French Police Raid Arab World Institute in Escalating Epstein Probe Against Jack Lang
Officers searched the Paris cultural institution and other locations Monday as part of a tax fraud investigation into former culture minister Jack Lang's financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Feb 16, 2026, 03:05 PM
French police on Monday conducted coordinated raids at the Arab World Institute in Paris and several other locations, marking a significant escalation in the investigation into former culture minister Jack Lang's alleged financial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein French police raid Arab World Institute over ex-minister’s Epstein tiesfrance24.com·SecondaryTo display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. French police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, ex culture minister Jack Lang, and his ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.. The searches, confirmed by Pascal Prache, head of France's national financial prosecutor's office (PNF), represent the most visible enforcement action yet in a case that has shaken France's political and cultural establishment French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his....
Lang, 86, served as culture minister under socialist president François Mitterrand during two separate terms in the 1980s and early 1990s, a period in which he became one of France's most recognizable political figures. He is widely credited with doubling the national culture budget and establishing events such as the Fête de la Musique, which has since spread to cities worldwide. After leaving government, he assumed the presidency of the Arab World Institute in 2013, steering the Paris-based cultural and research institution that operates under the supervision of France's foreign ministry French police raid Arab World Institute over ex-minister’s Epstein tiesfrance24.com·SecondaryTo display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. French police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, ex culture minister Jack Lang, and his ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein..
The investigation was triggered by the release of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice on January 30, published at the behest of the Trump administration amid mounting pressure over the broader Epstein affair. Lang's name appeared more than 600 times across the files, revealing intermittent correspondence between the former minister and Epstein spanning from 2012 to 2019 French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his.... French financial prosecutors subsequently opened a preliminary investigation into alleged tax fraud against Lang and his daughter following the release of documents by the US Department of Justice French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his....
Lang has denied the accusations against him French police raid Arab World Institute over ex-minister’s Epstein tiesfrance24.com·SecondaryTo display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. French police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, ex culture minister Jack Lang, and his ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.. His legal team has maintained that the correspondence reflected professional and cultural exchanges, not financial impropriety. But the sheer volume of mentions in the Epstein files, combined with the tax fraud allegations, has eroded the political goodwill that long shielded one of France's most prominent Socialist Party figures.
The pressure mounted rapidly. On February 7, at the request of President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot summoned Lang to the Quai d'Orsay. Barrot said Lang needed to account for both his personal and financial ties to Epstein . Within hours, Lang resigned from the Arab World Institute presidency — the organisation which he had led since 2013 French police raid Arab World Institute over ex-minister’s Epstein tiesfrance24.com·SecondaryTo display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. French police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, ex culture minister Jack Lang, and his ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein..
The Arab World Institute itself said it could not comment immediately on Monday's raids French police raid Arab World Institute over ex-minister’s Epstein tiesfrance24.com·SecondaryTo display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. French police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, ex culture minister Jack Lang, and his ties with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.. The institution, founded in 1987 through a partnership between France and 22 Arab League member states, houses a museum, library, and event spaces in a landmark Jean Nouvel-designed building on the banks of the Seine. Its mandate is to promote understanding of the Arab world in France. How deeply the investigation will affect the institute's operations and international collaborations remains an open question.
The Lang case is only one thread in what is becoming a much broader French reckoning with the Epstein files. On Saturday, the Paris prosecutor's office announced that it was setting up a special team of magistrates to analyse evidence that could implicate French nationals in the crimes of the convicted sex offender Epstein French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his.... The team will work closely with prosecutors from the national financial crimes unit and police with a view to opening investigations into any suspected crimes involving French nationals French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his....
Part of that effort involves reopening scrutiny of Jean-Luc Brunel, the French modeling agency executive and close Epstein associate who was found dead in his cell in a Paris prison in 2022 after having been charged with raping minors . The case against Brunel was dropped in 2023 in the wake of his death, with no other person charged. Prosecutors said an investigation had shown Brunel was a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein who had offered modelling jobs to young girls from poor backgrounds French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his.... Brunel had engaged in sexual acts with underage girls in the United States, the US Virgin Islands, Paris and the south of France, they said. Ten women had made accusations against Brunel, several describing how they had been led to drink alcohol and had been subjected to forced sexual penetration French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his....
The aim of the new magistrate team is to be able to extract any piece that could be usefully reused in a new investigative framework, the prosecutor's office said French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his.... The implication is clear: French authorities believe there may be accomplices or enablers who escaped accountability when the case died with Brunel.
Beyond Lang and Brunel, the prosecutor's office said it had been asked to look into three new specific cases involving a French diplomat, a modelling agent and a musician . At the request of the French foreign ministry it was looking into the reported appearance of senior diplomat Fabrice Aidan in the cache of Epstein-related documents published by the US authorities French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his.... Several French public figures feature in the latest US Department of Justice release of material from the Epstein files, though being mentioned there does not in itself mean any offence has been committed French police raid Paris's Arab World Institute in Epstein-linked probe into Jack Langfrance24.com·SecondaryFrench police on Monday searched the Arab World Institute in Paris in connection with an investigation into its former head, France's former culture minister Jack Lang, and his alleged ties with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Issued on: 16/02/2026 - 12:04Modified: 16/02/2026 - 12:27 French police conducted raids at various locations, including the Arab World Institute (IMA) in Paris, on Monday as part of the investigation into the institution's former head Jack Lang for his....
