Prince Andrew Is Stonewalling Investigators In the Epstein Probe
Credit to Author: David Gilbert| Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2020 14:02:09 +0000
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Prince Andrew is facing mounting pressure from the FBI, U.S. prosecutors and two lawyers representing alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, to fulfill a promise he made in November and cooperate with investigations into the convicted sex offender.
Lisa Bloom, a lawyer representing five of Epstein’s alleged victims, told Andrew to “stop playing games” and “do the right thing” by helping the Epstein sex trafficking inquiry.
The plea from Bloom came just hours after the revelation Monday that Andrew has given “zero cooperation” to the team investigating Epstein’s alleged crimes.
“It is time for anyone with information to come forward and answer questions,” Bloom told the BBC on Tuesday. “Prince Andrew himself is accused of sexual misconduct and he also spent a great deal of time with Jeffrey Epstein. So it’s time to stop playing games and to come forward to do the right thing and answer questions.”
Bloom added that the victims were “outraged and disappointed” that Andrew had not come forward after he said in November that he would "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency.”
He added that "if push came to shove and the legal advice was to do so" he would give evidence under oath. Instead, Andrew has withdrawn from public life completely and retired from all royal duties. And, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman told reporters on Monday that the FBI and prosecutors had both contacted the Duke of York’s lawyers but had not heard anything back.
"I'm glad that Geoffrey Berman has gone public to try to embarrass Prince Andrew, who made one statement and then behind closed doors is doing something very different,” Bloom said.
Another lawyer representing alleged victims of Epstein, Gloria Allred, said she has also contacted Prince Andrew urging him to speak up, but had heard nothing back.
READ: Prince Andrew had a very bad weekend indeed
“No response is the same as zero co-operation,” Allred told BBC Radio 4's Today program. “This is ridiculous. It's just not acceptable.”
The royal has faced mounting pressure over his friendship with Epstein, a convicted sex offender who took his own life in August while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Andrew has denied seeing or suspecting anything untoward when visiting Epstein’s home in 2010 — after Epstein was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution.
However, he was drawn into the scandal surrounding Epstein last year when Virginia Roberts-Giuffre, who says she was Epstein’s “sex slave,” claimed she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York when she was just 17.
Andrew tried to clear his name in a car crash interview with the BBC with many of his claims quickly debunked.
Berman said Monday that his team is looking at possible “conspirators” who had worked alongside Epstein, procuring girls for the financier's sexual gratification.
READ: New accuser says Epstein raped her when she was 15
“Jeffrey Epstein couldn't have done what he did without the assistance of others, and I can assure you that the investigation is moving forward,” he said.
One of those under investigation is Ghislaine Maxwell, at whose home Roberts-Giuffre claims Andrew had sex with her for the first time.
Cover: Prince Andrew The Duke of York visits the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London to open the new Stanmore Building in March 2019. File Photo by: zz/KGC-375/STAR MAX/IPx
This article originally appeared on VICE US.