Prince Andrew is refusing to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors and the FBI, who are seeking to interview him about his alleged connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has hired former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s legal counsel in a move that signals serious concern for the royal family member who has been distanced from Buckingham Palace since allegations of his close relationship with Epstein were revealed after the financier’s death in a Manhattan jail.
Clare Montgomery and Gary Bloxsome have been hired to defend against extradition attempts. Montgomery defended Pinochet from extradition charges when he was arrested Oct. 16, 1999, in London on torture and hostage-taking charges. Pinochet was released in March 2000 by U.K. Home Secretary Jack Straw without facing trial.
The Duke of York pledged to assist in the investigation of the disgraced financier, who committed suicide in his Manhattan jail cell in August. Geoffrey Berman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the prince has refused to cooperate despite his public pronouncements.
“Contrary to Prince Andrew’s very public offer to cooperate with our investigation into Epstein’s co-conspirators, an offer that was conveyed through press release, Prince Andrew has now completely shut the door on voluntary cooperation,” Berman said. “Our office is considering its options,” Berman added, suggesting that authorities may compel Andrew’s cooperation through legal means.
Denise George, attorney general for the U.S. Virgin Islands, said that witnesses have alleged that Andrew groped girls “right out in the open” on Epstein’s private island of Little St. James. The Duke of York has denied all allegations against him.
Andrew was uninvited from the royal Christmas church service after he stumbled through an interview with BBC’s Emily Maitlis. During the interview, Andrew refuted allegations made by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who claimed she was sexually abused by the prince three times while she was underage. Giuffre said the Duke of York was sweating profusely when she was with him, a claim he disputed, citing “an inability” to sweat for a period of time after serving in the Falklands War.
In January, federal prosecutors slammed Andrew for providing “zero cooperation” with their investigation. Sources close to Andrew shot back at the claim, accusing law officials of “failing to play with a straight bat.”
Epstein, who was found dead in his cell on the morning of Aug. 10, was well-connected to a number of high-profile politicians, celebrities, and universities which benefited from the funding of Epstein. The New York City medical examiner ruled his death a suicide by hanging.
Andrew said he “stayed with” Epstein after the financier was investigated and convicted of pedophilia in 2008. The British royal said that maintaining his close relationship with Epstein after the conviction was a mistake.
“The problem was the fact that once he had been convicted, I stayed with him. And that’s the bit that, as it were, I kick myself for on a daily basis, because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family,” the prince said in November. “We try and uphold the highest standards and practices, and I let the side down, simple as that.”
