France’s foreign ministry has notified prosecutors regarding a middle-ranking diplomat whose name appears repeatedly among files linked to Jeffrey Epstein, the ministry said on Saturday. The diplomat, identified as Fabrice Aidan, is accused of sending United Nations documents to the late convicted sex offender, according to the materials disclosed in a recent U.S. document release.
More than 200 documents made public by the U.S. Department of Justice include emails that Aidan is reported to have sent to Epstein between 2010 and 2016, using both his personal and his U.N. email accounts. Among the U.N. material cited are U.N. Security Council briefings and reports. One message flagged in the files is a readout of a telephone call between former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Turkey’s foreign minister that Aidan reportedly forwarded to a superior and which subsequently was passed on to Epstein.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said his ministry has opened an administrative inquiry and started disciplinary proceedings against Aidan, calling the allegations "extremely serious". He also told RTL radio that "These emails, including the transfer of U.N. documents, are staggering." Prosecutors in Paris will now determine whether to launch a criminal investigation.
Attempts to reach Aidan via his X handle were unsuccessful. His LinkedIn page appeared to have been deleted based on online searches. The U.N. office in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately possible to determine the classification status of the U.N. documents cited in the files.
The foreign ministry records show that Aidan joined the ministry around 2000. The ministry described him as a "principal secretary of foreign affairs currently on personal leave and working outside the ministry." Media reporting indicates his career included a posting to the U.N. in New York from 2006 to 2013.
One email exchange included in the document cache shows Aidan requesting the entrance codes to Epstein’s luxury apartment in Paris, a request the files indicate Epstein answered favourably. Gerard Araud, then France’s ambassador to the United States, said on X that he had sent Aidan back to France. He did not explain the reason for that decision but referred to the existence of an FBI file on Aidan, without providing further details.
President Emmanuel Macron has been described by a source close to him as "appalled by the recent findings." Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said: "judicial bodies must take up this case if they so wish. All light must be shed on this appalling and far-reaching affair."
The disclosures in the U.S. document release this year have widened the list of people and institutions connected to Epstein, bringing forward reported ties involving politicians, royals and wealthy figures across Europe and the United States. In France, the documents prompted former culture minister Jack Lang to step down from the Arab World Institute, a cultural organisation supported by the foreign ministry, after his name appeared frequently in the files.
The ministry’s move to involve prosecutors signals both administrative and potential criminal dimensions to the allegations. The procedural steps now include the ministry’s internal review and disciplinary process, alongside the independent decision by judicial authorities in Paris on whether a criminal probe is warranted. Officials have said they will allow judicial bodies to examine the matter, and the criminal justice system will determine the next steps if prosecutors open an investigation.
At this stage, the available documentation shows exchanges of emails and the forwarding of material, but questions remain about the specific nature and classification of some of the U.N. documents and the full extent of what was shared. The ministry’s administrative inquiry and potential judicial review will be central to clarifying those points.
Summary
Fabrice Aidan, a mid-ranking French diplomat, is named in over 200 documents disclosed by the U.S. Department of Justice as having communicated with Jeffrey Epstein between 2010 and 2016. The French foreign ministry has launched an internal investigation and disciplinary proceedings and has informed prosecutors, who will decide whether to open a criminal inquiry. The files include U.N. Security Council briefings and reports among other material.
Key points
- Fabrice Aidan is identified in more than 200 documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice, with emails to Jeffrey Epstein dated 2010-2016.
- The French foreign ministry has started an administrative investigation and disciplinary action and has alerted Paris prosecutors, who may open a criminal probe.
- The disclosed files include U.N. Security Council briefings and reports; a readout of a call involving former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was among the items forwarded to Epstein.
Risks and uncertainties
- Legal risk - Paris prosecutors must decide whether to pursue a criminal investigation, which could lead to charges if evidence supports wrongdoing; this primarily affects the judicial sector.
- Institutional and reputational risk - The foreign ministry and U.N.-linked entities face scrutiny over document handling and safeguarding of sensitive material; this impacts diplomatic and international organisations.
- Operational uncertainty - The classification status of some U.N. documents is unclear, leaving open questions about whether protocols for handling protected information were breached; this concerns security and compliance functions within governments and international bodies.