Daily Express

FBI investigat­es Epstein’s 300 British contacts

- From Christophe­r Bucktin US Editor in New York

THE FBI has compiled a 2,000-page dossier on Prince Andrew’s paedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein which looks at more than 300 British associates.

Fears over the pervert’s offending overseas led US officials to examine his ties to the UK which, despite his apparent suicide on Saturday, are still being probed.

Federal prosecutor­s and FBI agents – who built the case against Epstein before his death at a New York prison – have turned their attention to people who his accusers said took part in sexual abuse dating back more than a decade.

They believe dozens of underage girls were exploited after Epstein’s associates helped recruit, train and coerce them.

The American document is said to describe in detail the “damning things” Epstein’s inner circle committed as he abused more than 100 girls from across the world.

A source told the Daily Express: “The document entails everybody in the Epstein case. It has damning things, including about a number of Brits.”

Former Wall Street financier Epstein, 66, flew “sex slave” Virginia Giuffre – formerly known as Virginia Roberts – to London in 2001. While there, she was pictured with the Duke of York at the home of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.

Virginia, then 17, claims she was “lent out” to the prince for sex while in the capital and also on two other occasions.

Buckingham Palace has vehemently denied her claims.

Denial

A spokesman said: “Any suggestion of impropriet­y with underage minors is categorica­lly untrue.

“It is emphatical­ly denied that the Duke had any form of sexual contact or relationsh­ip with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”

Investigat­ors in the States have looked at all those in Epstein’s ‘little black book” – which reads like a who’s who of Britain’s elite.

It contains the details of 301 individual­s, listing more than 1,000 numbers and dozens of email addresses.

Mick Jagger, Simon Le Bon, the late Sir David Frost, Richard Branson, Naomi Campbell, Tamara Beckwith, Jonathan Dimbleby and Loyd Grossman are among the celebritie­s mentioned.

Ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair also features, while there are 10 numbers for his former

cabinet minister Lord Peter Mandelson – including one marked “direct line”, one marked “home” and one marked “country home”.

There is no suggestion the people mentioned in the book have been accused of any form of wrongdoing or ever met Epstein in person.

Inevitable

There are 16 phone numbers for Prince Andrew, including a mobile number, one marked Palace ex-directory and one for Balmoral, the Queen’s private retreat in Scotland where Andrew invited Epstein.

There is also a number marked “Sand”, which appears to be for Sandringha­m – the other royal retreat in Norfolk where he also spent time.

Epstein also had 18 numbers for Sarah Ferguson, who took £15,000 from the paedophile to help clear her debts.

Epstein was not being closely monitored when he was found unresponsi­ve in his prison cell on Saturday.

The union for the Metropolit­an Correction­al Center employees said staffing shortages meant supervisio­n gaps, which made such fatalities inevitable.

Epstein had been removed from suicide watch – despite a possible attempt to kill himself on July 23.

 ??  ?? Prince Andrew denies ‘sex slave’ claims
Prince Andrew denies ‘sex slave’ claims
 ??  ?? Disgraced... Jeffrey Epstein
Disgraced... Jeffrey Epstein

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