FIND ANDY
Prince Andrew fails to co-operate with FBI ‘for two months’ as accuser blasts ‘no one is above the law’
PRESSURE is mounting on Prince Andrew over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal after it emerged the FBI had tried to interview him for months but received “zero co-operation”.
The Duke of York, 59, insisted in a statement last year that he was “willing to help if required” in the investigation into his paedo billionaire pal.
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It has since been reported the FBI had been trying to interview the under-fire royal since November.
In the wake of the claims, one of the lawyers for Andrew's accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre blasted "no one is above the law".
Geoffrey Berman, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, revealed the prince’s lack of cooperation during a dramatic press conference outside Epstein’s mansion.
He said: “The Southern District of New York and the FBI have contacted Prince Andrew’s attorneys and requested to interview Prince Andrew, and to date, Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation.”
The top prosecutor said he was revealing the information because the prince “publicly offered, indeed in a press release, to cooperate with law enforcement investigating the crimes committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators”.
Speaking at the press conference – held to promote a new law to make it easier for child sex abuse victims to sue – Mr Berman said the probe into Epstein’s network was continuing.
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He added: “Jeffrey Epstein couldn’t have done what he did without the assistance of others. And I can assure you that the investigation is moving forward.”
In the wake of the claims The Sun has created an FBI-style wanted poster for Andrew.
Mr Berman's explosive revelation sparked fury from those representing victims of sex beast Epstein – including Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Prince Andrew’s accuser.
The American mum-of-three, now 36, claims she was forced to have sex with the prince three times when she was a teenager, after being trafficked to him by Epstein.
The royal has vehemently denied her claims.
Sigrid McCawley, who represents Virginia Roberts Giuffre, said: "Prince Andrew should take most seriously the deeply held belief in this country that no one is above the law."
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Jack Scarola, another lawyer representing Miss Roberts Giuffre, told The Sun last night: “It is obvious that Prince Andrew is persisting in a pattern of non-cooperation which is now been going on for years.
“I would certainly believe that he should recognise his moral obligation to participate in the search for the truth.
“With all that the victims of Jeffrey Epstein have been through – over so many years – I would say that they expected nothing different.”
Speaking directly of Andrew’s accuser, he added: “I am sure that Virginia had no other expectations than Prince Andrew would refuse to voluntarily cooperate.”
Andrew clarified his intention to co-operate with the FBI following his disastrous interview with BBC’s Newsnight in November.
ROYAL DUTIES?
IT'S been two months since Prince Andrew vowed he would help in the investigation against his paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.
But the Duke of York was today thrown into the spotlight as the FBI revealed they had received "zero cooperation" from the Queen's second son.
So what has the 59-year-old royal been doing while US authorities say they were desperately trying to contact him?
Instead of helping the FBI, he seems to have found the time to jet off to Spain for luxury golfing breaks, go horse riding with the Queen, help Princess Beatrice plan her forthcoming wedding, attend royal dinners and enjoy Kate Middleton's birthday bash.
While Epstein victim Virginia Roberts begged him to come clean in August last year, the royal was pictured enjoying a round of golf at the exclusive Real Club Valderrama in Sotogrande, southern Spain.
Prince Andrew finally sat down to answer the mounting criticisms three months later in November - vowing in the Panorama interview that he was "willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency" in their investigations.
Yet he seems to have done everything but cooperate with the authorities.
In fact just two days later, stripped of his royal duties, he was seen riding with his mother, the Queen at Windsor.
The royal then kept a low profile - not conducting any official engagements since then.
Instead, the keen golfer has been apparently kept busy with family life with his daughter Princess Beatrice's engagement to Mapelli Mozzi.
However, the dad was not seen at the couple's engagement party in December.
Instead, he was only seen heading to Christmas lunch with the rest of the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace.
His schedule then saw him a week later attend the Sandringham church service with the Queen before joining the Royal Family celebrating Kate Middleton's 38th birthday.
The weekend just gone saw him busy with engagements - again spotted riding horses with friends on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
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During the BBC interview, Andrew said he would have to consult with his lawyers before testifying under oath about his ties to Epstein.
But in a statement after the broadcast, he said: “Of course, I am willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”
FBI and federal prosecutors in Manhattan are trying to bring justice for dozens of Epstein’s victims – by going after his alleged accomplices.
Epstein, 66, killed himself in jail last year while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking allegations – following numerous bungled probes into his conduct.
Prosecutors had accused him of sexually exploiting dozens of women and girls in New York and Florida before he hanged himself.
Shortly after Epstein’s death, Mr Berman issued a statement vowing to continue the investigation into his co-conspirators.
They are now said to be zeroing in on Ghislaine Maxwell – a close friend of Andrew – who is alleged to have acted at Epstein’s ‘pimp’.
Maxwell – who is currently in hiding – has denied any wrongdoing.
Andrew was forced to quit as a frontline royal last year, following his car crash chat with Emily Maitlis on Newsnight.
During the interview, he suggested that a photograph showing him and Miss Roberts Giuffre together in the home of Maxwell was faked.
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He said he had “no recollection” of meeting Ms Roberts Giuffre and claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on one of the days they were meant to have had sex.
When asked whether he regretted continuing his friendship with Epstein, the prince said: “Do I regret the fact that he has quite obviously conducted himself in a manner unbecoming? Yes.”
“Unbecoming?” Miss Maitlis replied. “He was a sex offender.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment on the FBI claims last night, but a source close to the prince said: “This issue is being dealt with by The Duke of York’s legal team”.
Prince Andrew says he is ‘stepping back’ from royal duties over Epstein scandal and offers to help police
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