Jack Lang, the president of the Arab World Institute, is under investigation over alleged “aggravated tax fraud laundering”
Jack Lang, the head of France’s Arab World Institute, has submitted his resignation following reports that his previous association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein prompted a domestic money laundering investigation, multiple media sources state.
This action came after French prosecutors disclosed on Friday that they had initiated a preliminary inquiry targeting Lang – a seasoned French politician and former culture and education minister – and his daughter Caroline for suspected “aggravated tax fraud laundering.”
The investigation commenced after disclosures by the investigative news organization Mediapart regarding potential financial connections to Epstein. The documents do not indicate Lang’s involvement in the sexual offenses committed by the late financier.
Lang’s name was mentioned hundreds of times in U.S. Justice Department files made public in late January. Mediapart reported that Caroline Lang was named to inherit €5 million ($6 million) from Epstein’s will. Both individuals have denied any misconduct.
However, in a letter referenced by France Info, Lang informed French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot that the “toxic” environment of “personal attacks” endangered “this magnificent institution,” stating he wished to “calmly refute” the allegations ahead of a special board meeting.
Established in 1980 through a partnership between France and 18 Arab nations, the Arab World Institute is a Paris cultural center that fosters understanding of the Arab world via exhibitions, debates, educational initiatives, and a museum.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving minors. Although his death was officially recorded as a suicide, it sparked conjecture that the financier was killed to silence testimony concerning alleged crimes by powerful American individuals.
The publication of the Epstein documents has also led to fresh examination of several public personalities, such as former UK ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson, who faced accusations of accepting payments from the financier. The Mandelson affair has dealt a significant setback to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was criticized for not adequately vetting the former diplomat.