Jack Lang, a former French culture minister, has resigned as head of Paris’s prestigious Arab World Institute after revelations of his past contacts with the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the launch of a financial investigation by French prosecutors.
Prosecutors say the inquiry relates to suspected laundering of proceeds from tax fraud. The case follows the release of newly published Epstein files by the US Department of Justice.
Lang, who is 86, has denied any wrongdoing and says the claims against him are “baseless”.
Who is Jack Lang?
Jack Lang is a senior figure in French politics and culture. He served as culture minister between 1981 and 1993, and later as education minister, under socialist governments led by President François Mitterrand.
Until now, Lang has been head of the Arab World Institute, a Paris-based body that promotes cultural ties between France and Arab countries.
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What are the allegations?
French prosecutors say they are examining Lang’s links to Jeffrey Epstein after documents released by US authorities showed repeated references to the Lang family.
Lang is named almost 700 times in the Epstein files. His daughter, Caroline Lang, is also under investigation.
The files do not accuse either of them of involvement in Epstein’s sexual crimes.
Lang offers to resign
Hours after news of the investigation emerged, Lang said he was ready to step down as president of the Arab World Institute.
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In a letter to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, reported by the BBC, Lang said he would submit his resignation at the institute’s next board meeting.
Barrot confirmed he had accepted the offer and would begin the process of appointing a successor.
Lang had previously resisted calls to resign.
What does Lang say?
Lang said the investigation would “bring clarity” and defend his “honour”.
He told broadcaster BFMTV that he had known Epstein only socially and had no knowledge of his crimes when they met “some 15 years ago”.
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Epstein was convicted in 2008 in Florida for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Lang said he had been introduced to Epstein by US film director Woody Allen and described Epstein as someone interested in art and cinema.
“When I meet people, I don’t ask to see their criminal record,” he told RTL radio.
Claims in the Epstein files
French media reports say emails in the files suggest Lang asked Epstein for help on several occasions, including access to a car and private plane for himself and his family.
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Caroline Lang told French website Mediapart that she met Epstein in 2012, when he expressed interest in supporting young artists.
She said Epstein’s lawyers later set up a company in the US Virgin Islands, in which she was listed as holding half the shares. She says she never invested money or received funds and admitted she had been “naive”.
She has since resigned as head of a French film producers’ union, saying she did not want the issue to damage the organisation.
The Epstein files are part of a large release of documents by the US government linked to investigations into Jeffrey Epstein.
They include millions of records naming wealthy and powerful individuals from around the world. Being named does not imply wrongdoing.
Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
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This photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice, shows Jeffrey Epstein and French culture minister Jack Lang at the Louvre in Paris. (U.S. Department of Justice via AP) 
