Former French Minister Lang Resigns from Institute of the Arab World Over Epstein Case

(Patria) - Jack Lang, former French Minister of Culture, has resigned from his position as President of the Institute of the Arab World, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday, following revelations about his past contacts with Jeffrey Epstein and the launch of a financial investigation.

Earlier that day, the French financial prosecutor's office opened an investigation against Jack Lang and his daughter Caroline on suspicion of money laundering and tax fraud, Reuters reported.

Calls for Lang to resign intensified. According to files released by the US Department of Justice on January 30, Epstein and Lang corresponded periodically between 2012 and 2019, when the convicted pedophile committed suicide in prison.

French media, including Le Monde, Le Figaro, and Mediapart, reported that a preliminary investigation was opened after US documents revealed years of correspondence and financial ties between Lang and Epstein.

The prosecutor's office confirmed the investigation but provided no further details. Jack Lang was summoned on Sunday to report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which oversees the Institute of the Arab World, a cultural and research institution that promotes understanding of the Arab world.

Lang Denies Criminal Acts

Lang previously stated on social network X that he welcomed the investigation "with cheerfulness, and even relief" and added: "The accusations made against me are unfounded, and I will demonstrate this, beyond the noise and fury of the media and digital courts."

Lang's name appears more than 600 times in Epstein's files, according to a Reuters review. On Monday, Caroline Lang, a long-time media director, resigned from her position as head of the French Independent Production Union after her connections with Epstein surfaced.

Jack Lang's lawyer told BFM TV that he would "prove that he is not involved in any wrongdoing or criminal offense. There was no movement of funds... But I think it is normal for justice to want to check this," said Laurent Merlet.

The release of the files has intensified scrutiny of Epstein's global connections with public figures, including Britain's Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor – the younger brother of King Charles, Peter Mandelson, former UK Ambassador to the United States, and Norwegian Princess Mette-Marit.