FRENCH authorities have launched an investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell.

Prosecutors investigating Epstein over the abuse and rape of minors in Paris are now looking into the ex-socialite over accusations she was involved in the abuse.

A source told the Mirror: “Both Epstein and Maxwell have a long history and many connections to France.

“As detectives dug further into allegations against him and after receiving information from US investigators, they launched their own probe into Maxwell. It is ongoing.”

Before Maxwell was arrested by the FBI in July she was thought to be hiding in one of her houses in France.

Born in Paris, Maxwell holds French citizenship as well as a UK and U.S. passport.

Under French law, the country cannot extradite its own citizens, which fuelled speculation that Maxwell was in Paris before she was arrested in July.

She is currently being held in a New York jail, and is due to stand trial beginning in July 2021.

She has been charged by US authorities with the enticement of minors, sex trafficking, and perjury, though has denied any wrongdoing.

Her home in Paris is said to be close to properties owned by French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, also accused of involvement in the abuse and trafficking of underage girls.

Both Maxwell and Brunel appeared on Epstein’s flight logs and in his black book of contacts.

Brunel, 74, is alleged to have gifted Epstein with three French 12-year-old girls for one of his birthdays.

He has also been accused of raping underage girls himself, though has denied any wrongdoing.

Speaking previously, he said: “I strongly deny having committed any illicit act or any wrongdoing in the course of my work as a scouter or model agencies manager.”

On Saturday, we reported how court papers revealed how Maxwell was given massages by an Epstein sex slave.

Maxwell, 58, refused to say if she and student Johanna Sjoberg were lovers, or if the sessions led to sex.

Details emerged in a defamation case brought against Maxwell in 2015 by Prince Andrew’s accuser, and Epstein slave, Virginia Roberts Giuffre.

Sjoberg and Andrew’s names were blanked out of the papers, released last week, as they were not involved in that case.

Sjoburg, now 40 and living in Maine, US, has accused Andrew of fondling her breast with a Spitting Image puppet of himself in 1999.

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