Paris prosecutors confirmed Sunday that around 10 new people have come forward with allegations in the ongoing investigation into the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The prosecutor’s office said the new claims surfaced as French authorities dig deeper into Epstein’s network of associates and activities that took place in France and involved French victims. The case remains active, with investigators examining potential links to other high-profile figures who may have been connected to Epstein’s operations. The probe is part of a broader effort to uncover the full extent of Epstein’s crimes, which have already led to multiple convictions and lawsuits in the U.S. and abroad.

The announcement by the Paris prosecutor’s office comes nearly five years after Epstein died in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Epstein was found hanged in his cell in August 2019, though authorities have never officially ruled out homicide. His death halted the U.S. case, but investigations into his associates and potential accomplices continued in multiple countries, including France, where prosecutors have been methodically reviewing his connections to European elites and business figures.

Epstein’s French connections under scrutiny

Investigators in France have been focusing on Epstein’s frequent trips to the country, where he owned a luxury property in Paris and socialized with political, financial, and cultural figures. French media reports have previously linked Epstein to several prominent individuals, including late former French president François Mitterrand’s grandson, Frédéric Mitterrand, who has denied any wrongdoing. Prosecutors are now reviewing hundreds of documents, flight logs, and financial records to determine whether Epstein used his European connections to facilitate his crimes or evade scrutiny. The probe has also expanded to include potential victims who may not have been previously identified in earlier U.S. investigations.

French authorities have been working closely with U.S. law enforcement and foreign counterparts to piece together Epstein’s activities across borders. The Paris prosecutor’s office has not provided details on the identities of the new alleged victims, their ages, or the timeframe of the alleged abuse. However, legal experts say the expansion of the case could lead to further charges against Epstein’s associates, who may have played roles in enabling his crimes. The investigation is one of several ongoing efforts to hold accountable those who may have benefited from or ignored Epstein’s behavior.

The Epstein case has already resulted in multiple criminal convictions in the U.S., including that of his former girlfriend and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for trafficking underage girls for Epstein. Maxwell, who was Epstein’s closest associate, is appealing her conviction. Meanwhile, Epstein’s estate remains a target of lawsuits from alleged victims seeking compensation, including a $50 million claim filed in New York last year by one of the women who accused Epstein of abuse.

French prosecutors have not indicated when they expect to conclude their investigation or whether they plan to file charges against any individuals connected to Epstein. The case remains one of the most high-profile international probes into the late sex offender’s network, with potential implications for political and financial figures who may have interacted with him. Investigators are also reviewing whether Epstein’s operations in France involved other victims who have yet to come forward. The probe underscores how Epstein’s crimes spanned multiple countries and how his network may have operated for decades without detection.

The ongoing investigation is a reminder of the global reach of Epstein’s crimes and the ongoing efforts to uncover the truth decades after his earliest known abuses. While Epstein is no longer alive to face justice, the cases against his associates and the new victims coming forward show that his legacy of exploitation is still being addressed. Prosecutors in France and elsewhere are determined to ensure that anyone who enabled or ignored his crimes is held accountable, even as the legal process continues to unfold.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: RFI
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 15:19 UTC
  • Category: World
  • Topics: #rfi · #france · #world-news · #war · #conflict · #around

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

A Justiça francesa surpreendeu o mundo ao ampliar para cerca de dez vítimas suspeitas no caso que investiga ligações com o bilionário Jeffrey Epstein, mesmo após sua morte em 2019, revelou o Ministério Público de Paris. A decisão marca um novo capítulo nas investigações internacionais sobre os crimes do milionário, cujas redes de exploração sexual já haviam sido expostas nos Estados Unidos e agora ganham contornos ainda mais sombrios na Europa.

O caso ganha relevância no Brasil não apenas por envolver crimes transnacionais, mas porque reforça a necessidade de colaboração global no combate à exploração sexual e ao tráfico de pessoas. Embora não haja indícios diretos de vítimas brasileiras no momento, a atuação de Epstein em países como a França — com forte circulação de turistas e negócios brasileiros — acende um alerta sobre possíveis conexões com o crime organizado no país. Além disso, a investigação francesa pode servir de inspiração para que autoridades brasileiras revisem casos semelhantes, especialmente aqueles com indícios de redes internacionais.

A expectativa é de que as novas denúncias levem a desdobramentos judiciais mais rápidos na França e pressionem outros países a reabrirem inquéritos paralelos, inclusive o Brasil, caso surjam evidências de envolvimento de cidadãos brasileiros ou de rotas criminosas que passem pelo território nacional.

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

La investigación en Francia sobre la red de abusos vinculada al financiero Jeffrey Epstein incorpora una decena de nuevas víctimas potenciales, según ha confirmado el fiscal de París. Este avance subraya la expansión internacional de un caso que ya sacudió a élites políticas y empresariales en Estados Unidos.

El fiscal jefe de la capital francesa ha desvelado que, tras meses de pesquisas, se han identificado nuevas denuncias que refuerzan la hipótesis de una trama de explotación sexual con ramificaciones en Europa. La relevancia de este escándalo trasciende fronteras, ya que evidencia cómo redes de poder pueden operar impunemente durante décadas, incluso después de la muerte de sus principales figuras. Para el público hispanohablante, el caso sirve como recordatorio de la urgencia de denunciar abusos y de la necesidad de cooperación judicial internacional para desmantelar estructuras que perpetúan la impunidad.