France investigates ex-minister Jack Lang over Epstein links

French financial prosecutors in Paris launched a formal investigation on Thursday into former Culture Minister Jack Lang and his daughter, Caroline Lang, following allegations of laundering proceeds from tax fraud linked to the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The probe, which was confirmed by judicial sources this week, centralizes on suspicious financial transactions and professional contracts that surfaced during a broader international inquiry into Epstein’s sexual abuse network and its connections to high-profile European figures. Authorities are specifically examining whether funds funneled through the Lang family were intentionally disguised to evade tax obligations and hide the origins of the wealth provided by the American sex offender. The investigation marks a significant escalation in the French legal system's attempt to dismantle the financial web surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, who took his own life in a New York jail in 2019. Jack Lang, a 85-year-old socialist icon who served under President François Mitterrand and currently leads the Arab World Institute, has long been a fixture of the French cultural and political elite. The current allegations suggest that the relationship between the Lang family and Epstein may have involved more than social acquaintance, focusing on technical financial crimes that often carry heavy penalties under French law. According to reports from the Parquet National Financier (PNF), the investigation into "laundering of tax-fraud proceeds" was triggered by findings from the "Air Cocaine" and Jean-Luc Brunel investigations, which looked into the trafficking of minors. While direct evidence of involvement in Epstein's primary crimes has not been charged, the focus on money laundering reflects a strategic shift by prosecutors to target the financial infrastructure that supported Epstein's lifestyle in France. Lawyers for the Lang family have yet to provide a detailed rebuttal, though the defense is expected to challenge the veracity of the links between the alleged tax evasion and the late financier's estate.