The French Economic Prosecutor's Office announced on Saturday the initiation of an investigation involving former Culture Minister Jack Lang and his daughter, Caroline, over suspicions of 'money laundering from tax fraud.' This move comes in the wake of newly released documents that connect the duo to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Such revelations have put additional pressure on Lang to resign from his position as the president of the Arab World Institute in Paris.

The documents released by the U.S. Justice Department on January 30 indicate that Epstein and Lang corresponded sporadically between 2012 and 2019, a period which ended shortly before Epstein's infamous suicide in prison. Various French media outlets, including Le Monde, Le Figaro, and Mediapart, have reported that the preliminary investigation was triggered by these disclosures, which highlighted years of correspondence and financial ties between Lang and Epstein.

While the prosecutor's office has confirmed the investigation, details remain sparse, raising questions about the extent of Lang's involvement with Epstein and the implications of their relationship. The mounting scrutiny on Lang not only poses a challenge to his professional standing but also reflects broader societal concerns regarding accountability among public figures linked to high-profile criminal cases.