Epstein probe gets 'zero cooperation' from Prince Andrew - U.S. prosecutor

[webfact]

Epstein probe gets 'zero cooperation' from Prince Andrew - U.S. prosecutor

By Mark Hosenball

 

Britain's Prince Andrew leaves St. Mary the Virgin church in Hillington, near royal Sandringham estate, in Norfolk, Britain January 19, 2020. REUTERS/Chris Radburn

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Andrew has provided "zero cooperation" to U.S. authorities probing sex trafficking allegedly carried out by deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein and co-conspirators, a prosecutor said on Monday.

 

The FBI and U.S. federal prosecutors contacted Prince Andrew's lawyers and requested an interview with the prince, who socialized with Epstein, Manhattan-based U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said at a news conference in front of Epstein's mansion.

 

As of Monday, "Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation," Berman said at the event hosted by Safe Horizon, a group pressing for more legal protection for abuse victims.

 

He did not say when U.S. authorities had requested an interview with Andrew.

 

Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

 

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman said on Monday that Britain's Prince Andrew has provided "zero cooperation" in the FBI investigation into the activities and death of Jeffrey Epstein.

 

Andrew said in November he would be willing to help "any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required."

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's probe is focusing on British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, and others who facilitated the wealthy financier's alleged trafficking of underage girls, law enforcement sources told Reuters in December.

 

Maxwell has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing.

 

Epstein had socialized with Andrew and other high-profile figures including U.S. President Donald Trump and former president Bill Clinton, according to court filings.

 

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. Epstein had pleaded not guilty.

 

The FBI approached Britain's Prince Andrew for an interview in connection with its investigation into the activities and death of Jeffrey Epstein, a U.S. law enforcement source said on Monday.

 

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a Florida state charge of soliciting prostitution. He completed a 13-month jail sentence that was widely criticized as too lenient.

 

Andrew has described his association with Epstein as "ill-judged" and in November the prince stepped down from public duties as the allegations became a distraction for the royal family.

 

Andrew, Queen Elizabeth's second son, has denied an allegation in a civil lawsuit from Virginia Giuffre, who claims she had sex with the prince when she was 17 in an encounter arranged through Epstein.

 

Giuffre's lawsuit said Maxwell recruited her into Epstein's circle and Epstein forced her to have sex with him and friends including Andrew.

 

Despite Epstein's death, investigations continue into potential accomplices.

 

In December, sources told Reuters, law enforcement did not plan at that time to interview Andrew, although the investigation was said to be at an early stage.

 

The FBI has been following up on 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 in December.

 

This month, the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands sued Epstein's estate claiming he raped and trafficked dozens of young women and girls on a private island he owned in the territory.

 

The complaint filed by Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George significantly broadened the scope of the financier's alleged misconduct, saying it spanned from 2001 to 2018 and targeted girls who appeared to be as young as 11 or 12.

 

The Virgin Islands is seeking civil penalties plus some assets from Epstein's estimated $577.7 million estate, including the forfeiture of his two private islands, Little St. James and Great St. James.

 

(Reporting by Timothy Ahmann and Mark Hosenball in Washington and Kylie MacLellan and Janet Lawrence in London; writing by Tom Hals; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Bill Berkrot and David Gregorio)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-28

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[pegman]

Do a swap. Randy Andy for the CIA wife who killed a bloke while driving on wrong side.

[Matzzon]

59 minutes ago, webfact said:

Britain's Prince Andrew leaves St. Mary the Virgin church

So appropriate! This tells them all they need to know. A rapist and a sex offender would never even think of leaving a virgin alone.

[4MyEgo]

As if he would provide any assistance, waste of time, waste of money, next.......

[DoctorG]

Totally understandable why he would not do the FBI interview.

Basic lawyers advice for everyone. Never answer police questions.

[steve187]

26 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Totally understandable why he would not do the FBI interview.

