France's former minister of culture, Jack Lang, on Saturday announced his resignation from a prestigious cultural center in Paris.

Lang headed up the Arab World Institute (IMA) and became the focus of a French investigation, following the recent release of millions of files related to the late convicted sex offender and US financier, Jeffrey Epstein.

Lang stepping down at next board meeting

French financial crimes prosecutors on Friday confirmed that a preliminary case against both him and his daughter had been opened for "laundering of aggravated tax-fraud proceeds."

French media including Le Monde, Le ‌Figaro and ⁠Mediapart said the probe had been opened after documents revealed years of financial ties between Lang and Epstein.

"I offer to submit my resignation" at the next board meeting, the 86-year-old wrote in a letter to Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.

Ahead of tendering his resignation to the institute he has chaired since 2013, Lang said in a post on social media that the allegations were without merit.

"The accusations leveled against me are baseless, and I will demonstrate this, beyond the sound and fury of the media and digital courts," Lang said.

He said he welcomed the preliminary investigation "with serenity and even relief." 

Lang mentioned hundreds of times in 'Epstein files'

The 86-year old had been facing mounting pressure to step down from the leading cultural institute after becoming caught up in the US Department of Justice' release of 3.5 million documents related to Epstein.

Lang appears in the documents more than 670 times and he is the most high-profile French figure to become embroiled in the Epstein scandal following the release of the documents.

Lang is due to report on Sunday to the Foreign Ministry, which supervises the ​Arab ​World Institute, a cultural and research institution.

The Foreign Ministry provides annual funding of  €12.3 million ($14.5 million) to the IMA, accounting for a substantial portion of its budget.

His daughter, film producer Caroline Lang, who also appears in the so called "Epstein files," resigned on Monday as head of the Independent Production Union.

Being mentioned in the Epstein files does not imply wrongdoing but does show the extent of connections between Epstein and a host of public figures who have in many cases downplayed or denied their existence.

Edited by: Zac Crellin