Former French culture minister Jack Lang said Saturday he will offer his resignation as president of the Arab World Institute (IMA) at the next board meeting after becoming the subject of a French investigation tied to documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case.
French financial crimes prosecutors confirmed a preliminary probe has been opened against Lang and his daughter for ‘laundering of aggravated tax-fraud proceeds.’ French outlets including Le Monde, Le Figaro and Mediapart reported the inquiry followed the release of millions of files related to the late US financier, which reportedly show years of financial ties between Lang and Epstein.
In a letter to Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot the 86-year-old said he would submit his resignation. On social media Lang described the allegations as baseless, said he intends to prove his innocence ‘beyond the sound and fury of the media and digital courts,’ and added he welcomes the preliminary investigation ‘with serenity and even relief.’
The US Department of Justice’s release of about 3.5 million Epstein-related documents lists Lang’s name more than 670 times, making him the most high-profile French figure cited in the files. Being mentioned in the documents does not itself establish wrongdoing, but it highlights the breadth of Epstein’s connections to public figures, some of whom have downplayed or denied those ties.
Lang has chaired the IMA since 2013 and is due to report to the Foreign Ministry, which oversees the institute and provides roughly €12.3 million annually — a major portion of its budget. His daughter, film producer Caroline Lang, who also appears in the files, resigned Monday as head of the Independent Production Union.
Edited by: Zac Crellin