Prison suicide probe after Prince Andy’s paedophile pal dies
FBI on the case amid conspiracy theories
The FBI has launched an investigation into the death of disgraced billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The 66-year- old was found unconscious in his New York prison cell yesterday morning. He was awaiting trial on a string of child sex trafficking charges.
Epstein’s death was described as an “apparent suicide” by the US Department of Justice.
US attorney general William Barr said there were “serious questions that must be answered”.
Epstein, whose friends and associates once included Prince Andrew, Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, reportedly killed himself hours after documents from a previous case involving him were made public.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital but was later pronounced dead.
At a court appearance last month, Epstein pled not guilty to sex trafficking charges involving dozens of girls as young as 14 in New York and Florida between 2002 to 2005.
Responding to news of his death, leading New York lawyer Scott Hechinger tweeted: “I am not into conspiracy theories. But Epstein had destructive information on an extraordinary number of extraordinarily powerful people.
“It is not easy to commit suicide in prison. Especially after being placed on suicide watch. Especially after already allegedly trying.”
TV host Joe Scarborough said: “Authorities couldn’t keep Epstein alive by putting him under 24-hour surveillance? How convenient for a lot of rich and powerful men.”
Epst ein’s was found slumped in jail with neck injuries two weeks ago. But he was reportedly taken off suicide watch before apparently killing himself.
Brad Edwards, a solicitor representing some of Epstein’s alleged victims, said: “The fact that Jeffrey Epstein was able to commit the selfish act of taking his own life as his world of abuse, exploitation and corruption unravelled is both unfortunate and predictable.”
Legal papers l inked to a defamation case in 2015 involving Epstein were unsealed by a US judge on Friday.
Virginia Roberts Giuffre took the legal action against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, the ex-partner of Epstein.
The case was settled in May 2017 and the documents sealed. But a panel ruled last month that the papers were in the public interest.
The documents included claims that Prince Andrew had been accused of groping a young woman’s breast at Epstein’s home in 2001.
Buckingham Palace said the allegations were “categorically untrue.”
The prince is believed to have heard of his former friend’s death while staying at Balmoral.