of drugging her for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan, a small town in the south of France, in Avignon, on September 2, 2024. 

CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images


For years his wife, Gisele Pelicot, 71, and in divorce proceedings, says she was troubled by strange memory lapses until she was contacted by police. Dominique Pelicot admitted to investigators that he gave his wife powerful tranquilizers, often Temesta, an anxiety-reducing drug.

Speaking to the court on Friday morning, their daughter Darian recounted learning of the alleged abuse on November 2, 2020 from her mother after she had spoken to investigators.

“My life was literally turned upside down,” Darian said. “My mother said: ‘I spent most of the day at the police station. Your father drugged me to rape me with strangers. I was made to look at the photos.”

“It was what you call a tipping point, the start of a slow descent into hell where you have no idea how low you will sink,” she said, breaking down into tears. “I called my brothers… We didn’t know what was happening to us.”

Darian had left the room in tears less than 20 minutes into the second day of the trial on Tuesday, as the presiding judge recounted how naked photomontages of her had also been found on Dominique Pelicot’s computer in a folder titled “Around my daughter, naked.”

Darian in 2022 wrote a book “Et j’ai cesse de t’appeler papa” (“And I stopped calling you dad”) about the effect the discovery of the crimes had on the family.

Victim requested the trial be public

Gisele Pelicot requested the trial of her husband be public to raise awareness about the use of drugs to commit sexual abuse.

The case has shaken France, with many commenting and some even circulating purported lists of the accused online.

Gisele Pelicot and her family, through their lawyers on Friday, thanked members of the public for their support but called for “the utmost restraint on social media” during the court case.

“Our clients understand perfectly that this case is a tragedy for all families,” included those of the defendants, said one of them, Antoine Camus.

Paul-Roger Gontard, the lawyer of two of the accused, praised the move as protecting the families of his clients and other suspects who could be found innocent.

At least one person has set up a crowdfunding campaign for the family.

Gisele Pelicot “does not wish for any crowdfunding campaigns to be launched and requests any already existing be ended,” her attorneys Camus and Stephane Babonneau also wrote in a statement.

“I just wanted to disappear”

On Thursday, Gisele Pelicot testified that the police had saved her life by uncovering the crimes.

“The police saved my life by investigating Mister P.’s computer,” she told the court, referring to her husband.

She testified that up until then, they had been an “ideal couple,” and she and her husband had overcome a number of financial and health-related difficulties, the BBC reported. Everything changed when the crimes came to light.

“I just wanted to disappear. But I had to tell my children their father was under arrest. I asked my son-in-law to stay next to my daughter when I told her that her father had raped me, and had me raped by others,” she said. “She let out a howl, whose sound is still etched on my mind.”

FRANCE-JUSTICE-TRIAL-PROTEST-INVESTIGATION-ASSAULT-WOMEN
Gisele P. listens to her lawyer Stephane Babonneau addressing media as she leaves the courthouse during the trial of her husband accused of drugging her for nearly ten years and inviting strangers to rape her at their home in Mazan, a small town in the south of France, in Avignon, on September 5, 2024.

CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images


The investigators counted around 200 instances of rape, most of them by Gisele Pelicot’s husband and more than 90 by strangers.

Investigators drew up a list of 72 suspects besides the husband, and have so far managed to identify 50 of them, aged between 26 and 74, all on trial.

Gisele Pelicot said on Thursday she had recognized only one of her alleged rapists, a man who had come to discuss cycling with her husband at their home, and whom later used to greet at the bakery.

Most of the suspects face up to 20 years in jail for aggravated rape if convicted.

Eighteen of the 51 accused are in custody, including Dominique Pelicot. Thirty-two other defendants are attending the trial as free men. The last is being tried in absentia.

The trial is expected to last until December 20.



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Why the Fed cut interest rates for the first time in 4 years

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Why the Fed cut interest rates for the first time in 4 years – CBS News


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The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a percentage point Wednesday after introducing several rate hikes throughout the pandemic. Martin Baccardax, chief markets correspondent for TheStreet, joins CBS News to explain the Fed’s move.

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Don’t miss these stellar deals on meal kits this month

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CookUnity


Looking to save some money on your weekly food budget this fall? Meal kit delivery services are already a budget-friendly alternative to grocery shopping or ordering delivery, but we here at CBS Essentials have found even more ways to save with the best deals on meal kits this month.

Unless you’re brand new to meal kits (in which case welcome to your new nutritious, affordable and hassle-free lifestyle!), you’ve probably seen a meal kit company offer up an enticing deal for first-time subscribers. These deals, which typically translate to price markdowns on one or more weekly deliveries, can be fleeting — there one week, gone the next. 

To help you find the best deals that won’t slip through your metaphorical fingers, we’ve researched the absolute best deals on meal kits that are available this month.

The best deals on meal kits this month

We rounded up the best deals you’ll find on meal kits and listed our favorites below. These deals are definitely available through the end of September, but beyond that, who’s to say? Don’t wait around to see these big discounts and fun freebies vanish after this month ends — find the best meal kit delivery deal for you and sign up today.

Interested in saving money on your first meal kit delivery? How about discounts that last for several week’s worth of orders? Whether you’re looking for a great deal on first time meal kit subscriptions or simply want to hook yourself up with freebies like ButcherBox’s offer of free ground beef and wings for six months, we have the best deals you can find on meal kits this month below.

Save 50% off your first order with CookUnity

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CookUnity via X/Twitter


Based in New York, CookUnity is a chef-to-consumer meal delivery service that pairs families with the works of local talented chefs. It isn’t available nationwide quite yet, but CookUnity is rapidly expanding its reach, covering most of the continental U.S. with the exception of West Virginia, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and parts of Wyoming, Nebraska and Colorado.

