By Matthew Dalton and Margot Patrick
PARIS -- Police searched the offices of Swiss bank Edmond de Rothschild as part of an investigation into a former French diplomat who used to work at the bank and was an associate of Jeffrey Epstein.
The raids took place Friday at Edmond de Rothschild's offices in central Paris and a number of other locations, said Pascal Prache, the French financial prosecutor.
French authorities have been examining whether Fabrice Aidan, a former diplomat and employee of the bank, was involved in the corruption of a "foreign public official," Prache said. The prosecutor didn't disclose further details or name the official in question.
Files released by the U.S. Justice Department from its investigation into Epstein included hundreds of emails between Aidan and the sex offender. The disclosure sparked an uproar in France; the foreign minister called for an investigation, saying "the facts are extremely serious."
Aidan, a longtime diplomat, was seconded to the United Nations from 2006 to 2013 and then worked for Edmond de Rothschild until 2016, when the bank dismissed him and he returned to the French foreign ministry. He was working for the French energy company Engie until he was dismissed last month after the extent of his relationship with Epstein became public.
A spokesman for Edmond de Rothschild said it is fully cooperating with the French probe, and that the bank had launched an internal investigation as soon as suspicions emerged about the former employee. A lawyer for Aidan didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The probe into Aidan comes as Edmond de Rothschild and its chief executive and owner, Ariane de Rothschild, have sought to play down their ties to Epstein. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the CEO's close relationship with Epstein in 2023.
In February, de Rothschild wrote to bank clients to say she only discovered the reality and extent of Epstein's crimes at the same time as the general public. The attention on her and her family had included scandalous and unfounded accusations, she said.
After the bank dismissed Aidan, Epstein emailed de Rothschild in 2017 to discuss a settlement with the diplomat, according to the Justice Department files.
"For Fabrice, no use to waste your time," she replied. "He's a hopeless nutcase."
De Rothschild married into the storied financial family after meeting Benjamin de Rothschild professionally. They have four daughters who are now adults, and Benjamin died of a heart attack in 2021. De Rothschild strengthened her family's hold on Edmond de Rothschild by taking it fully private in 2019. She became chief executive in 2023. The bulk of the bank is owned by her and her daughters, along with other family members.
Files released by the Justice Department this year gave a detailed view into how, over seven years, de Rothschild and Epstein exchanged thousands of emails about their personal lives and professional activities.
De Rothschild confided to Epstein about problems in her marriage and within the family dynasty, and frequently shared what appeared to be confidential information about her bank's financial performance and strategy. Epstein told de Rothschild she could count on him in difficult times, and that he viewed her as his younger, strong willed sister.
The released files showed that Edmond de Rothschild paid Epstein $25 million in 2015 to help it with a Justice Department settlement that year over Americans hiding assets at the bank. Under a separate, draft agreement with the bank appearing within the released files, Epstein was contracted to advise on a potential merger that could have earned him a fee of up to $100 million.
Last week, Edmond de Rothschild reported strong net inflows so far this year, and an executive told France's L'Agefi that there had been no impact from the Epstein media coverage. The bank is among the largest by assets in Switzerland, with around $250 billion roughly split between its private bank and asset management arms.
Write to Matthew Dalton at Matthew.Dalton@wsj.com and Margot Patrick at margot.patrick@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 24, 2026 15:11 ET (19:11 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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