French police raid Arab World Institute in Paris as Epstein fallout widens

PARIS: French police searched the Arab World Institute in Paris on Monday as part of a probe into its former head, ex-culture minister Jack Lang, and his links to late convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prosecutors said. France’s National Financial Prosecutor (PNF) said in a statement that the Arab World Institute ‌was among several locations ‌being raided.

Prosecutors this month opened ​a ‌preliminary ⁠investigation ​of Lang and ⁠his daughter Caroline on suspicion of tax fraud following the release of documents on Epstein in the US Lang, who was culture minister under late Socialist president Francois Mitterrand, resigned this month from the Arab World Institute, which he had led since 2013. He has said he ⁠was unaware of Epstein’s crimes despite corresponding ‌with him between 2012 and ‌2019, 11 years after the financier ​was convicted of soliciting ‌prostitution from an underage girl. Epstein died in prison ‌by suicide in 2019.

The Institute, which is overseen by France’s foreign ministry, said it could not immediately comment on the police action.