Basic lawyers advice for everyone. Never answer police questions.

even if they have a photo, say it was the long lost twin brother

[balo]

He should move to Pattaya, here he can find a beautiful girl over the legal age.
Just tell the Queen first he is out birdwatching with his friends looking for rare species. 

[maxx58]

1 hour ago, DoctorG said:

Totally understandable why he would not do the FBI interview.

Basic lawyers advice for everyone. Never answer police questions.

But he is on record saying that he would meet with the FBI.

 

 

[kamahele]

1 hour ago, DoctorG said:

Totally understandable why he would not do the FBI interview.

Basic lawyers advice for everyone. Never answer police questions.

That isn't exactly basic legal advice. Answer questions with your lawyer present is more like it. The Prince did say in front of a camera that he would cooperate....

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, kamahele said:

That isn't exactly basic legal advice. Answer questions with your lawyer present is more like it. The Prince did say in front of a camera that he would cooperate....

Never speak to the police voluntarily, if arrested and questioned, 'I wasn't there', 'I don't remember that', 'yes' and 'no' should be your only answers. Never admit anything, never offer information, don't chat they aren't your friends.

 

One of the first 'tricks' the police play on you (when questioned after the 'event') is to try and get you to admit you were there. Once they've got you to admit you were there, they are half way to a conviction. 

Edited January 28, 2020 by BritManToo

[CharlieH]

Your standard "no comment interview" is the basic advisable response when dealing with Plod for most people. As a  Royal they should know better than to even try, there will be an army of lawyers and protocol to cut through, their just trying media pressure as a tactic.

[DoctorG]

25 minutes ago, kamahele said:

That isn't exactly basic legal advice. Answer questions with your lawyer present is more like it. The Prince did say in front of a camera that he would cooperate....

There is no upside for you in answering any question. If you wish to make a general statement such as Ï was not in the country at that time" is fine, as long as it is true.

Most people would think that they are trying to do the right thing by being helpful, but their seemingly innocent answers can be twisted. 

Just because Andy said that in a press interview does not make him obligated to actually do so.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

There is no upside for you in answering any question. If you wish to make a general statement such as Ï was not in the country at that time" is fine, as long as it is true.

You are making a mistake even with that answer.

'I don't remember being there' ........ would be a much better answer.

Edited January 28, 2020 by BritManToo

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Andrew said in November he would be willing to help "any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required."

that's a public statement,... you can't take it seriously! 

[Billthekiwi]

3 hours ago, Matzzon said:

So appropriate! This tells them all they need to know. A rapist and a sex offender would never even think of leaving a virgin alone.

When was he a rapist or a sex offender?

 

The 17 year old was a consenting adult above the age of consent.

 

I want to know why her and her parents weren't charged for soliciting at under 18 which is the normal minimum age for hookers in my country?

 

And as far as helping USA law enforcement NOT until a killer woman returns to face trial in the UK.

 

I know, I know, that's she's a spy so it can't happen so just get off Prince Andrew's case.

[newnative]

Key word, if 'REQUIRED'.  

[thaibeachlovers]

Real friends don't rat out friends.

[Matzzon]

28 minutes ago, Billthekiwi said:

When was he a rapist or a sex offender?

 

The 17 year old was a consenting adult above the age of consent.

 

I want to know why her and her parents weren't charged for soliciting at under 18 which is the normal minimum age for hookers in my country?

 

And as far as helping USA law enforcement NOT until a killer woman returns to face trial in the UK.

 

I know, I know, that's she's a spy so it can't happen so just get off Prince Andrew's case.

Where you also a member of the club? ????

[Krataiboy]

The more one reads of the Epstein saga, the more it resembles the Profumo Affair of the early Sixties. Same cast of degenerate politicians and celebs and a high-society pimp who took the fall for the cowardly lot of them.

 

This time around the big fish must not be allowed to wriggle off the hook.

 

If Andrew continues to impede the investigation into the Epstein web of vice and corruption, he must be made to forfeit his Royal role and the perks which go with it.

