Paris prosecutor opens 2 probes over Epstein revelations, urges French victims to testify

ISTANBUL

French prosecutors have opened two preliminary investigations linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case, the Paris prosecutor’s office announced Wednesday, urging potential victims in France to come forward.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the probes were launched to examine both alleged sexual offenses and possible financial crimes connected to the case, broadcaster Franceinfo reported.

One investigation concerns suspected acts falling under “offenses with sexual connotations” that could be classified as “human trafficking by an organized group,” while the second focuses on potential economic and financial dimensions.

Beccuau said the decision follows the recent release of large volumes of documents by US authorities, noting that “we cannot ignore the potential revelation of facts that could have criminal qualifications.”

She stressed that prosecutors intend to support victims and gather testimony.

“We want to stand with these victims. We will receive all the statements they wish to make,” she said.

According to the prosecutor, investigators will analyze various open sources, including press reports, complaints from child protection groups, testimonies, and filings from alleged victims in order to cross-reference information.

The prosecutor also cautioned that publication of millions of pages of documents related to the case “will necessarily reactivate the trauma of some victims,” including individuals not previously known to authorities.

On Jan. 30, the US Justice Department released more than 3 million pages of documents, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law last November.

Those materials include grand jury transcripts and investigative records, though many pages remain heavily redacted. Epstein survivors and victims’ relatives say the disclosure falls short of what the law requires and omits vital information.

Authorities found Epstein dead by suicide in a New York City jail in 2019 while he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls.