Conflicting Opinions: Has Prince Andrew Helped or Hindered Epstein Investigation?

Prince Andrew’s lawyers and the US Department of Justice clash, as the two sides’ stories remain in conflict with one another.

Conflicting Opinions/Facts?

The Duke of York’s legal team said in a statement that the Prince had offered his help to the US Department of Justice on “at least three occasions this year,” which is in conflict with what the DOJ is saying.

US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman, said that Prince Andrew “has not given an interview to federal authorities,” alongside repeatedly declining requests made by the Department, accusing the Duke of “falsely portraying himself to the public as eager and willing to co-operate.”

Berman added that if the Prince is serious about giving his testimony in regards to the investigation into sex trafficking by Jeffrey Epstein and associates, then the DOJ’s doors remain open to him. The Duke’s legal team declined to comment further, although a source said that “this is the third time Berman has breached his own confidentiality rules.”

Berman previously said in January and March that the Prince had provided “zero co-operation” to the investigation, a statement that Andrew’s legal team rebuked. It was confirmed earlier that the DOJ had made a formal request to speak to Prince Andrew as part of the investigation into Epstein’s activity, by submitting a mutual legal assistance (MLA) request to the UK Home Office, which could lead to a UK court calling the Duke to answer questions if he does not respond to the request of his own volition.

Prince Andrew stepped away from royal duties last year after receiving plenty of criticism for his friendship with Epstein, who committed suicide in a US prison last August, while awaiting his trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.