The French Foreign Ministry referred the file of correspondence of a former diplomat named Fabrice Aidan with the American businessman and sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein to the judiciary, after revealing that dozens of e-mails were exchanged between the two parties over the years. However, the documents published so far do not confirm the existence of evidence of the French official’s involvement in the sexual crimes attributed to Epstein, while the authorities have initiated an administrative investigation and disciplinary measures to uncover the circumstances of the case.

Published on: 02/11/2026 - 08:22 Last updated: 02/11/2026 - 08:23

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Documents published in the so-called “Epstein files” revealed that French diplomat Fabrice Aidan, who was seconded to the United Nations in 2010 by France, exchanged dozens of emails over several years with businessman and sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents make it clear that this published correspondence does not, at this stage, show a direct connection between Aidan and the sexual crimes committed by Epstein.

For his part, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced on Tuesday that the suspected incidents would be referred to the French judiciary.

The minister confirmed that he had notified French justice in order to "report the suspicious incidents" affecting diplomat Fabrice Aydan, whose name was mentioned in the "Epstein files."

Jean-Noel Barrot notifies justice regarding former diplomat Fabrice Edan

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, published on his account on the “X” platform the notification letter that he addressed to the Paris Prosecutor, Laure Picot.

He wrote that he was launching an administrative investigation to contribute to the work of the judiciary and at the same time launching a disciplinary measure against the person concerned.

The Minister indicated in his correspondence that Fabrice Aidan holds the position of Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, but he is currently on leave for personal reasons, and works in the private sector, specifically for the “ENGIE” company.

For its part, Engie announced to the French news agency the suspension of Fabrice Aidan’s duties, due to the data that came to its knowledge and was circulated by some media outlets, which relate to a period prior to his joining the group.

Documents showed that Fabrice Aidan exchanged dozens of emails over the years with Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. The first recorded correspondence dates back to 2010.

Aidan sent reports to Epstein

But the Mediapart website and Radio France confirmed that the correspondence published so far does not directly link the French official to the sexual crimes committed by the billionaire.

In 2010, Aidan worked as an advisor to Norwegian diplomat Terje Roed-Larsen within the United Nations after being seconded from France.

Roed-Larsen and his wife Mona Jul have been investigated in Norway on charges of "complicity in aggravated corruption" due to their ties to Jeffrey Epstein, police announced last Monday.

Read also: The documents in the Epstein case affect the reputation of the head of the Arab World Institute in France, Jack Lange, and his daughter, Caroline

The couple played an important role in the secret Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that led to the signing of the Oslo Accords in the early 1990s.

The investigation revealed that Aydan sent, via his UN email, official documents and reports directly to Epstein.

The report added that Epstein was also making personal requests to the French diplomat, including a request to know Terje Rued-Larsen's shoe size so he could gift him a pair.

Mediapart reported that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation informed the United Nations in 2013 of the existence of an investigation that might target Fabrice Aydan in New York.

The investigation showed that the media tried to contact Aydan after revealing these relationships, but he did not respond to those calls.

The investigation indicated that these documents sparked a widespread shock wave throughout the world, after the names of prominent figures appeared in them.

France 24/AFP

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