Financial crime prosecutors in France have opened a preliminary inquiry into former Culture Minister Jack Lang concerning his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender.
Lang, a key figure in French socialist governments from the 1980s to the early 2000s, is being investigated for suspected laundering of tax fraud proceeds. This development follows the release of Epstein files by the US Department of Justice, which detailed links between the Lang family and Epstein.
At 86, Lang firmly denies any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as baseless. In a statement to the media, he expressed confidence that the investigation will clarify doubts regarding his integrity and honor.
Shortly after the investigation was announced, Lang offered to resign from his position as the head of the Arab World Institute, an organization that promotes collaboration between France and Arab nations. He has stated his intention to submit his resignation during the next board meeting.
Previously, Lang had faced pressure to resign but had resisted, even as he was mentioned almost 700 times in the Epstein files. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot acknowledged Lang's resignation offer and confirmed steps would be taken to find a successor.
Notably, Caroline Lang, Jack's daughter, is also under investigation after stepping down as the head of a French film producers' union. During an interview, she mentioned meeting Epstein in 2012, where he expressed an interest in supporting young artists.
Jack Lang asserts that he met Epstein about 15 years ago and was unaware of his criminal background at the time, having been introduced to him through filmmaker Woody Allen. He described Epstein as passionate about art, culture, and cinema. Lang's acknowledgement in the Epstein files involves requests for financial support, including the use of Epstein's private jet.
This inquiry raises further questions about the connections between high-profile individuals and the complex web surrounding Epstein, who died in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking.
