Prince Andrew provided ‘zero co-operation’ to FBI probe into Jeffrey Epstein

The lawyer overseeing the FBI probe into Jeffrey Epstein says Andrew hasn’t responded to FBI requests to interview him.

Prince Andrew has been asked to cooperate with the FBI. Picture: AFP.

Prince Andrew has provided “zero co-operation’’ to United States prosecutors seeking information about his relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman revealed that prosecutors have contacted Andrew’s attorneys but have not received any response.

“To date, Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation,” said Mr Berman, who is overseeing the Epstein investigation

Mr Berman’s critical comments were made to reporters during a press conference about new New York laws that allow victims to sue for childhood sexual abuse.

He said: “Jeffrey Epstein couldn’t have done what he did without the assistance of others, and I can assure you that the investigation is moving forward.’’

But Mr Berman didn’t answer questions over whether Andrew’s friend and Epstein’s former partner Ghislaine Maxwell was co-operating with the investigation, nor about the speed of the probe.

During his car crash interview on the BBC’s Newsnight last November, Andrew said he would have to take legal advice when asked if he would cooperate with US investigators. But shortly afterwards he insisted he would work with US officials looking at Epstein’s sex trafficking operation, although he insisted he had not witnessed any untoward activity.

The Prince has repeatedly denied any knowledge that Epstein was involved in any sexual abuse of girls. He has also denied having sex with one of Epstein’s trafficked girls, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who now lives in Queensland, saying he has no recollection of every meeting her.

He questioned the authenticity of a photograph of himself with his arm around the waist of Ms Giuffre, when she was 17, taken in Ms Maxwell’s London mews house.

“Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required,” Andrew said in a statement three months ago.

Andrew was forced to withdraw from public life following the television interview where he said he had no regrets about his friendship with Epstein.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre has given sworn deposition that she had sex with Andrew on three occasions, after being introduced by Epstein. She has said it was impossible not to realise what was going on.

Andrew told the Newsnight program there “was no indication, absolutely no indication’’ of young girls procured for sex trafficking at Epstein’s houses.

He added: ’’If there was, you have to remember that at the time I was patron of the NSPCC’s Full Stop campaign so I was close up with what was going on in those time about getting rid of abuse to children so I knew what the things were to look for but I never saw them.’’

Andrew then further explained: “I live in an institution at Buckingham Palace which has members of staff walking around all the time and I don’t wish to appear grand but there were a lot of people who were walking around Jeffrey Epstein’s house. As far as I was aware, they were staff, they were people that were working for him, doing things, I … as it were, I interacted with them if you will, to say good morning, good afternoon but I didn’t, if you see what I mean, interact with them in a way that was, you know what are you doing here, why are you here, what’s going on?’’

Buckingham Palace has been approached for comment.