Sri Lanka, Feb. 8 -- 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 ...