Authorities have already opened a preliminary probe into former culture minister Jack Lang and his daughter Caroline on suspicion of tax fraud.
They are also examining three other cases, including suspicions that French diplomat Fabrice Aidan transferred United Nations documents to Epstein. Aidan has denied the allegation.
The documents released by the US Department of Justice include flight logs and emails indicating that Epstein often visited Paris, where he owned a luxury apartment near the Arc de Triomphe.
“France has a key role in the matter as it is the only country outside the United States where Epstein owned property,” said Homayra Sellier from Innocence en danger, a group campaigning against sexual abuse of children that had been calling for a new French probe.
French prosecutors had opened an investigation into Epstein‘s connections in 2019, but closed it in 2023 after Jean-Luc Brunel, a key suspect and longtime Epstein associate, died in a French prison.
They acknowledged the current data remains incomplete, describing the investigations as “titanic work, without knowing what will come of it”.
On Tuesday, a UN Human Rights Council panel of independent experts suggested the existence of a “global criminal enterprise” tied to Epstein‘s network, alleging acts potentially constituting crimes against humanity.
