Russia-Linked Disinformation Campaign Falsely Connects Macron to Epstein, French Official Confirms

French authorities have uncovered a sophisticated pro-Russian disinformation operation falsely linking President Emmanuel Macron to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a government source who revealed the details on February 6.

The operation, detected by France’s state service for Vigilance and Protection against Foreign Digital Interference, bears hallmarks similar to those used by Storm-1516, a pro-Russia group previously implicated by U.S. authorities for spreading disinformation during the 2024 U.S. presidential election campaign.

At the center of the scheme were fabricated emails designed to appear as if they had been released as part of a U.S. Justice Department disclosure of Epstein files. One particularly inflammatory fake email falsely depicted Macron as hosting a party with underage individuals, a claim French authorities have categorically denied.

The Elysée Palace did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the disinformation campaign or on whether President Macron had ever met Epstein before or after his 2008 conviction for procuring an underage girl for prostitution.

According to the French government source, the operation began with the creation of a counterfeit website impersonating France-Soir, a French online daily newspaper. On February 4, this fake site published an article alleging ties between Macron and Epstein. The disinformation was subsequently amplified through social media, notably via a video posted on Elon Musk’s X platform.

“French Response,” an official X account managed by France’s foreign ministry, quickly responded by labeling the article as false and refuting its contents. Following a complaint by the authentic France-Soir, the imposter website was taken down. However, Reuters confirmed that the misleading video purporting to be a news report remained accessible on X.

When questioned about whether French authorities had requested removal of the video, X did not provide a response. The government source indicated that the initial video post came from an account connected to Storm-1516, with numerous other accounts subsequently spreading the content across social media platforms.

The Russian Embassy in Paris could not be reached for immediate comment on these allegations.

This incident is not the first time France has raised concerns about Russian interference in its politics. A French official noted that Paris had previously expressed alarm to Moscow regarding what it perceives as Russian efforts to undermine Macron, including during his first presidential campaign in 2017. Moscow has consistently denied such allegations.

The campaign targeting Macron comes amid broader accusations from European governments that Russia and pro-Moscow actors are orchestrating wide-ranging interference campaigns designed to destabilize European governments and weaken the European Union. These operations typically combine social media manipulation, fake news websites, and the exploitation of legitimate platforms to spread disinformation.

Digital disinformation experts have noted an increase in such campaigns as Europe faces multiple elections this year, with foreign actors apparently seeking to influence outcomes and sow discord among Western allies, particularly regarding support for Ukraine.

The targeting of high-profile leaders like Macron with false associations to notorious figures like Epstein represents a particularly insidious form of character assassination designed to damage public trust in democratic institutions.

French cybersecurity agencies have reportedly increased monitoring of suspected disinformation networks as part of broader European efforts to protect electoral integrity and counter foreign influence operations that threaten democratic processes.