France Refers Epstein-Linked Diplomat to Prosecutors as Engie Suspends Him

Overview

• Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he alerted the Paris prosecutor and opened an administrative inquiry alongside disciplinary proceedings concerning diplomat Fabrice Aidan.
• Documents reviewed by media and AFP show Aidan appears in more than 200 references and exchanged dozens of emails with Jeffrey Epstein starting in 2010, including sending UN reports from official accounts.
• In 2013, UN security relayed an FBI report alleging repeated access to child‑pornography sites by Aidan, and then-ambassador Gérard Araud says he ordered Aidan’s return to France, with no U.S. charges filed at the time.
• Energy group Engie confirmed it has suspended Aidan from his private‑sector role, while his lawyer asserts the 2013 allegations are entirely false and notes prior FBI inquiries led to no prosecution.
• National Assembly president Yaël Braun‑Pivet rejected calls for a parliamentary inquiry to avoid overlapping with judicial work, as the government urged any potential victims to speak to justice.