It follows complaints by lawyers of the late Jean-Luc Brunel, who was 74 when found hanging in his cell in La Santé prison, in February 2022.
They said on Tuesday that ‘major dysfunctions’ of justice had taken place, and demanded an “administrative investigation” into the scandal.
In a statement made to AFP, France’s national news agency, barrister Marianne Abgrall said: “Given the major dysfunctions of the entire criminal chain leading to the suicide of Jean-Luc Brunel [we have]contacted the Minister of Justice so that an inspection mission can be carried out by the Inspectorate General of Justice.”
Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, 62, who is currently in prison in the USA after being found guilty of sex trafficking.
READ MORE: Inside Epstein’s ‘pedo island’ as never-before-seen images of young women emerge
Prince Andrew, 63, was, like his friend Maxwell, a regular visitor to Epstein’s £8 million mansion flat in Paris.
Brunel was arrested in December 2020 by a police anti-paedophilia unit while trying to board a plane to Dakar, Senegal, telling detectives “I’m going on holiday”.
A French judicial enquiry into Brunel’s conduct had opened in August 2019, when prosecutors heard allegations that Brunel and the Queen’s second son shared a lover.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an American, had alleged to lawyers she was employed as a “sex slave” when she was forced by Epstein to sleep with the Duke three times when she was 17.
Prince Andrew – who vehemently denies any wrongdoing – has since agreed a civil settlement with Ms Giuffre, thought to be worth some £12 million, with no admission of liability.
Ms Roberts Giuffre has also said she had “sexual relations with Brunel on several occasions” between the ages of 16 and 19, according to legal papers filed in America and France.
The rape of a minor is punishable by up to 15 years in prison in France, while aggravated sexual harassment comes with a three-year prison sentence and a fine equivalent to around £40,000.
Brunel denied any wrongdoing and was being held in custody until a criminal trial.
Brunel was also suspected of using his contacts in the fashion industry to provide victims to Epstein, so acting a pimp.
He is said to have flown three sisters from a Paris housing estate to America so they could be abused by Epstein as ‘a birthday present’.
Epstein – an old friend and business of associate of Brunel’s – committed suicide in his prison cell in New York on August 10 2019, while awaiting trial for a range of offences, including trafficking minors for sex, and multiple rapes.
Among his alleged victims, it is claimed in court documents, were the 12-year-old triplets from Paris.
Brunel was the founder of MC2, the model agency – one that prosecutors believe was used as as a cover for Epstein’s sex trafficking ring.
Brunel started his career as a model scout, and has worked with celebrities including Jerry Hall, Sharon Stone, and Monica Bellucci.
Evidence against Brunel came from a number of former models, who had waived their anonymity to make their allegations public.
