Prince Andrew ‘not co-operating’ in Jeffrey Epstein probe, US prosecutor says
A prosecutor in the US has publicy called out Prince Andrew, contradicting the royal and saying he has been “uncooperative”.
Prince Andrew has not been co-operating with authorities who want to interview him about his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a US prosecutor says.
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman said prosecutors and the FBI had repeatedly contacted Prince Andrew’s lawyers to follow up on his previous pledge to help with the investigation.
Despite their efforts, Prince Andrew has to date “provided zero co-operation,” Mr Berman said.
He made the comments at an event to raise awareness for New York State’s Child Victims Act.
News.com.au has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
Mr Berman’s remarks are at odds with comments Prince Andrew made in a statement relating to the matter last year.
“Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required,” it read.
Mr Berman said his office did not usually comment on whether people were co-operating with authorities. He said he made the decision to call out Prince Andrew because of his public comments on the matter.
“However, in Prince Andrew’s case, he publicly offered, indeed in a press release, offered to co-operate with law enforcement investigating the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators,” Mr Berman said.
The Duke of York is under fire for his association with Epstein, who was facing child sex trafficking charges prior to his prison suicide death on August 10.
The late financier was also accused of procuring young girls for his friends, including Prince Andrew, who has vehemently denied the allegations.
Prince Andrew announced last year that he was withdrawing from his royal duties amid renewed attention of his friendship with Epstein and a woman’s claim that she had several sexual encounters with the prince starting when she was 17.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre has said she had sex with Prince Andrew three times at Epstein’s request, including once in London in 2001 at the home of Epstein’s girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Andrew and Maxwell have both denied any knowledge that Epstein was sexually abusing teenage girls.
In a recent television interview later described as a “trainwreck”, the prince denied claims he slept with Ms Giuffre, whom he was pictured with in a notorious photograph where he had his arm around her waist when she was 17 years old.
Fierce backlash mounted against the prince following the broadcast, with critics accusing him of not showing any empathy for Epstein’s victims.
Prince Andrew previously acknowledged the criticism levelled at him in a statement.
“It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family’s work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support,” he said.
“Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission.”
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