Afghanistan, May 18 -- French investigators examining links to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein have identified around 10 previously unknown alleged victims following a public appeal earlier this year, Paris prosecutors said Sunday.

Laure Beccuau told RTL radio that nearly 20 people contacted French authorities after a February appeal for potential victims to come forward, with about half of them not previously known to investigators.

According to Agence France-Presse, some of the individuals currently reside outside France, and investigators are arranging meetings with them in Paris as part of the ongoing inquiry.

The French investigation was launched after the release of documents by the United States Department of Justice earlier th...