ANDREW’S DAY OF RECKONING
Bill signed to reveal full details of deal for paedophile Duke ‘put pressure on officials to cut pal’s sentence’
A JEFFREY Epstein victim believes the paedophile’s pal Prince Andrew will face a day of reckoning with the release of bombshell court papers.
Full details of claims that Andrew lobbied US authorities to accept Epstein’s plea deal in an underage prostitution case will be made public.
The allegations about Andrew’s past friendship with the billionaire sex offender may dash all hopes he harbours of a return to royal life.
On Tuesday, a grinning Duke of York, 64, grabbed the limelight by leading the Royals into church to celebrate the life of the late King Constantine of Greece.
TESTIMONY
On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron Desantis signed a bill allowing the release of grand jury testimony relating to the 2006 probe into Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.
The law will grant rare access to the testimony that ultimately led to one charge against Epstein, much to the fury of police and victims.
The paedophile had faced up to 15 years in jail. Instead prosecutors accepted his guilty plea to soliciting a minor for prostitution, despite the FBI finding more than 40 victims.
He was sentenced in 2008 to just 18 months and, after less than a year, he was freed to serve the rest of his time in his Palm Beach mansion in Florida. Months later, Andrew visited the sex offender, staying with him at his Manhattan home.
In 2000, the pair were pictured partying with Melania Trump and banker Gwendolyn Beck at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-lago club in Florida.
Mr Desantis, accompanied by two of Epstein’s victims, Haley Robson and Jena-lisa Cordovez, signed the bill, HB 117, in Palm Beach.
The former US presidential hopeful said: “There were a lot of questions about what happened where you had a sweetheart deal... This is long overdue, but again, we feel that we can’t just turn a blind eye.” Last night, a third woman abused by Epstein said: “For years, Andrew has evaded speaking to the FBI, instead giving his own ludicrous version of events to the BBC.
“Finally we will have a day of reckoning the Prince has long avoided. What more must it take for him to realise his friendship with Jeffrey will never go away? Speak up, man.”
Previously released legal papers accused Andrew of helping secure Epstein’s plea deal by lobbying the US Government. In legal documents, two of Epstein’s victims said the Duke was linked to pressuring officials to cut his sentence.
The documents read: “(They are) seeking documents regarding Epstein’s lobbying efforts to persuade the government to give him a favourable plea arrangement, including efforts on his behalf by Prince Andrew. They have alleged these materials are needed to prove their allegations that, after Epstein signed the non-prosecution agreement, his performance was delayed while he used his significant social and political connections to lobby the justice department to obtain a more favourable plea deal.” Earlier, lawyers acting for Epstein’s “sex slave” Virginia Giuffre said they believe paperwork exists to show several public figures, including the Duke, lobbied on the paedophile’s behalf during the case. Court filings claimed the material potentially includes “letters of recommendation or similar communication to any [US] government official vouching for or providing support for Epstein”. Ms
Giuffre claims she had sex with Andrew in London, New York and on Epstein’s private Caribbean island when she was under 18. She sued the Duke for sexual abuse.
He vehemently denied her allegations, later agreeing to pay her a reported £12million with no admission of liability.
When the lobbying claims emerged, friends of Andrew said they were “a straightforward untruth, no ifs, no buts”.
Mr Desantis said: “What happened (with Epstein) was clearly wrong, and the punishment was wholly inadequate for the crime. This is in the interest of justice to disclose this.” The bill, which takes effect on July 1, will carve out a limited exception to the secrecy that generally shrouds grand jury testimony in specific cases. Epstein secured a nonprosecution agreement nine months before his 2008 sentencing. It guaranteed “potential co-conspirators” would not face criminal charges relating to his activities and halted any prospect of Andrew having to answer questions on oath about his paedo friend’s antics.
Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, 62, was also protected by the sex offender’s NPA but in 2021 she was convicted of child sex trafficking for Epstein. She is serving 20 years.
Epstein killed himself in his jail cell in August 2019 awaiting trial accused of underage sex crimes.
What more must it take for him to realise that his friendship with Epstein will never go away?