Jeffrey Epstein's Parisian Pursuits: Networking and Sex Trafficking in the City of Light
Even as the walls closed in on his odious sex trafficking enterprise, billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein frequently traveled to Paris, seeking a veneer of respectability while continuing his criminal activities. According to newly released documents, Epstein visited the City of Light every other month for years, maintaining a posh apartment at a trendy address and mingling with high society figures.
Epstein's Parisian Lifestyle and Connections
During his final days as a free man, Epstein flew to Paris, where he met with architects, interior designers, and dined with Norwegian diplomats, among others. French prosecutors noted that the twisted financier also engaged in his favorite hobby of sex trafficking during these trips. This was part of Epstein's playbook: wherever he went, he sought out connected individuals who could introduce him to local powerbrokers, using his vast network to gain social legitimacy.
One of his key associates in Paris was French model scout Jean-Luc Brunel, who prosecutors allege provided Epstein with a veritable army of young women and girls. Brunel is accused of offering 12-year-old Russian twins as a birthday present for the hedge fund manager. Brunel, who was at the Paris end of Epstein's sex trafficking pipeline, reportedly died by suicide in a Paris jail cell.
Networking with Political Elites
The three million pages of Epstein documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice in January offer a first peek at the financier's activities in Paris. The New York Times described him as a "socially ambitious expatriate, eager to mingle in French high society, if not always successfully." In an email to an old friend, Norwegian diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen, Epstein wrote, "Paris is great," and asked if there was "someone here you thought I should meet?"
One of those targeted for Epstein's attention was then French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Rod-Larsen offered to broker a meeting, with a flunky replying that Sarkozy was leaving Paris for vacation but suggested hiring a "not-too-good-looking" assistant. Epstein pressed for the meeting, and while Sarkozy denied ever meeting him, the middleman inquired if Epstein could arrange a "discreet meeting between Sarko and Hillary Clinton in New York?" Despite his efforts, Epstein struggled to make inroads with France's political elite, though he did strike up a friendship with former culture minister Jack Lang.
Financial Entanglements and Investigations
Epstein left Lang's daughter, Caroline, $5 million in his will, leading French prosecutors to investigate Lang and his daughter for "laundering of tax fraud proceeds." Lang's lawyer stated that his client never accepted any freebies from Epstein and that their meetings were purely social, while Caroline expressed shock at the inheritance. About five months before Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell, Lang invited him to a cultural celebration. Epstein texted a photo of himself with Lang to former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, boasting, "Now at the pyramid. With the entire govt.," to which Bannon replied, "Powermove."
The gaiety in Paris ended when Epstein's private jet landed in New Jersey on July 6, 2019, and he was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. These revelations underscore how Epstein used his wealth and connections to operate globally, with Paris serving as a key hub for both his social ambitions and criminal exploits.
