04 June 2023 , 19:26
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Prince Andrew faces fresh questions about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein after emails emerged suggesting he lied about it in his BBC Newsnight interview.
Emails written by Epstein and released as part of a US court case show he was touting the prince as a potential investor in 2011, despite Andrew claiming he had severed all contact in 2010.
Victims of his paedophile pal last night demanded the prince speak to the FBI, which he has so far refused to do.
It is not known if the Duke knew his name was being touted by Epstein.
But US attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represents Epstein victims, told the Mirror: “It appears that either Epstein was highly overselling his relationship with Prince Andrew or that the duke may not have been entirely truthful about when his friendship ended.”
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Jeffrey Epstein with Ghislaine MaxwellOne of Epstein’s victims, who in 2021 was awarded compensation from the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Program, said: “The emails raise serious questions.
“Why would Jeffrey be lauding him as an investor if he was no longer in contact?
“It makes no sense. Many of the claims the prince made to the BBC were at best questionable but the release of Jeffrey’s emails makes his answers more unbelievable.
“He needs to talk once and for all to the FBI, as he has been asked to. There are people still who have not been brought to justice who aided Jeffrey. We will never give up.”
The emails were released as part of the US Virgin Islands’ lawsuit against JP Morgan.
It is alleged that the bank was “complicit in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein”. In a counter claim, the bank accuses the territory’s officials of taking money and favours from Epstein in return for looking the other way as he trafficked women to be abused on his island hideaway.
On August 31, 2011, in an email to JP Morgan, Epstein touted Andrew as a potential investment partner.
“He is now allowed to make money,” Epstein wrote.
In his Newsnight interview, the duke told Emily Maitlis he had cut contact with Epstein in December 2010, when he visited him in New York.
She then asked him: “Did you see him or speak to him again?” The duke replied: “No.”
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Epstein killed himself in 2019. His former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell is serving 20 years for sex trafficking.