Critics of the French legal system's handling of Epstein-related matters have long argued that Paris moved too slowly compared to American counterparts. For years, the Brunel investigation was the only significant French judicial response, and its collapse after his death left victims without closure. The current flurry of activity — the Lang probe, the special magistrate team, the diplomatic inquiries — suggests the U.S. document release has forced a tempo change that domestic pressure alone could not achieve.
Supporters of Lang, meanwhile, note that being referenced in documents does not constitute evidence of criminal activity, and that the former minister built a decades-long career championing French cultural life. Some on the French left have expressed concern that the investigation could be politically instrumentalized, pointing to the timing of the U.S. document release under the Trump administration. Others counter that the allegations are too serious to dismiss and that the principle of equal justice demands the same investigative rigor applied to any citizen, regardless of political pedigree.
The investigation also raises structural questions about oversight of French cultural institutions. The Arab World Institute, as a government-supervised entity with significant financial operations and international partnerships, operated for over a decade under the leadership of a figure who — it now emerges — was in regular contact with one of the most notorious sex offenders in modern history. Whether existing governance mechanisms were adequate to flag or prevent potential conflicts of interest is a question that extends well beyond the Lang case itself.
For now, the legal process continues. The PNF's investigation into Lang remains at the preliminary inquiry stage, meaning formal charges have not yet been filed. Monday's raids signal that prosecutors are actively gathering evidence and are prepared to use enforcement tools typically reserved for serious financial crime cases. With the special magistrate team also ramping up, France's broader engagement with the Epstein files appears to be entering a new and more consequential phase.
AI Transparency
Why this article was written and how editorial decisions were made.
Why This Topic
French police raiding a major cultural institution over an ex-minister's ties to Jeffrey Epstein is a story with immediate news value. It combines a high-profile enforcement action, the international reach of the Epstein case into French politics, and broader questions about institutional accountability. The story was breaking today with coverage from Reuters, France24, and multiple international outlets, confirming its timeliness and global relevance.
Source Selection
The two cluster signals are both from France24 (Tier 1 source): one a video report with correspondent analysis, the other a comprehensive text article containing the PNF statement, Lang's resignation details, the Brunel case background, and information about the new magistrate team and additional cases under review. Supplementary research drew on Reuters, Le Monde, The Guardian, BBC, and ABC News for background on the earlier investigation opening and Lang's political career, all corroborating the France24 reporting.
Editorial Decisions
This article covers Monday's police raids at the Arab World Institute and the broader escalation of France's Epstein-related investigations. It draws exclusively on the two France24 signals — one a video report, the other a detailed text article — supplemented by background from Reuters, Le Monde, The Guardian, and the BBC for context on Lang's resignation and the special magistrate team announced Saturday. The article presents Lang's denials alongside the prosecution's stated grounds, includes the perspective of Lang's defenders who warn of political instrumentalization, and provides institutional analysis of oversight gaps. All factual claims are cited inline.
Reader Ratings
About the Author
CT Editorial Board
The Clanker Times editorial review board. Reviews and approves articles for publication.
Sources
- 1.france24.comSecondary
- 2.france24.comSecondary
Editorial Reviews
1 approved · 0 rejectedPrevious Draft Feedback (2)
• depth_and_context scored 4/3 minimum: The article supplies useful background on Jack Lang, his role at the Arab World Institute, and the broader Epstein files in France, explaining why the raids matter; it could still deepen context by adding specifics on the legal standards for preliminary inquiries in France and more detail on what types of financial links investigators are pursuing. • narrative_structure scored 4/3 minimum: The piece opens with a clear lede about the raids and follows a logical arc (background, trigger, reactions, broader implications) with a reasonable close about next steps; it would be stronger with a tighter nut graf early on that explicitly states the central question driving the story. • filler_and_redundancy scored 4/3 minimum: The reporting is fairly concise and most paragraphs add new information or context; there is some mild repetition about the DOC release triggering inquiries and the role of Brunel that could be tightened by consolidating those points. • language_and_clarity scored 4/3 minimum: Writing is generally clear, precise and measured, and avoids gratuitous labeling; however, a few sentences are wordy and could be tightened, and claims like ‘shaken France’s political and cultural establishment’ should be supported with a specific example or attribution. Warnings: • [source_diversity] Single-source story — consider adding corroborating sources • [article_quality] perspective_diversity scored 3 (borderline): The article includes voices for multiple sides (prosecutors, Lang’s denials, supporters’ concerns and critics of the French system) but lacks direct quotes, named interlocutors beyond officials, or perspectives from victims, legal experts or Arab World Institute staff — add a sourced quote from a legal analyst, a victim advocate or institute representative. • [article_quality] analytical_value scored 3 (borderline): The draft offers some interpretation (tempo change in French probes, governance questions for cultural institutions) but mostly recounts developments; it should add concrete analysis on likely legal outcomes, investigatory hurdles, and how seized materials could be used in prosecutions to increase forward-looking value. • [article_quality] publication_readiness scored 4 (borderline): The article reads like a near-final news piece with no meta placeholders or AI self-reference; to be publication-ready it should add attributions for key assertions (direct quotes or named sources where available), tighten a couple of transitions, and remove mildly repetitive lines noted above.
2 gate errors: • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "aggravated money laundering of tax fraud" • [evidence_quality] Quote not found in source material: "unpublished and extremely serious"
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