Jack Lang Resigns Following Epstein Revelations and Tax Investigation
Jack Lang, the former French culture minister, has stepped down as head of the Arab World Institute in Paris after disclosures about his past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. This resignation coincides with the initiation of a financial inquiry by French prosecutors.
Lang, aged 86, tendered his resignation on Saturday evening prior to an urgent meeting convened by the French foreign ministry to address his connections to Epstein.
Financial Investigation into Lang and Daughter
Earlier on the same day, the French financial prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into Jack Lang and his daughter, Caroline Lang, a film producer, on allegations of "aggravated tax fraud laundering". This action followed their mention in the Epstein files. Both Jack and Caroline Lang have denied any misconduct.
Context of Epstein Files and Lang’s Involvement
Lang’s resignation represents the most prominent instance in France linked to the revelations from files released on 30 January by the US Department of Justice. These documents detailed Epstein’s extensive social, networking, and financial connections. Lang is the highest-profile French public figure implicated in the fallout from the convicted sex offender’s records.
Lang’s Career and Role at the Arab World Institute
Jack Lang served as culture minister under Socialist president François Mitterrand during the 1980s and 1990s. During his tenure, he oversaw significant modern architectural projects, including the construction of the Louvre Pyramid. Since 2013, Lang has led the Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute), a cultural and research organization dedicated to fostering understanding of the Arab world, operating under the supervision of the French foreign ministry.
Correspondence with Epstein and Mentions in Files
Lang was documented in the Epstein files as corresponding intermittently with Epstein between 2012 and 2019, the year Epstein died by suicide in jail.
According to news agencies, Lang’s name appeared over 600 times in the files, with his daughter also mentioned repeatedly.
Caroline Lang’s Resignation and Offshore Company
Caroline Lang resigned this week from France’s Union of Independent Producers after emails revealed she had co-founded an offshore company with Epstein in 2016, intended to invest in the work of emerging artists. She stated that she had withdrawn from the offshore company following further allegations against Epstein in 2019 and denied any wrongdoing.
Caroline Lang was also named as a beneficiary of €5 million in Epstein’s will, according to the French investigative website Mediapart. She told the French public broadcaster France 2 that she had never been aware of the will, had never seen such a document, nor received any funds from it.
Jack Lang’s Denials and Legal Representation
Jack Lang has denied any wrongdoing, expressing that he was "shocked" to find his name associated with the offshore company statutes in 2016. He asserted that his appeals to Epstein were solely in a philanthropic context.
“There has been no movement of funds … But I think it is normal for the justice to want to verify this.”
Laurent Merlet, the lawyer representing both Jack and Caroline Lang, told Agence France-Presse that Caroline Lang was "serene" as she had not received any funds.
Lang’s Defense Regarding Epstein’s Criminal History
In a defense similar to others associated with Epstein, Lang claimed ignorance of Epstein’s criminal activities despite Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
“How could a man so courteous, so charming, so generous have perpetrated such abominations?”
Lang told France 2 that he was shocked to learn of the allegations against Epstein in 2019.
Visual Evidence and Media Investigations
A video released shows Lang with Epstein in front of the Louvre pyramid in Paris in March 2019, months before Epstein was charged with sex trafficking girls as young as 14.
Investigations by Le Monde and Mediapart found no documents released by the US Department of Justice indicating that either Lang or his daughter were implicated in Epstein’s sex crimes.
Initial Resistance to Resignation and Background
Earlier in the week, Lang had declared he would not resign despite widespread calls for his departure from all political parties, including his own.
Lang has stated that he was introduced to Epstein by the American actor and director Woody Allen.
Epstein owned a large apartment in western Paris and was a frequent visitor to the French capital prior to his death in prison in 2019.
