Exclusive: FBI investigates Briton, others for Epstein links - sources

By Mark Hosenball

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein appears in a photograph taken for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services' sex offender registry March 28, 2017 and obtained by Reuters July 10, 2019. New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - The FBI is investigating British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and several other people linked to U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, according to two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation.

 

They said a principal focus of the FBI’s investigation is Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, and other “people who facilitated” Epstein’s allegedly illegal behaviour.

 

Maxwell has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing. Her lawyers did not respond to a request for comment.

 

The FBI also is following up on many leads received from women who contacted a hotline the agency set up at its New York field office in the wake of Epstein’s arrest in July, the sources said.

 

One of the sources said the probe remains at an early stage.

 

The sources declined to give further details or identify the people they are looking at apart from Maxwell. However, they said the FBI has no current plans to interview Britain’s Prince Andrew, a friend of Epstein’s who stepped down from his public duties in November because of what he called his “ill-judged” association with the well-connected money manager.

 

A spokeswoman for the FBI declined to comment.

 

A representative for the British royal family said that whether the agency interviewed Andrew was “a matter for the FBI.”

 

Epstein’s suicide in August, at age 66, came a little over a month after he was arrested and charged with trafficking dozens of underage girls as young as 14 from at least 2002 to 2005.

Prosecutors said he recruited girls to give him massages, which became sexual in nature.

 

He had pleaded not guilty.

 

Following Epstein’s arrest, the FBI urged anyone who had been victimized by Epstein or had additional information to call the agency’s hotline.

 

U.S. Attorney General William Barr vowed to carry on the case against anyone who was complicit with the financier.

 

“Any co-conspirators should not rest easy,” he said in August.

 

The sources said they had received numerous tips from the hotline, which they are looking into.

 

Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s alleged victims, has said in a civil lawsuit that Maxwell recruited her into Epstein’s circle, where she claims Epstein forced her to have sex with him and friends including Andrew.

 

Maxwell has called Giuffre’s allegations lies. Giuffre in response filed a defamation suit against Maxwell in 2015.

 

Giuffre repeated the claims about the prince in a BBC interview that aired this month.

 

Andrew, 59, also categorically denies the accusations and has said he has no recollection of meeting Giuffre, who was previously named Virginia Roberts.

 

The two law enforcement sources said the FBI’s principal focus is on people who facilitated Epstein and that Andrew does not fit into that category. They did not rule out the possibility that the FBI would seek to interview Andrew at a later date.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-27

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

Wonder if he is sweating?? ????

The bigger and more important question should be "How many more Epsteins are out there today doing the same thing?" 

 

Just like a slain cartel leader, demand hasn't gone away.  Someone has stepped in to take his place...

 

3 hours ago, weaver93 said:

Wonder if he is sweating?? ????

 

 Doubt it ,  he is well protected ..

 

 

Edited December 27, 20196 yr by elliss

3 minutes ago, elliss said:

3 hours ago, weaver93 said:

Wonder if he is sweating?? 

 Doubt it ,  he is well protected ..

 

I'm sure it's been discussed in the media somewhere, but does he have diplomatic immunity?

 

Instead of saying some as young as 14 could we not say some as old as 28?

 

12 hours ago, impulse said:

The bigger and more important question should be "How many more Epsteins are out there today doing the same thing?" 

 

Just like a slain cartel leader, demand hasn't gone away.  Someone has stepped in to take his place...

 

The late George HW Bush ran a CIA Brown Stone operation entrapping US politicians with little boys. Epstein did the same with little girls. His planes were registered in the name of a CIA cut out: Dinecorp. An Israeli spy has admitted that Epstein also worked for Mossad. The autopsy report shows that Epstein didn't commit suicide. He was murdered. 

 

12 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I'm sure it's been discussed in the media somewhere, but does he have diplomatic immunity?

 

No

2 hours ago, jobsworth said:

Instead of saying some as young as 14 could we not say some as old as 28?

 

More poor reporting. Actually his youngest was 12. Epstein was sent 12 year old French triplets as a birthday present. 

12 hours ago, impulse said:

The bigger and more important question should be "How many more Epsteins are out there today doing the same thing?" 

 

Just like a slain cartel leader, demand hasn't gone away.  Someone has stepped in to take his place...

 

Do you mean, how many billionaires like him are doing the same thing? Perhaps one or two.

7 hours ago, jobsworth said:

Instead of saying some as young as 14 could we not say some as old as 28?

 

Absolutely. Just like instead of saying someone robbed a bank could we not say he had a day job.

5 hours ago, simtemple said:

The late George HW Bush ran a CIA Brown Stone operation entrapping US politicians with little boys. Epstein did the same with little girls. His planes were registered in the name of a CIA cut out: Dinecorp. An Israeli spy has admitted that Epstein also worked for Mossad. The autopsy report shows that Epstein didn't commit suicide. He was murdered. 

 

And Ghislaine Maxwell is daughter of the disgraced tycoon Robert Maxwell, long linked to Mossad and, some say, murdered by them. 

This honey-trap operation run by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell may be a Mossad inspired blackmail game being exposed.

At this point, who knows what it really is?

Too much is being suppressed to know the answers and the truth.

Epstein's "suicide" was a laughable farce... from the prison staff put in charge of him to the forensic professional's conclusion that the neck injuries were not self-inflicted.

Supporters of Israel close ranks here to quickly patch up any cracks that may be appearing in the foundation of their state.  If they lose the moral high-ground they lose it all.  That's a lesson that they - of all people - should take to heart.

The FBI/CIA/Mossad and their various front organizations have often acted like criminal enterprises in the pursuit of their agendas.

They assassinate heads of states; they get involved in foreign policy decision making that almost always turns out to be disastrous.

This is rule by predatory criminal organizations.

In most cases its follow the money in this one its also follow the videos and where are they find them for "war heroes" to perspire from every orifice and crowns to turn upside down???? 

Has anyone else noticed a kind of deafening silence from the right wing conspiracy theorists? William Barr was in charge of the Justice Dept. when Epstein died. Yet somehow he failed to make sure that Epstein was being closely monitored. And it can't be claimed the Barr's negligence was due to lack of experience. He had been the Attorney General before. At that time he had recommended to George H.W. Bush that the people involved in the Iran Contra affair be pardoned and they were.

Odd how inconsistent the right wingers are.

 

On 12/27/2019 at 10:30 PM, impulse said:

 

I'm sure it's been discussed in the media somewhere, but does he have diplomatic immunity?

 

  

     He, has a family  a contact,  who is Head of the  British Establishment .

     Walls  within Walls . 

 

 

Edited December 29, 20196 yr by elliss