PARIS (AP) – Jack Lang, the former Culture Minister of France, has announced his resignation from his position as head of the Arab World Institute in Paris. This decision comes in light of allegations concerning his past financial connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which have triggered a tax investigation by French authorities.
Lang was due to appear at the French Foreign Ministry, which oversees the Arab World Institute, on Sunday. However, he chose to resign prior to that meeting. With this resignation, he becomes the most prominent figure in France to be impacted by the recent release of Epstein's files on January 30th by the U.S. Department of Justice. Lang served as the Culture Minister under Socialist President François Mitterrand during the 1980s and 1990s, making him a significant cultural figure in French history.
The French Foreign Ministry confirmed Lang's resignation on Saturday evening. Following the announcement, the financial prosecutors' office indicated that they had initiated an investigation into both Jack Lang and his daughter, Caroline, over suspicions of "aggravated tax fraud laundering." This investigation stems from reports suggesting that the Lang family had financial and business ties to Jeffrey Epstein through an offshore company registered in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Notably, Jack Lang's name appeared more than 600 times in the released Epstein files, which detailed intermittent correspondence between him and Epstein from 2012 to 2019. Additionally, his daughter Caroline was also mentioned in these files, raising further scrutiny regarding their financial dealings.
In response to Lang's resignation, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot acknowledged the situation and initiated the process of finding a successor for Lang at the Arab World Institute. This cultural institution has been under Lang's leadership since 2013, and his departure is likely to have significant implications for its future direction and operations.
The fallout from the Epstein files continues to affect various individuals and institutions globally. As investigations proceed, the legal and social repercussions of these connections are unfolding, highlighting the complex intertwining of power, finance, and ethics in public life.
