The release of new Jeffrey Epstein files has punctured the myth of moral superiority surrounding France’s political and cultural elite. While no hidden paedophile ring has been uncovered, the documents reveal how Epstein ingratiated himself with influential figures through private jets, introductions, and offshore structures.
At the centre of the storm is Jack Lang, 86, former socialist culture minister and president of the Institut du monde arabe. His name appears hundreds of times in the files, with messages thanking Epstein for his “infinite generosity” and requesting favours such as a chauffeur-driven car. Lang has pleaded ignorance of Epstein’s criminal past, despite the financier having served a sentence for offences involving minors. Under pressure from the Élysée Palace, Lang resigned from his post after a preliminary investigation into suspected tax-fraud laundering targeting him and his daughter.
Caroline Lang, a film producer, co-founded a US Virgin Islands company with Epstein in 2016, financed entirely by him and not declared to French tax authorities. Two days before his death, Epstein named her as a $5m beneficiary, a sum she says she never knew about. On television, she described herself as “staggeringly naive” and spoke of a “generous sponsor”.
The scandal highlights a politico-cultural caste that outsources its lifestyle to wealthy “friends”. Jack Lang is depicted as a habitual user of private jets and chauffeured cars paid for by Epstein. The files also show Epstein discussing financial support for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally with Steve Bannon in 2018-2019.
In contrast, the French luxury fashion house Hermès quietly refunded Epstein’s donation to a charity auction in 2016, demonstrating that institutions can still recognise a line not to cross. The Epstein files serve as a lesson in basic civic hygiene for France’s elite.
