Prince Andrew may have lied about cutting all contact with Jeffrey Epstein after their "final" meeting in 2010. Recently unsealed emails showed the financier touted him as an investor in 2011. The emails cast doubt on whether the Duke of York was being truthful in his 2019 Newsnight interview when he told BBC journalist Emily Maitlis that he never spoke to Epstein again after 2010.
Epstein fought criminal charges of sexual abuse and prostitution of a minor in 2006 and pleaded guilty to one count of solicitating prostitution and one count of soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18 in 2008. He served his crimes in a work-release program where he was allowed to leave his jail cell during the day to work in his office then return at night.
He was released from jail in 2009, and was only charged in a federal court in 2019. However, he died by suicide while awaiting trial. Prince Andrew, in his interview, said he did not communicate with Epstein while the latter was under investigation and after he was convicted.
He said he met with the sex offender in 2010 at the latter's New York mansion "to show leadership" and formally end their friendship. He then told Maitlis that he never had any contact with Epstein again after that.
"I ceased all contact with (Epstein) after I was aware that he was under investigation and that was later in 2006 and I wasn't in touch with him again until 2010," he said. Maitlis asked if he spoke or saw Epstein again after the meeting, the duke answered, "No".
So now you watch this again and there are so many questions! Everyone needs prison time or go on the sex offenders list! #EpsteinClientList #PrinceAndrew
— James Dawes (@dawesje) January 4, 2024
Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview - BBC News https://t.co/JDN8J2yUaz via @YouTube
However the emails, released as part of the U.S. Virgin Islands' civil case against JP Morgan, seemingly contradict his assurances. They suggest that the Duke of York had on a "number of occasions" contacted Epstein even before their 2010 meeting and in 2011, during which the duke said he had already cut ties with the offender.
There were reportedly emails dating back to 2009 which show Epstein urging former JPMorgan Chase & Co executive James Edward "Jes" Staley to contact the royal. He also wrote to Prince Andrew on April 15, 2010 writing: "Jes Staley will be in London on Thurs the 22 i think you should meet if you are in town."
Then in the same year on August 29, Epstein wrote to Staley: "Andrew will call tim, if you give me the numbers." On September 2, he sent another email informing Staley that he is "about to connect with Andrew".
Epstein again wrote to Staley on Feb. 28, 2011 writing: "Andrew asked for your London schedule." On Aug. 31, 2011, he emailed Staley saying that the duke "is now allowed to make money". The back-and-forth exchanges suggest both men were in contact with Prince Andrew.
According to U.S. attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represents Epstein's victims, the emails suggest that the disgraced royal may not have been "entirely truthful" during his Newsnight interview.
He told the Mirror: "It appears that either Epstein was highly overselling his relationship with Prince Andrew or that the duke may not have been entirely truthful about when his friendship ended."
One of Epstein's victims likewise said "the emails raise serious questions" and asked: "Why would Jeffrey be lauding him as an investor if he was no longer in contact?"
The victim, who in 2021 received compensation from the Epstein Victims' Compensation Program, said "it makes no sense" and that "many of the claims the prince made to the BBC were at best questionable but the release of Jeffrey's emails makes his answers more unbelievable".
The individual then urged Prince Andrew "to talk once and for all to the FBI, as he has been asked to" and said: "There are people still who have not been brought to justice who aided Jeffrey. We will never give up."
The emails were released as evidence to support allegations that JP Morgan was "complicit in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein". However, the bank's legal team argued that the Virgin Islands enabled Epstein to commit his crimes by allowing high ranking officials to work with him.
Lawyers contested: "He gave them money, advice, influence, and favours. In exchange, they shielded and even rewarded him." The officials allegedly "protected Epstein, fostering the perfect conditions for Epstein's criminal conduct to continue undetected".
As a consequence of his friendship with Epstein, Prince Andrew was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages in January 2022. He also retreated from public life in 2019 and had to settle a sexual abuse case filed against him by one of Epstein's victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre. He paid her a speculated amount of at least £7 million to avoid a trial.
