Jeffrey Epstein friend Ghislaine Maxwell is being investigated by FBI
The FBI has reportedly opened an investigation into paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged “pimp”’ and won’t rule out calling Prince Andrew in for questioning.
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The FBI is investigating British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and several others linked to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, it’s been revealed.
The Sun reports that two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation have told Reuters the principal focus of the probe is Ms Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, and other “people who facilitated” allegedly illegal behaviour.
Maxwell has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. Her lawyers did not respond to a request for comment.
The FBI also is following up on many leads received from women who contacted a hotline the agency set up at its New York field office in the wake of Epstein’s arrest in July, the sources said.
One of the sources said the probe remains at an early stage.
The sources declined to give further details or identify the people they are looking at apart from Ms Maxwell.
They said the FBI has no current plans to interview Britain’s Prince Andrew, a friend of Epstein’s, but have failed to rule out questioning the royal.
Prince Andrew stepped down from his public duties in November because of what he called his “ill-judged” association with the well-connected money manager.
The Duke has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
A spokeswoman for the FBI declined to comment.
‘MATTER FOR THE FBI’
A representative for the Royal Family said that whether the agency interviewed Prince Andrew was “a matter for the FBI”.
Epstein’s suicide in August, at age 66, came a little over a month after he was arrested and charged with trafficking dozens of underage girls as young as 14 from at least 2002 to 2005.
Prosecutors said he recruited girls to give him massages, which became sexual in nature.
He had pleaded not guilty.
Following Epstein’s arrest, the FBI urged anyone who had been victimised by Epstein or had additional information to call the agency’s hotline.
US Attorney-General William Barr vowed to carry on the case against anyone who was complicit with the financier.
In August, he said: “Any co-conspirators should not rest easy.”
The sources said they had received numerous tips from the hotline, which they are looking into.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein’s alleged victims, has said in a civil lawsuit that Ms Maxwell recruited her into Epstein’s circle, where she claims Epstein forced her to have sex with him and friends including Andrew.
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Ms Maxwell has called Ms Roberts Giuffre’s allegations lies. Ms Roberts Giuffre in response filed a defamation suit against Ms Maxwell in 2015.
This article originally appeared in The Sun and is republished here with permission
Originally published as Jeffrey Epstein friend Ghislaine Maxwell is being investigated by FBI