Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the United States, was arrested on Monday on charges linked to allegedly confidential information shared with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandelson, who was released on bail late on Monday, is the latest major public figure to face consequences for their association with Epstein. This development comes after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, was also arrested and released on bail over alleged crimes linked to his relationship with Epstein.
According to authorities, the arrests and resignations are a result of the release of three million documents and emails by the US Department of Justice in recent weeks. The documents have revealed connections between Epstein and several high-profile individuals, including politicians, royals, and business leaders.
Arrests and Resignations
Former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on February 19 for misconduct in public office, allegedly sharing confidential documents with Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor had previously settled a case with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a minor.
Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has also faced scrutiny for her association with Epstein. Emails released by the Justice Department revealed that Ferguson maintained contact with Epstein long after his 2008 conviction.
Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit has issued a public apology for her long association with Epstein, after hundreds of emails between the two were released. Former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland has been charged with “aggravated corruption” and has had his properties raided as part of the corruption investigation into his connections to Epstein.
International Fallout
Former Slovakian national security adviser, Jozef Lajack, has resigned from his position amid growing criticism over his correspondence with Epstein. French financial crimes prosecutors have opened an investigation into former French cultural minister, Jack Lang, over suspected laundering of proceeds linked to aggravated tax fraud.
Lawyer and former chairman of law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, Brad Karp, has stepped down after newly disclosed emails exposed his ties to Epstein. Former DP World Chair and CEO, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, has also resigned after thousands of emails with Epstein surfaced.
Other individuals who have faced consequences for their association with Epstein include former chair of the master’s program at School of Visual Arts, David Ross, former chief of legal office at Goldman Sachs, Kathy Ruemmler, and former executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels, Thomas Pritzker.
Source: Al Jazeera
