French Police Conduct Raids Over Alleged Ties Between Former Institute Head and Convicted Sex Offender Jeffrey Epstein

French police on Monday carried out coordinated raids at multiple locations, including theArab World Institutein Paris, as part of an investigation into its former headJack Langover alleged financial ties to convicted sex offenderJeffrey Epstein, according to aFrance 24report, citing the national financial prosecutor’s office. Pascal Prache, head of the national financial prosecutor’s office, said in a statement that the searches were conducted within the framework of a preliminary probe into suspected tax fraud involving Lang and his daughter. The investigation was opened after the release of documents by theUS Department of Justice. Lang, a former culture minister under socialist presidentFrançois Mitterrand, stepped down earlier this month from the Arab World Institute, which he had led since 2013. The Paris-based cultural and research body operates under the supervision of France’s foreign ministry and promotes understanding of the Arab world. Lang, who corresponded with Epstein between 2012 and 2019, has denied the accusations against him. The raids follow an announcement by the Paris prosecutor’s office on Saturday that it was establishing a special team of magistrates to analyse evidence that could implicate French nationals in crimes linked to Epstein. Authorities said the team would work closely with the national financial crimes unit and police to determine whether new investigations should be opened. The aim is “to be able to extract any piece that could be usefully reused in a new investigative framework”, the prosecutor’s office said. As part of the broader review, prosecutors will also re-examine the case of former modelling agency executiveJean-Luc Brunel, a close associate of Epstein who was found dead in his Paris prison cell in 2022 after being charged with raping minors. Proceedings against Brunel were dropped in 2023 following his death, with no other suspects charged. Prosecutors previously said Brunel was “a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein” who had offered modelling jobs to young girls from poor backgrounds. They alleged he engaged in sexual acts with underage girls in the United States, the US Virgin Islands, Paris and the south of France. Ten women accused Brunel of abuse, several describing how they were plied with alcohol and subjected to forced sexual penetration, according to the prosecutor’s office. In a related development, the Paris prosecutor’s office said it had been asked to examine three new specific cases involving a French diplomat, a modelling agent and a musician whose names appeared in recently released US justice department documents. It is also reviewing the reported appearance of senior diplomat Fabrice Aidan in the Epstein-related files at the request of the foreign ministry. With inputs from agencies IAEA chief Rafael Grossi held technical talks with Iran's FM ahead of key nuclear negotiations in Geneva. Indirect US-Iran talks on Iran's nuclear program are set for February 17, with both sides sending delegations. Tensions rise as Iran conducts military drills in the Strait of Hormuz and insists on sanctions relief for nuclear limits. Get the latest stories delivered straight to your inbox.