PARIS, March 24 (Reuters) - French investigators conducted raids on Friday as part of their investigation into a French diplomat after he was mentioned in documents released by the U.S. Department of
Edmond de Rothschild Paris offices raided in Epstein-linked probe into diplomat
French investigation into Edmond de Rothschild and diplomat Fabrice Aidan
By Mathieu Rosemain and Makini Brice
Background of the Investigation
PARIS, March 24 (Reuters) - French investigators searched the Paris offices of Swiss bank Edmond de Rothschild as part of an inquiry into alleged corruption involving a French diplomat named in documents linked to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prosecutors said on Tuesday.
The name of Fabrice Aidan, a middle-ranking French diplomat who was seconded to the United Nations from 2006 to 2013 and later worked at the bank, appeared in more than 200 documents released by the U.S. Justice Department.
These include emails he is alleged to have sent Epstein between 2010 and 2016 from his personal and U.N. accounts.
Some of the emails reviewed by Reuters show the transfer of U.N. Security Council briefings and other confidential documents to Epstein during that period.
Aidan has denied wrongdoing, and his lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
French Foreign Ministry Response
The French Foreign Ministry said it had completed an administrative investigation, performing about 30 interviews. The ministry said all current and former staff members who had been summoned to its investigation had cooperated, adding that it was available to judicial authorities and was considering disciplinary proceedings.
Bank's Internal Actions and Cooperation
The search was carried out on Friday in the presence of Ariane de Rothschild, the Swiss bank's boss, a source close to the bank said.
Edmond de Rothschild was cooperating fully with the justice system in the investigation led by the financial prosecutor, the same source said, adding that an internal inquiry had been launched as soon as suspicions emerged concerning the former employee, who worked at the bank from 2014 to 2016.
A spokesperson for the bank declined to comment.
Accusations of 'Passive Corruption'
ACCUSATIONS OF 'PASSIVE CORRUPTION'
The investigation is being led by officers from France's central office against corruption and financial and tax offences, which questioned Aidan in a voluntary interview in late February.
The French financial prosecutor's office said it was investigating accusations of passive corruption of a foreign public official and complicity in that crime, targeting Aidan in particular.
International Regulatory Response
When asked if it was looking into Epstein links with the Geneva-based Edmond de Rothschild, Swiss financial regulator Finma said it considered all reliable information in its supervision and conducted in-depth reviews when in doubt about the integrity of business activities.
Swiss federal prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether they were also investigating. A spokesperson for the Geneva prosecutor's office declined to comment on whether any measures were taken in the city.
Ariane de Rothschild's Connection to Epstein
Ariane de Rothschild also appeared in the files released by the U.S. Justice Department in January, which showed she kept up a years-long personal correspondence with Epstein before his 2019 arrest.
After the files were released, a spokesperson for the bank said that Epstein was a business acquaintance of de Rothschild from 2013 to 2019. De Rothschild had no knowledge of Epstein's conduct, the spokesperson said.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain, Makini Brice and Charlotte van Campenhout,Additional reporting by John O'Donnell, Emma Farge and Oliver HirtEditing by Bart Meijer, Kevin Liffey and Alex Richardson)
