Investigation into Lord Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein appears to be faltering
The police investigation into whether Lord Peter Mandelson shared confidential information with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein is feared to be on the brink of collapse, reports BritPanorama.
Reports indicate that the probe into the former foreign secretary has stalled due to a lack of access to the unredacted Epstein files from US authorities. According to a report by The Telegraph, neither the Department of Justice nor the FBI has responded to requests from the Metropolitan Police for these documents.
Initially, Scotland Yard detectives made a request under an informal agreement for information sharing between law enforcement agencies. This was later escalated to a formal request for mutual legal assistance (MLA). However, accessing the documents could take up to a year, and there is no guarantee that the DoJ will grant the request.
The investigation focuses on claims that the Labour grandee passed on market-sensitive information to Epstein during his tenure as business secretary. The 72-year-old, who was sacked from his post as ambassador to the US last year and resigned from the House of Lords in February, has consistently denied any misconduct.
Mandelson was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following the DoJ’s release of 3 million documents relating to Epstein. However, some information in the exchanges had been redacted to protect victims and avoid jeopardising ongoing investigations.
The arrest came after a tip-off from Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, suggesting that Mandelson might flee to the British Virgin Islands. Scotland Yard confirmed it is seeking further details from law enforcement partners, including in the US, with reports in March suggesting that Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley planned to address the issue with US authorities during a visit to Washington.
There are now concerns that the investigation could collapse without access to the unredacted documents. While there is some hope that a viable case could be established through interviews with former politicians and officials, the files are believed to be key to the investigation.
Reports have indicated that the Trump administration is reluctant to release any files that could damage the president’s reputation or lead to future scandals; however, US officials maintain that they are simply adhering to established legal procedures.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told The Telegraph: “The department of justice has not refused to assist any jurisdiction investigating potential criminal conduct related to Jeffrey Epstein. Both US and UK authorities follow established and legally required procedures for sharing information and evidence, and those processes ensure that any cooperation adheres to applicable laws that govern international evidence sharing and protects the integrity of ongoing matters.”
The Metropolitan Police was approached for comment.
