Prince Andrew has been included in recently disclosed court documents that reveal the associations of sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
A US judge has ordered the release of records in connection with a lawsuit involving Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Epstein.
The legal documents contain a claim of groping by Prince Andrew, which he has strongly denied, as previously reported.
Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are also mentioned in the numerous files, although there are no accusations of illegality against either of them.
The highly anticipated collection, consisting of approximately 900 pages, did not seem to uncover any groundbreaking revelations regarding Epstein.
Additionally, there are anticipated releases of further documents related to the case in the near future.
In a list of over 100 individuals, certain individuals have been implicated in misconduct, while others mentioned in the court documents are either making accusations or could potentially serve as witnesses.
The legal filings shed light on the influential social circle surrounding Epstein, who admitted guilt for engaging in illegal activities with a minor in 2009.
Upon granting the release of the files, Judge Loretta Preska of New York acknowledged that a significant number of individuals mentioned had already been publicly identified by the media or during Maxwell’s criminal trial.
She mentioned that a number of people did not voice any opposition to the publication of the documents. Judge Preska has also made a ruling to protect the identities of sexual abuse victims by keeping certain names redacted.
The files contain information about Johanna Sjoberg, who has alleged that Prince Andrew touched her breast while they were both sitting on a couch in Epstein’s Manhattan apartment in 2001.
Buckingham Palace has strongly denied her allegations.
In a previously reported deposition, Ms Sjoberg claimed that Prince Andrew placed his hand on her breast while taking a photo with another accuser, Virginia Giuffre, and a puppet labelled “Prince Andrew.”
In 2022, a significant settlement was reached between the British royal and Ms Giuffre, resolving a lawsuit she had filed. The lawsuit alleged that she had been subjected to sexual abuse when she was 17 years old.
Prince Andrew adamantly denied ever meeting Ms Giuffre and refuted her allegations.
Former US President Clinton is also mentioned in the court documents, but there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing. When reached for comment, his representatives pointed to a statement he released in 2019, where he claimed to have no knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
Based on the records, Ms Sjoberg shared in her testimony that Epstein made a comment about Mr Clinton’s preference for younger girls. During his time as US president, Mr. Clinton was involved in a relationship with a 22-year-old White House intern.
The files contain testimony from Maxwell confirming that Mr. Clinton had flown on Epstein’s private jet, although she was unsure of the exact number of times.
During the early 2000s, Mr. Clinton embarked on trips to Africa on Epstein’s plane, which were said to be for humanitarian purposes. At the time, he spoke highly of Epstein, recognising him as a dedicated philanthropist. However, he later distanced himself from him.
In a statement from 2019, the former US president revealed that he had been accompanied on his trips aboard Epstein’s jet by staff and supporters from his charity, the Clinton Foundation.
“His Secret Service detail accompanied him on every part of every journey,” his statement mentioned.
The court documents contain a section where Maxwell’s lawyer attempts to refute a media report regarding Mr. Clinton’s alleged visit to Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean after leaving office.
According to Maxwell’s lawyer, the former US president was not on Little St James Island between January 1, 2001 and January 1, 2003.
The attorney emphasised that if the claim were accurate, Secret Service agents would have needed to provide travel logs of the trip.
The document also contains testimony from Ms Sjoberg, who stated that Epstein mentioned reaching out to Donald Trump while en route to one of his New Jersey casinos.
“Jeffrey exclaimed, ‘Fantastic, we’ll reach out to Trump,'” she recounted, following the pilots’ announcement that their plane couldn’t touch down in New York and would have to make a stop in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
No alleged wrongdoing by Mr. Trump is found in the documents. During the deposition, Ms Sjoberg is questioned about whether she had ever provided Mr Trump with a massage. Her response was a straightforward “No.”
She also mentioned that she had crossed paths with musician Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield through Epstein, but she made no accusations of any misconduct on their part.
French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who tragically took his own life in a Paris jail in 2022 while awaiting rape charges, is also referenced on several occasions.
During her deposition, Ms. Giuffre alleges that she was compelled to engage in sexual activities with notable individuals, one of whom is New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Despite his passing last year, Mr. Richardson consistently maintained that he never encountered Ms. Giuffre, and he faced no legal charges.
According to court files, Alfredo Rodriguez, a household employee responsible for security at Epstein’s residence, referred to Maxwell as “the boss” in his testimony.
According to the documents, Mr. Rodriguez, who passed away in 2015, was instructed to always have cash on hand to give to high school girls involved in recruiting for Epstein.
Epstein passed away while in custody in 2019. The New York medical examiner has determined that his death, while he was awaiting federal sex-trafficking charges, was ruled to be a suicide.
Maxwell, the daughter of publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her involvement as a recruiter for Epstein. Her legal team is challenging the verdict.
In a statement reported by CNN on Wednesday, Maxwell’s attorneys asserted that she has steadfastly and passionately proclaimed her innocence.
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