Jeffrey Epstein accusers ‘outraged’ by Prince Andrew’s lack of co-operation with FBI

Prince Andrew’s lack of co-operation with the FBI is a “slap in the face” to Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers, US lawyers say.

Prince Andrew’s failure to co-operate with the FBI is a “slap in the face” for Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged victims and “raises more questions” about his links to the convicted paedophile, US lawyers say.

The Duke of York last year promised to help US authorities with their investigation into Epstein’s alleged crimes and accomplices.

The billionaire financier was awaiting trial, accused of sex trafficking girls as young as 14 for himself and a number of his high-profile mates including Prince Andrew, when he was found dead in his New York jail last year.

But a US prosecutor yesterday revealed the Duke had provided “zero co-operation” since the FBI contacted him to request an interview.

“The Southern District of New York and the FBI have contacted Prince Andrew’s attorneys and requested to interview Prince Andrew, and to date, Prince Andrew has provided zero co-operation,” US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman, said.

“He publicly offered, indeed in a press release, to co-operate with law enforcement investigating the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators”.

Prince Andrew has offered “zero co-operation” with the FBI, US prosecutor Geoffrey Berman says. Picture: AFP/Lindsey Parnaby

Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York jail while facing child sex trafficking charges. Picture: AP/New York State Sex Offender Registry

The revelation has “outraged and disappointed” Epstein’s accusers, according to US lawyer Lisa Bloom.

“This is really a slap in the face to the victims, to the five who I represent, to the probably hundreds more who allege Jeffrey Epstein assaulted them,” she told Sky News.

“I’m glad that Geoffrey Berman has gone public to try to embarrass Prince Andrew, who made one statement and then behind closed doors is doing something very different,” she also told BBC Newsnight.

“If Prince Andrew truly has done nothing wrong then it’s incumbent upon him to go and speak to the FBI at a time that’s convenient for him and say what he knows. Perhaps he can help bring other people to justice.”

Lisa Bloom said her clients were outraged and disappointed. Picture: BBC Newsnight

Epstein accuser, Virginia Giuffre, alleges she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times as a teenager.

Buckingham Palace has strenuously denied the allegations. But Giuffre’s lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, said the Prince’s behaviour raised some serious questions.

“Prince Andrew’s continued refusal to co-operate with authorities after freely acknowledging that he would be prepared to answer inquiries raises even more questions about the role he played in the international sex trafficking ring Jeffrey Epstein and others operated,” she said.

“Prince Andrew should take seriously the deeply held belief in this country that no-one is above the law.”

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Gloria Aldred, another lawyer representing Epstein’s accusers, said the Duke’s silence was “ridiculous”.

“If he has done nothing wrong, which appears to be what he has claimed, then why won’t he talk to law enforcement?” she told the BBC’s Today program.

“No response is the same as zero co-operation. This is ridiculous. It’s just not acceptable.”

Virginia Giuffre alleges she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew three times as a teenager. Picture: Supplied

It’s understood the FBI has been trying to speak to Prince Andrew since November, following his disastrous interview on BBC Newsnight in which he defended his relationship with Epstein, saying it had some “seriously beneficial outcomes”.

“The people that I met and the opportunities that I was given to learn, either by him or because of him, were actually very useful,” he said.

News.com.au has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.