Topline
The Department of Justice has so far been broadly unresponsive to requests from foreign governments investigating Jeffrey Epstein, multiple officials confirmed to the Washington Post, potentially threatening those probes into Epstein’s alleged abuse as the DOJ faces complaints of not being fully forthcoming about the Epstein files.
Peter Mandelson (R) and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (L). then known as Prince Andrew, on June 7, 2007 at the EU Commission’s Headquarters in Brussels.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Officials in Poland, Norway and Latvia confirmed to the Washington Post that the DOJ has so far been unresponsive to their requests for mutual legal assistance in their Epstein investigations, which would allow foreign investigators to receive testimony, information and evidence from the U.S. government.
The countries are among at least eight that have opened their own investigations into Epstein’s alleged abuse in recent months, as the DOJ’s release of the Epstein files revealed a number of international officials who associated with Epstein and potential instances of Epstein or his associates abusing women abroad.
Polish prosecutors requested information in April from the DOJ regarding unredacted documents that involve Poland or Polish nationals in any way, spokesperson Przemysław Nowak told the Post, but said they had not yet received a response.
Norwegian prosecutor Marianne Bender similarly said her office had not yet heard back from the DOJ, which she described as “unfortunate,” and an official with the State Police of Latvia told the Post that while the office “sent several requests for mutual legal assistance to the relevant authorities in the United States … no responses have yet been received.”
The Post’s reporting comes after The Telegraph reported last month the U.K.’s criminal investigation into former U.S. Ambassador Peter Mandelson was at risk of falling apart because of the U.S. government’s alleged unwillingness to hand over unredacted Epstein files, with anonymous sources alleging the Trump administration was “reluctant” to share files that could be damaging to President Donald Trump.
The DOJ has not yet responded to a request for comment, but previously told The Telegraph the agency “has not refused to assist any jurisdiction investigating potential criminal conduct related to Jeffrey Epstein” and “remains committed to cooperating with all jurisdictions pursuing potential crimes.”
What We Don’t Know
Prosecutors’ offices in other countries investigating Epstein, including France, Turkey and Lithuania, have not yet responded to requests for comment on whether they’ve been in touch with the DOJ. The European Union’s Anti-Fraud Office, which is separately investigating Mandelson, has also not yet commented on the status of its probe. It’s unclear how long any investigations could take to play out, regardless of whether the U.S. cooperates, and whether any will result in criminal charges. The U.K. previously arrested Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, in connection with the Epstein files, but both were released while investigations continue, and no formal charges against them have yet been filed. In France, child protection advocacy group Innocence en Danger sued the country’s government in August over its Epstein investigation, Le Monde reports, with plaintiffs arguing there had been a “series of objectively observable procedural failures” and the “slowness” of the investigation demonstrated “defective functioning of the public service of justice.” That case and France’s Epstein investigation remain ongoing.
Why Hasn’t The DOJ Responded?
Sources cited by The Telegraph suggested the Trump administration may be hesitant to share information with the U.K. government, citing a fear that turning over information there could set a precedent with other countries’ investigations and “reignite” the scandal over Epstein’s case. The Post noted the reason for the DOJ’s lack of response could also be purely bureaucratic, however, noting that requests for mutual legal assistance can take “weeks to months” to begin with, and can be lengthier if the requests are particularly complicated or the evidence requested is tied up in existing litigation. “Mutual legal assistance requests are inherently complex, and that complexity only increases in cases involving voluminous records and contested redaction issues,” defense attorney and former DOJ employee Samer Korkor told the Post. The Office of International Affairs that handles the requests has also long been overburdened and challenged by issues like high staff turnover and outdated technology, the Post notes.
Tangent
Prosecutors in New Mexico—where Epstein’s Zorro Ranch was located—have also alleged the DOJ has “stonewalled” their investigation into the late financier by not providing documents. New Mexico sued the DOJ and Attorney General Todd Blanche in August, alleging the federal government was “withholding” unredacted Epstein files from state prosecutors and impeding their probe. The lawsuit, which remains pending, asks for a federal judge to force the DOJ to hand over the unredacted materials to the state. The DOJ, for its part, has denied that it’s refusing to cooperate with New Mexico’s investigation, arguing in a statement last month that the federal government is not allowed to provide “victim-identifying information carte blanche, and New Mexico has provided no lawful basis to justify such sweeping disclosures.”
What To Watch for
The DOJ’s alleged failure to provide Epstein documents to foreign governments and New Mexico comes amid broader criticism that the Trump administration has failed to turn over all of its Epstein files. Though thousands of files have been publicly released, the DOJ has been criticized for improperly redacting some information from the files, including names of Epstein associates, and withholding some documents. Journalist Katie Phang has sued the DOJ and asked a federal court to unredact and turn over multiple documents in the Epstein files that have so far been held back, including emails Epstein and his allies shared about women and handwritten notes from a FBI interview involving accusations against Trump. (The president has denied all allegations of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.) The DOJ has so far refused to turn over those documents despite court orders to do so, arguing the materials are unnecessary to make public or would expose victims’ identities. The litigation remains ongoing. Lawmakers in Congress who pushed the initial legislation that forced the Epstein files’ release have also introduced a second bill, the Epstein Files Transparency Act Part 2, that would give Epstein’s victims, state attorneys general and other parties the right to sue the federal government to demand the Epstein files’ release. (The bill does not specify lending any help to foreign governments seeking documents.) It remains to be seen whether there will be enough support in Congress for that bill to pass.
Key Background
Epstein has been accused of sexually abusing hundreds of women, some of whom were underage, and died in prison in 2019 after being indicted on sex trafficking charges. The DOJ started releasing Epstein files late last year, after interest in the late financier’s case was reignited when the agency initially refused to make documents public. Many of the documents have embroiled a number of high-profile figures, including foreign nationals like Mandelson, Mountbatten-Windsor, former Norwegian prime minister Thorbjørn Jagland, Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Slovakian national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak, Norwegian crown princess Mette-Marit and Anil Ambani, brother of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and a close ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. All have denied wrongdoing. While the DOJ has not charged anyone for conduct related to Epstein besides the late financier and associate Ghislaine Maxwell, some foreign prosecutors have so far been more aggressive in pursuing people named in the Epstein files. In addition to Mandelson and Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, the Norwegian government has also brought corruption charges against Jagland and former Norwegian diplomats Terje Rød-Larsen and Mona Juul—all three have denied wrongdoing—and numerous officials in other governments have resigned.
Further Reading
Europeans investigating Epstein say DOJ has not agreed to requests for help (Washington Post)
Rich And Powerful In The New Epstein Files: Steve Tisch Transfers His NY Giants Ownership (Forbes)
Be the first to comment