• French prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation into Jack Lang and his daughter over ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
• Lang, a former government minister, faces increasing pressure to resign from the Arab World Institute.
• Documents reveal extensive correspondence between Lang and Epstein from 2012 until Epstein's death in 2019.
• Caroline Lang, Jack's daughter, has resigned from her position in light of her connection to the scandal.
• Lang denies any wrongdoing and asserts he will cooperate with authorities.

The French National Financial Prosecutor's Office has officially opened a preliminary investigation into former Culture Minister Jack Lang and his daughter, Caroline Lang, citing suspicions of "aggravated tax fraud laundering" linked to late financier Jeffrey Epstein. This action follows new revelations in the Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice, which detail extensive correspondence and financial ties between Lang and Epstein from 2012 to 2019, the year of Epstein's death by suicide in jail, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

As pressure mounts for Jack Lang to resign from his role as president of the Arab World Institute in Paris, calls from politicians, including members from within his own Socialist Party, have intensified. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot has summoned him for a meeting, indicating the seriousness of the situation as the foreign ministry is responsible for half of the IMA's budget, according to Le Monde, Al Jazeera, and Reuters.

Lang's name reportedly appears over 600 times in the Epstein files, which have prompted extensive scrutiny of the former minister’s actions. He, however, firmly denies any wrongdoing, claiming he is "clean as a whistle." His lawyer, Laurent Merlet, expressed that Lang finds the situation unfair and that he is prepared to cooperate fully with authorities to clear his name and that of his daughter, who recently resigned from her leadership role at the Independent Production Union, according to Al Jazeera and Channel News Asia.

The investigation highlights the ongoing implications of Epstein's high-profile connections in Europe, where figures from various sectors are now reassessing ties to the convicted financier. As the legal process unfolds, Lang's situation exemplifies the challenges faced by prominent individuals caught in the reverberations of the Epstein scandal, according to Le Monde and Reuters.