Duke is called on to ‘stop playing games’
Prince urged to help Epstein inquiry
ROYAL: A lawyer in the USA has called on the Duke of York to “stop playing games” and assist authorities with their investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking inquiry.
Lisa Bloom, who represents five of Epstein’s alleged victims, said it was time for Prince Andrew to “do the right thing” and speak to US investigators.
A LAWYER in the USA has called on the Duke of York to “stop playing games” and assist authorities with their investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking inquiry.
Lisa Bloom, who represents five of Epstein’s alleged victims, said yesterday that it was time for Prince Andrew to “do the right thing” and speak with investigators in the United States.
It comes as US Attorney Geoffrey Berman claimed at a news conference that the Duke had provided “zero co-operation”, despite his lawyers being contacted by prosecutors and the FBI as part of the investigation.
Yesterday, Ms Bloom said: “It is time for anyone with information to come forward and answer questions.
“Prince Andrew himself is accused of sexual misconduct and he also spent a great deal of time with Jeffrey Epstein.
“So it’s time to stop playing games and to come forward to do the right thing and answer questions.”
Ms Bloom said attorney Mr Berman had been left with “no choice” but to comment publicly about Andrew’s alleged lack of cooperation into the investigation.
She said: “He (Mr Berman) doesn’t have the power to subpoena Prince Andrew as part of the criminal investigation, so what else can he do except use the power of the Press to come forward publicly and say ‘you know what, Prince Andrew you said you would fully co-operate with law enforcement and you have not done it’.”
Mr Berman, who is overseeing the Epstein investigation, told reporters outside the disgraced financier’s New York mansion that “to date, Prince Andrew has provided zero co-operation”.
Buckingham Palace was not commenting on the matter, but a source said: “This issue is being dealt with by the Duke of York’s legal team.”
To date, Prince Andrew has provided zero co-operation
US Attorney Geoffrey Berman on the Jeffrey Epstein allegations.
Andrew stepped down from Royal duties in November following a disastrous Newsnight interview in the wake of the scandal.
At the time, he said: “I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency.”
Following the interview, he was accused of failing to show regret over his friendship with Epstein, who took his own life in prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, said in an interview with BBC Panorama that she was left “horrified and ashamed” after an alleged sexual encounter with Andrew in London in 2001.
Andrew categorically denies he had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Ms Giuffre.
During the Newsnight interview with broadcaster Emily Maitlis, he maintained that the alleged encounter with Ms Giuffre 19 years ago did not happen.
The Duke claimed he had spent the day with his daughter, Princess Beatrice, taking her to Pizza Express in Woking for a party.
He was also adamant that he did not recall meeting Ms Giuffre, and had a medical condition at the time, after suffering an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when he was shot at, that meant he did not sweat.
The fall-out from the disastrous BBC interview saw Andrew’s links with a succession of public institutions come to an end.
Days after the broadcast on November 16, Andrew stepped down as the Chancellor of Huddersfield University, after members of the Students’ Union had passed a motion calling on him to resign.