While Prince Andrew’s lawyers are claiming that he’s offered his full assistance to a US investigation into the deceased sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, US attorneys say he’s trying to “falsely portray” himself as cooperative.
The war of words between Prince Andrew and the US Department of Justice has been reignited in dramatic style. Months after the US Attorney’s Office in New York slammed the royal for offering “zero cooperation” with their Epstein investigation, Andrew’s legal team hit back on Monday, claiming that the Duke of York volunteered himself as a witness “on at least three occasions” this year – and accusing the Justice Department of “seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance provided.”
But according to New York prosecutor Geoffrey Berman, the prince is lying.
“Today, Prince Andrew yet again sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate” with the Epstein investigation, Berman wrote. “The Prince has not given an interview to federal authorities, has repeatedly declined our request to schedule such an interview, and nearly four months ago informed us unequivocally that he would not come in for such an interview.”
“Our doors remain open, and we await word of when we should expect him,” Berman concluded.
Andrew’s claim that he’s volunteered himself as a witness came amid reports that he had been summoned by the DOJ to answer questions in the UK about his relationship with Epstein, who killed himself in suspicious circumstances last year in a New York jail cell. Should Andrew refuse the summons, he could potentially be summoned to the US in person for interrogation.
Epstein was accused in 2005 of a litany of sex crimes involving underage girls, but pled guilty to only two minor charges, and served only a year in minimum-security facility. However, at the time of his death last year, the billionaire sex pest was awaiting trial for trafficking “dozens” of minors for sex.
Prince Andrew was a prolific associate of Epstein, and has been accused of having sex with a teenage girl provided to him by Epstein. He categorically denies the charge, and still maintains he doesn’t remember meeting the victim – even after BBC Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis produced a photograph of the pair together during a disastrous interview last year.
Despite the cloud of suspicion over Andrew, and despite the US Justice Department summoning him for interview in the UK, Attorney General William Barr said on Monday that as of yet, there are “no” plans to extradite the Royal.
Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!
