The fallout of the release of the Epstein Files continued this week, with the emergence of new details of the deceased sex trafficker’s finances, the launch of additional investigations into suspicious money flows and related sexual-abuse allegations, and the arrest of a former British royal.
On Thursday, British police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to Epstein, The Wall Street Journal reported. Law-enforcement officials confirmed that they were carrying out related searches at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk.
The arrest is centered on Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct while serving as trade envoy for the country, the Journal said. Recently released emails indicate that he sent confidential government reports to Epstein on multiple occasions. British police have said they are also investigating Peter Mandelson, the former UK ambassador to the United States. Read more at The Wall Street Journal
The former royal’s arrest follows news that France has launched separate investigations into Epstein’s possible financial wrongdoing and allegations of human trafficking, NBC News reported. France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office will lead the financial-crimes inquiry, after opening a separate investigation into former French Culture Minister Jack Lang’s suspected laundering of tax-evasion proceeds through a company allegedly set up by Epstein and Lang’s daughter in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Read more at NBC News
New reporting by Reuters reveals that Morgan Stanley opened accounts for Epstein trusts between 2015 and 2019, years after Epstein’s 2008 plea deal and sex-offender registration. The documents indicate Epstein’s associates and investment entities kept banking relationships with the financial firm even when other banks were distancing themselves from the disgraced financier. The news outlet found no evidence of wrongdoing by Morgan Stanley or the estate executors and said it could not determine what customer due diligence the firm conducted when opening Epstein-related accounts. Read more at Reuters
House Democrats on the Oversight Committee said Ohio retail billionaire Les Wexner was “not credible” yesterday during a deposition about his relationship with Epstein and repeatedly claimed he couldn’t recall key details, USA Today reported. Lawmakers characterized Wexner as the man who made Epstein, arguing that Epstein “would not be the man that he was” had not Wexner given him roughly $1 billion for reasons that remain unclear. Wexner told lawmakers he was “conned” by Epstein, according to the report. Read more at USA Today
A Bloomberg report reveals that Apollo Global Management sent a letter to clients saying top executives “didn’t have a relationship” with Epstein, after DOJ files named employees including CEO Marc Rowan. Apollo said that in “select instances” Rowan and other employees provided information to Epstein in connection with his tax work for co-founder Leon Black, who “previously retained and compensated” Epstein for personal tax advice and left the firm in 2021. Read more at Bloomberg