If you’re interested in signing up for access to CookUnity’s 70+ weekly recipes, now is the time to act. For the rest of this month, CookUnity is offering a whopping 50% discount for that first weekly delivery to new subscribers.


Free ground beef and wings for six months when you try ButcherBox

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ButcherBox


Sometimes you know exactly what you want in a meal delivery service, and if that’s grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork or chicken, then ButcherBox is right up your alley.

This delivery service replaces the wide variety of meals and sides that most other meal delivery services offer in place of a curated selection of meats. You can then use these as the base for your own cooking.

ButcherBox works with a group of family-owned farms and cooperatives to source its meats. ButcherBox deliveries are priced per meal. ButcherBox always offers free shipping.

All month long, first time subscribers can enjoy an impressive bonus: free ground beef and free wings each week for six months.


Enjoy 50% off your first four weeks with Blue Apron

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Blue Apron


During our in-depth review for Blue Apron, we found plenty of reasons to sign up for the popular meal delivery service. Among Blue Apron’s +70 weekly recipe options, there are more than a few diet-friendly options for people to choose from.

Blue Apron also offers subscribers a choice between build-your-own meal kits that take as little as 20 minutes to whip up in the kitchen and a new line of prepared and ready meals. These nutritious offerings take no time at all to prepare, with most prepared and ready dishes ready to go in five minutes or less.

This month, Blue Apron is offering new subscribers an impressive 50% discount that is spread across their first four weeks.


Save 10% on orders over $100 with Daily Harvest

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Daily Harvest


Daily Harvest has a refreshing menu full of dinners, lunches and snacks that are made from whole fruits and vegetables. If you want certified organic meals, Daily Harvest is worth considering.

Daily Harvest is extra worthy this month thanks to a simple yet effective discount: new subscribers can save 10% on orders with a total over $100. 

Deliveries are put together one item at a time, so you have the freedom to build your own meal plan each week. Pick anywhere from nine to 24 items each week. Prices for Daily Harvest typically start at $7 per item.


Want half off your first box? Sign up for Factor

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Factor


If you want fresh, ready-made meals that take little to no prep time, then Factor has a number of nutritious and satisfying meals for you to try out this month. Each fresh, never-frozen dinner is designed by one of Factor’s gourmet chefs.

If you’re interested in Factor’s selection of diet-friendly options — Factor serves up more than 30 dietitian-approved meals each week — then now is the time to sign up.

All through September, first time subscribers can save 50% off the price of their first box.


Get discounted meals as low as $3 per serving with EveryPlate

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EveryPlate


One of the most affordable meal kit delivery services available today just got a little bit cheaper thanks to this month’s discount. EveryPlate offers a good selection of nutritious and hassle-free recipes each week, which you can enjoy for a fraction of the normal price by signing up during September.

Normally available starting at $5 per serving, EveryPlate orders are currently available to new subscribers for as low as $3 per serving.


Save $260 off your first five boxes with Marley Spoon

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Marley Spoon


Marley Spoon is a meal kit company that’s all about the cooking experience. Each box contains quality ingredients and recipes based off of Martha Stewart classics, which have been pared down to be even more accessible to the average home chef.

If you’re ready to make the switch to meal kits, Marley Spoon has the perfect long-term offer. Right now, anyone who signs up for Marley Spoon can enjoy $260 in savings, spread across their first five boxes.


Get 50% off your first box, while supplies last, with Purple Carrot

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Purple Carrot


Purple Carrot offers delicious, frequently low-calorie, meals each week. Every plant-based meal kit or pre-made meal is packed with nutrients — a perfect choice for vegans, vegetarians or anyone who just wants to eat healthier.

All through September, Purple Carrot is offering a 50% discount on that first weekly box for first-time subscribers. 


How much do meal kits cost?

One of the biggest benefits to meal kits is the cost. Let’s face it: grocery prices can easily get out of hand, no matter how thrifty you are. The average two-person household typically spends between $450 and $800 per month at the grocery store.

Meal kit prices essentially boil down to the price per serving for each delivered meal kit. Most meal kits cost between $8 and $12 per serving, with prices going up if you choose fewer meals or servings each week (and vice versa). These prices are laid out for subscribers building their meal plan. 

The good news is that first-time subscribers can usually find impressive sign-up bonuses and discounts. If you’re looking for the best deals, circle back to our list above for the best meal kit deals available through the end of September.

How do meal kits work?

Put simply, a meal kit is a subscription food delivery service that’s all about convenience. Meal kits are shipped right to your door, with ingredients prepped and pre-portioned to save you as much time as possible in the kitchen. Most meal kits leave the cooking steps up to you: Simply follow the included instructions (typically printed on recipe cards that you can save) to whip up dinner for you or the whole family with ease.

Weekly recipes change weekly so there’s always something new to look forward to. And if you ever want a break from meal kits, most meal kit delivery services make it easy to pause or cancel your subscription.

What is the best meal kit for large families?

In many ways, meal kits are one of the best solutions for anyone struggling to come up with new and nutritional dinners each night for a full house. They can help to cut down on expenses and save you time with pre-portioned meal kits that take a fraction of the time to whip up over a traditional home cooked meal.

One standout benefit that some meal delivery services offer is the option to personalize your meal plan. EveryPlate is one meal delivery service that has a meal plan perfectly tailored for larger families. EveryPlate’s kid-friendly family plan comes with dozens of weekly meal options.




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Sean “Diddy” Combs denied bail for second time

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Sean “Diddy” Combs denied bail for second time – CBS News


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Disgraced hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail Wednesday by a second judge in his federal sex trafficking case in New York. The 54-year-old had offered to post a $50 million bond so he could be released to home detention. Jericka Duncan has more.

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