Jack Lang, the 86-year-old former French Culture Minister, has publicly defended his past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following mounting pressure for his resignation from the Arab World Institute presidency. The controversy emerged from recently disclosed court documents in the United States that revealed Lang’s connections to the disgraced financier.
In an interview with French broadcaster BFMTV, Lang asserted he was entirely unaware of Epstein’s criminal background when they first met approximately fifteen years ago through mutual acquaintance Woody Allen. Lang characterized Epstein as ‘passionate about art, culture and cinema’ rather than a personal friend, though he acknowledged requesting occasional favors including transportation via Epstein’s private car and aircraft for himself and family members.
The former minister, who served under President François Mitterrand between 1981-1993 and later as Education Minister until 2002, emphasized that had he known about Epstein’s criminal convictions—including his 2008 Florida conviction for soliciting a minor—he would have severed contact immediately. ‘I am not in the habit of spitting on those I knew at a particular time and who went on to be accused of crimes,’ Lang stated during the televised appearance.
The scandal has extended to Lang’s family, prompting his daughter Caroline Lang to resign from her position as head of France’s Independent Production Union. The former actress and current film producer disclosed to Mediapart that she met Epstein in 2012 through Woody Allen and his wife, believing his expressed interest in supporting young French and international artists. Although Epstein’s lawyers established Prytanee LLC for this purpose, Caroline maintains she neither invested in nor received funds from the venture, acknowledging she had been ‘incredibly naive’ in her associations.
Visual evidence from US Department of Justice files confirms Lang and Epstein meeting outside Paris’ Louvre Museum, though Lang faces no allegations of personal wrongdoing. The controversy highlights ongoing reverberations from the Epstein case within international cultural and political circles.