Newly released U.S. Department of Justice files show intermittent correspondence between former French culture minister Jack Lang and Jeffrey Epstein from about 2012 until Epstein's death in 2019. A 2017 email from Lang thanking Epstein for a "splendid time" has intensified calls for Lang to "think about the institution" he leads. Lang denies wrongdoing, says he was unaware of Epstein's 2008 conviction when they met, and has not been accused of a crime. The foreign ministry has summoned him and Lang's daughter resigned from a trade post after her own links to Epstein emerged.
Jack Lang Summoned Over Epstein Links After DOJ Files Reveal Years of Contact
Former French Minister of Culture Jack Lang looks on, as members of the Kurdish community gather at the Place de la Republique square, following a shooting, in Paris, France December 24, 2022. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier
Pressure mounted on former French culture minister Jack Lang on Friday after newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents revealed intermittent contact between him and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from about 2012 until Epstein's death in 2019. France's foreign ministry summoned Lang to discuss the disclosures and the presidency has asked ministers to urge him to "think about the institution" he leads.
Details From The Files
The DOJ documents show occasional correspondence between Lang and Epstein over several years. A 2017 email from Lang thanked Epstein for a "splendid time," prompting questions about the nature and depth of their relationship. Reuters reported Lang's name appears more than 600 times across the released files.
Lang's Response And Institutional Context
Lang, 86, who has headed the Paris-based Arab World Institute since 2013, has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing. He told French media he was unaware of Epstein's 2008 conviction when they first met around 2012, and described Epstein as an acquaintance introduced to him by U.S. filmmaker Woody Allen who was "passionate about art, culture and cinema."
"I fear nothing, and I am clean as a whistle," Lang told RTL radio.
The presidency and the prime minister's office asked ministers to remind Lang of his responsibilities to the Arab World Institute, a cultural and research organisation located on the banks of the Seine that promotes understanding of the Arab world. The foreign ministry confirmed it had summoned Lang for a meeting scheduled for Sunday.
Related Fallout
Lang's daughter, Caroline, resigned as head of France's Independent Production Union after her own ties to Epstein surfaced. Both Lang and his daughter deny any wrongdoing; Caroline said she only learned of Epstein's 2008 conviction after he suggested she look him up online in 2014.
The release of the files has renewed international scrutiny of Epstein's contacts with prominent figures, and raised questions about how institutions and public figures respond when linked to individuals with histories of sexual offences.
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