France assembles magistrate team to examine 'Epstein files'
A team of magistrates will search the so-called "Epstein files" to identify any further possible offences. The case of French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel is to be thoroughly re-examined
The Paris prosecutor's office on Saturday announced the formation of a special team of magistrates to scrutinize evidence that may implicate French nationals in crimes committed by convicted child sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
The special team was created "to be able to extract any piece that could be usefully reused in a new investigative framework," the prosecutor's office told the AFP news agency.
It will work closely with police and with prosecutors from the national financial crimes unit, according to French media outlets including Franceinfo.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Brunel case to be re-examined
Among the cases that will receive special attention is that of the late modelling agency executive, Jean-Luc Brunel, a close associate of Epstein.
He was discovered hanged in his cell in the La Sante Prison in Paris in 2022 after being charged with raping minors and sexual harassment.
Brunel was suspected of having raped, assaulted and harassed several minors and adult victims as well as having organized transport and hosting of young women for Epstein.
Prosecutors said Brunel had engaged in sexual acts with underage girls in the United States, the US Virgin Islands, Paris and the south of France.
The case against him was dropped in 2023 in the wake of his death and no one else was charged.
French public figures in 'Epstein files'
Several French public figures feature in the newly released files by the US Department of Justice and prosecutors are now looking into senior diplomat Fabrice Aidan at the request of the French Foreign Ministry.
"An investigation is underway to gather various pieces of evidence that could substantiate this report," the prosecutor's office stated.
The prosecutor's office has also received a complaint filed by a Swedish woman against Daniel Siad, a model recruiter with close ties to Epstein.
Prosecutors said she accused him of "sexual acts that she describes as rape and that may have been committed in France in 1990."
A complaint was also filed against French conductor Frederic Chaslin, alleging acts of sexual harassment in 2016, prosecutors said.
New Epstein files reveal ties to Trump, Musk and royalty
Just over a week ago, French financial crimes prosecutors confirmed that a preliminary case against former minister of culture, Jack Lang and his daughter, film producer Caroline Lang, had been opened for "laundering of aggravated tax-fraud proceeds."
Last week, Lang announced his resignation from a prestigious cultural center in Paris. His name appeared more than 670 times in the "Epstein files."
Being mentioned in the "Epstein files" does not in itself mean an offence has been committed.
