French authorities opened new probes into possible sexual and financial crimes linked to Jeffrey Epstein and are revisiting the file on modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who died in a French prison in 2022.
Prompted by the United States Justice Department’s release of a large trove of Epstein files, the Paris prosecutor’s office said it had set up a dedicated investigation team to analyse the documents for possible links to French nationals.
In addition, all evidence related to Brunel, who at one time was an associate of Epstein, would be re-examined, the office said yesterday.
Brunel died in an apparent suicide while facing rape charges.
The DOJ’s largest release yet of Epstein files has reverberated through the worlds of finance, business and politics in the US and beyond, leading to resignations of prominent figures mentioned in exchanges with the disgraced financier.
• Casey Wasserman, the embattled mogul who is the face of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, is preparing to sell his talent agency, a stunning fall for a leading figure in the world of sports and music.
In a memo to his staff on Saturday, Wasserman acknowledged his appearance in the recently released documents related to Epstein and his companion and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, had "become a distraction".
Wasserman wrote he was "heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks".
He plans to stay in his position leading the LA28 Olympic committee, which has stood by him. — Bloomberg News/TCA
