Several French public figures are mentioned in newly released documents from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, showing correspondence between the financier or his circle and personalities from politics, culture and academia.
The US Justice Department last week published nearly 3 million government documents related to Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor and died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
The mere mention of someone's name in the files does not, in itself, imply wrongdoing. However, the documents show connections between Epstein or his circle and some public figures who had downplayed or denied such ties.
Political contacts
Several French personalities appear in the latest files, reflecting Epstein’s repeated efforts to build links with political leaders.
He asked several contacts whether they had connections to President Emmanuel Macron, former economy minister Bruno Le Maire or former president Nicolas Sarkozy.
A review of emails by the French news agency AFP showed that businessman Olivier Colom, an adviser to Sarkozy from 2007-2012, corresponded regularly with Epstein from 2013-2018 while working at a bank.
Colom sought to facilitate political networking and organised a 2013 meeting between Epstein and his superior at the bank.
In a June 2013 exchange, Epstein compared women to "shrimp", saying "you throw away the head and keep the body".
AFP said it was not immediately able to reach Colom for comment. An initial search of the archive found no direct correspondence between Epstein and Sarkozy.
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Film director meeting
French film director Michel Hazanavicius first met Epstein at a dinner in Paris in March 2012, one month after his film The Artist won the top prize at the Oscars.
They exchanged emails until January 2014, with Epstein suggesting meetings in Paris or New York, though the director often replied that he was busy.
Hazanavicius said he "twice met the guy", after being introduced through director Woody Allen.
"At one point he asked me if I knew a nice, smart girl, and that's when Berenice told me 'never again, you have to run away from that guy'," he said.
The director said he and his partner, actor Bérénice Bejo, decided not to see Epstein again, adding he had "no idea who he was".
Public explanations
French mathematician and former MP Cédric Villani told the newspaper Libération this week about meeting Epstein in October 2017.
"He presented himself as a close friend of Donald Trump," Villani said. Epstein wanted to fund "a mathematics prize related to biology and complexity."
Villani said he did not know about Epstein’s earlier conviction at the time.
On Thursday, former culture minister Jack Lang was summoned to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs to explain his links with Epstein.
Lang’s daughter Caroline resigned Monday as head of a film producers’ union after revelations about the family’s connections to Epstein.
No charges have been brought against the Lang family. On Wednesday, Lang ruled out stepping down as head of the Institut du monde arabe (Arab World Institute), a cultural institution he has led since 2013.
A source close to President Macron said Lang should "think of the institution".
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Disinformation claims
French authorities said Friday they had detected a Russia-linked disinformation campaign alleging Macron’s involvement with Epstein.
France's Viginum agency, which counters foreign disinformation campaigns, detected Wednesday the operation involving a fabricated article "accusing President Emmanuel Macron of being involved in the 'Epstein affair'", a government source told AFP.
The article appeared on a website falsely using the identity of the French media organisation France-Soir. The source said the Storm-1516 project was behind the operation spreading fabricated content.
(with newswires)
