Andrew should face investigation for US sex crimes, says senior Republican
Nick Lester, Press Association US Editor in Washington DC
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor should be investigated and prosecuted for sex crimes in the US, Congress has been told.
The disgraced former prince was among a list of names read out by senior Republican Thomas Massie on the floor of the House of Representatives, who he described as “co-conspirators” of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The congressman is pressing for the release of millions of documents relating to the late child sex offender he claims continue to be withheld by Donald Trump’s administration.
He argued the publication would bring “accountability to the (US) Department of Justice, and closure for survivors”.
Speaking on Capitol Hill, Mr Massie said: “We want perpetrators of these crimes to be investigated and prosecuted.”
One of the names he listed was “Prince Andrew, who committed sex crimes in the United States too”.
He added: “Perhaps hearing these names will shame the Department of Justice into delivering justice.”
Both Andrew and the federal department have been contacted for comment.
Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, New York, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled as a suicide.
His accomplice, the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, is serving a 20-year prison sentence in the US for luring young girls for Epstein to sexually abuse.
Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, had accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager after being trafficked by Epstein.
He has strongly denied this but in 2022 reached an out-of-court settlement with her, despite claiming never to have met her.
The King last year stripped his brother of his royal titles after fresh revelations about his Epstein ties and Andrew was forced to leave his Windsor mansion and move to the monarch’s private Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Back in 2011 he stepped down as trade envoy, where he earned the nickname “Air Miles Andy” for his lavish globetrotting, amid controversy over his continued friendship with Epstein, who cultivated ties to wealthy and powerful figures.
The former royal has faced continued calls to give evidence to Congress.
The scandal also saw Lord Peter Mandelson fired as UK ambassador to the US.
Both were arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over their connections with Epstein.
They were subsequently released under investigation and deny any wrongdoing.
‘False smears’
The Epstein controversy and row over the release of official documents has also been a political headache for the US president, putting a spotlight on his past friendship with the sex predator, which he has said ended decades ago.
In April, US first lady Melania Trump made a rare public statement at the White House to strongly deny “false smears” linking her to Epstein.
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