 

Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's alleged procurer-in-chief and favoured daughter of criminal publisher and spy Robert Maxwell, must not be allowed off the hook by shoddy police work and a pro-Establishment mass media happy to forget she or Jeffrey Epstein ever existed..

 

She too high-profile to hide forever. She must be tracked down and made to testify about her role in luring under-age girls to the infamous love island to sate the depraved desires of the rich and famous.

 

Hopefully, one of the female victims of the pedophile millionaire now baying for Andrew's blood will eventually publish a 21st Century equivalent of The Mandy Report and name and shame all her evil exploiters.

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by Krataiboy

[Bluespunk]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Andrew said in November he would be willing to help "any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required."

So a liar as well...

[BritManToo]

4 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

She too high-profile to hide forever. She must be tracked down and made to testify about her role in luring under-age girls to the infamous love island to sate the depraved desires of the rich and famous.

Age of consent is 16 in the UK, can't see Andy has ever been accused of banging anyone under that age.

Profumo affair was about a guy banging a 19 year old woman, no crime there either.

[vogie]

2 hours ago, maxx58 said:

But he is on record saying that he would meet with the FBI.

 

 

Yes but that was before they asked.????

[Krataiboy]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Age of consent is 16 in the UK, can't see Andy has ever been accused of banging anyone under that age.

Profumo affair was about a guy banging a 19 year old woman, no crime there either.

His "crime" is refusing to cooperate with the investigation. If banging victims of sex trafficking is not a crime, it sure as hell should be, irrespective of the age of the abused individual.

Edited January 28, 2020 by Krataiboy

[Syduan]

3 hours ago, Billthekiwi said:

When was he a rapist or a sex offender?

 

The 17 year old was a consenting adult above the age of consent.

 

I want to know why her and her parents weren't charged for soliciting at under 18 which is the normal minimum age for hookers in my country?

 

And as far as helping USA law enforcement NOT until a killer woman returns to face trial in the UK.

 

I know, I know, that's she's a spy so it can't happen so just get off Prince Andrew's case.

Never mind the fact he was best mates with a convicted pedophile just like his brother Charles.

[BritManToo]

39 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

If banging victims of sex trafficking is not a crime, 

How could you possibly know?

[newatthis]

2 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

So a liar as well...

Not necessarily. Just taken good legal advice on board.

[Bluespunk]

37 minutes ago, newatthis said:

Not necessarily. Just taken good legal advice on board.

Nope.

 

He said he would do something and then didn't.

 

That's lying.

 

Hence he is a liar as well...

[Mattd]

3 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

If Andrew continues to impede the investigation into the Epstein web of vice and corruption, he must be made to forfeit his Royal role and the perks which go with it.

Impeding? 

He has the right to remain silent, in both jurisdictions and so far has not been convicted of any crime, I imagine his lawyers have been advising him on what to say or not to say.

He has already withdrawn from his royal duties and his staff have left, he is and will remain a son of the Queen. 

[Krataiboy]

2 hours ago, Mattd said:

Impeding? 

He has the right to remain silent, in both jurisdictions and so far has not been convicted of any crime, I imagine his lawyers have been advising him on what to say or not to say.

He has already withdrawn from his royal duties and his staff have left, he is and will remain a son of the Queen. 

This is more to do with morality than legality. Andrew needs to man up and do whatever he humanly can to obtain justice for the exploited Epstein girls - one of whom at least he appeared to be on extremely friendly terms.

 

Then maybe, just maybe, his mother might end up proud of him.

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

This is more to do with morality than legality. Andrew needs to man up and do whatever he humanly can to obtain justice for the exploited Epstein girls - one of whom at least he appeared to be on extremely friendly terms.

I'm not sure what moral code you think states it's wrong to bang a girl over the age of consent with her consent.

Fairly sure the Virgin Mary was 13 or 14 when she gave birth (that counts as Jewish and Christian).

Mohammed definitely married an 11 year old (Muslim OK).

The Brit Royal family has been marrying 14 year olds since they invented the institution.

 

Help me out here, which moral code do you think is being broken?

Edited January 28, 2020 by BritManToo