France opens Epstein probes into human trafficking and tax fraud

PARIS: France has launched wide-ranging investigations into human trafficking and financial fraud among contacts of the late convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following the release of a trove of files on his activities.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told France Info radio on Wednesday that the investigations will rely on publicly available material alongside complaints filed by child protection groups.

One will focus on human trafficking, the other on crimes including money laundering, corruption and tax fraud.

Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019, had been convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from an underage girl. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell has been convicted in the US of trafficking underage girls for sexual abuse over many years in connection with Epstein.

In an emailed statement, Beccuau’s office said it hoped publicity surrounding Epstein might encourage victims of trafficking who had not come forward previously to do so now.

Five prosecutors will trawl published files for indications that any French nationals may have been involved in sexual or financial offences.