• France opens a probe into former Culture Minister Jack Lang over links to Jeffrey Epstein.
• Lang's daughter, Caroline, is also under investigation for aggravated tax fraud laundering.
• Lang denies wrongdoing and has faced calls to resign from his position at the Arab World Institute.
• Files reveal over 600 instances of correspondence between Lang and Epstein.
• Lang maintains he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities during their relationship.

The French National Financial Prosecutor's Office has initiated an investigation into former Culture Minister Jack Lang and his daughter, Caroline Lang, for alleged "aggravated tax fraud laundering" in connection with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The inquiry follows the release of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice that detail numerous interactions between the Lang family and Epstein, including requests for financial assistance, according to Al Jazeera, Channel News Asia, and Reuters.

Lang, who has been a prominent figure in French politics, particularly during the socialist governments of the 1980s and 1990s, has publicly denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he looks forward to the investigation as it will clear his name. He described the ongoing scrutiny as "baseless" and asserted in a statement, "the investigation will bring much light on to the accusations that are questioning my probity and my honour," according to BBC and India Times.

This legal scrutiny intensified following significant findings in the Epstein files, where Lang's name appeared almost 700 times, suggesting extensive communication over several years. French media reports have indicated that Lang and Epstein exchanged correspondence and that Lang sought Epstein's assistance for personal travel arrangements, including the use of his car and private jet, according to Channel News Asia and BBC.

Caroline Lang, also implicated in the investigation, resigned from her position at the Independent Production Union amid claims of involvement with an offshore company co-owned with Epstein. She stated her intention to step down was to prevent any further harm to the organization following revelations about her relationship with Epstein. Both Langs declare they had no knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities when they interacted with him, emphasizing naivety in their dealings, according to Reuters and BBC.