The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
US lawyer calls for Duke of York to speak out
Gloria Allred accuses Prince Andrew of ‘avoiding and evading’ authorities after friend Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested over alleged involvement with Jeffrey Epstein
The Duke of York is subjecting victims of Jeffrey Epstein to a “torture test” by not telling prosecutors what he knows, a US lawyer has said.
Gloria Allred said Andrew is “avoiding and evading” US law authorities by not providing a statement after his friend Ghislaine Maxwell appeared in court accused of facilitating Epstein’s sexual exploitation of underage girls.
British socialite Maxwell was arrested in New Hampshire on Thursday over allegations she helped the disgraced financier, her former boyfriend, “identify, befriend and groom” girls, including one as young as 14.
Audrey Strauss, acting US attorney for the southern district of New York, told a press conference that authorities would “welcome” a statement from the duke in relation to the investigation.
But a source close to Andrew said: “The duke’s team remains bewildered given that we have twice communicated with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in the last month and to date we have had no response.”
Lawyers for some of Epstein’s alleged victims yesterday added pressure on the duke to speak about his friendship with the disgraced financier, who took his own life in prison last year while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Ms Allred told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “The question is, Prince Andrew when is he going to tell what he knows?
“He needs to do that. He needs to do it without delay. It is so traumatising and difficult for the victims not to know the truth. And this kind of torture test that Prince Andrew is subjecting the victims to, like will he or won’t he give a statement, if he will, when?”
Four of the six charges cover Maxwell’s dealings with Epstein from 1994 to 1997, according to the indictment.
Authorities claim that Maxwell, who is also charged with two counts of perjury, lied when being questioned under oath in 2016.
She has previously denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of offences.
One of his alleged victims, Virginia Giuffre, claims she had sex with the duke at the socialite’s London townhouse in 2001.
Andrew denies he had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Ms Giuffre, while his lawyers have insisted the duke has repeatedly offered to provide a witness statement.