Epstein files reveal Andrew’s connection to second wealthy sex offender
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailThe FBI sought to interview Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as part of an investigation into a second wealthy sex offender, the latest release from the Epstein files has revealed.Canadian tycoon Peter Nygard was jailed for 11 years last year for sexually assaulting four women between the late 1980s and 2005, and has also been accused of raping girls as young as 14.A letter written to the UK authorities in April 2020 requests that Andrew attend a voluntary interview on both the Jeffrey Epstein and the Nygard investigations, both of which involved the sex trafficking of minors. The FBI refers to a visit made by Andrew and his family to Nygard’s luxury Caribbean resort, which he renamed Nygard Cay, in 2000. open image in galleryAndrew stayed at Nygard’s resort in the Bahamas on at least one occasion (Getty)“The investigation has revealed that, on at least one occasion, Prince Andrew travelled to Nygard Cay in the Bahamas, a location where Nygard is believed to have trafficked minor and adult female victims,” the document reads.The authorities requested that he share any information he had gathered on Nygard and other related individuals, but stressed that Andrew was not the target of the investigation, and there was no evidence he had committed any crime under US law.Nygard, who once led a women’s fashion empire, was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault in November 2024 but acquitted of a fifth count as well as one count of forcible confinement. The 84-year-old faces separate sexual assault and sex trafficking charges in Montreal, Winnipeg and the US.Nygard has denied all allegations against him. open image in galleryNygard pictured on his way to court (AP)During his trial, five women testified they had met Nygard at a nightclub or on a plane and were then invited to his headquarters under pretexts ranging from tours to job interviews. All five women said their meetings or interactions with Nygard ended with sexual activity that they did not consent to.The FBI letter reads: “With regard to the interview, US authorities request to conduct a voluntary interview of Prince Andrew and request the assistance of UK authorities in arranging for such an interview. In the event that the witness declines to participate in a voluntary interview, US authorities request that UK authorities conduct a compelled interview of the witness under oath.”They listed that they wished to ask: The history and nature of Prince Andrew’s relationship with Peter Nygard The details regarding any trips Prince Andrew took with and/or to visit Nygard The details of any trips Prince Andrew took to Nygard Cay, whether or not Nygard was present The names and/or descriptions of any females Prince Andrew met through Nygard or at Nygard Cay open image in galleryPictures released by the Department of Justice show Andrew lying over the laps of several women alongside Ghislaine Maxwell (DOJ)The FBI also sought information on Andrew’s relationship with paedophile financier Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was jailed for 20 years for her role in procuring young girls to be abused by the billionaire. Following his arrest, Epstein died in his prison cell in July 2019, with US authorities citing his cause of death as suicide. In requesting an interview, the document notes: “Additionally, documentary evidence uncovered during the course of this investigation has revealed information suggesting that Prince Andrew had knowledge that Maxwell recruited females to engage in sex acts with Epstein and other men.”Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing or having any knowledge of Epstein’s sex crimes.In one of four emails released as part of the “Epstein files” on Tuesday, sent by someone titled “The Invisible Man” to Maxwell in August 2001, the sender told the now convicted sex trafficker their “valet” had recently died and that they had “left the RN”.Andrew left the Royal Navy the month before the email was sent.open image in galleryA newly released picture of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell near Balmoral (DOJ)Another email from the same individual, dated August 16 2001, said they were at “Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family” before asking Maxwell: “Have you found me some inappropriate friends?”In March 2002, an email from Maxwell to “The Invisible Man” said they had passed on a message to an unnamed individual, with that message beginning with: “I just gave Andrew your telephone no.”The message from Maxwell to the unidentified person also said that “Andrew” would be “very happy” if he did some “two legged sight seeing”.Maxwell’s message read: “He can ride but it is not his favorite sport ie pass on the horses.open image in galleryAn email sent by ‘The Invisible Man’ to Ghislaine Maxwell (DOJ)“Some sight seeing some 2 legged sight seeing (read intelligent pretty fun and from good families) and he will be very happy.“I know I can rely on you to show him a wonderful time and that you will only introduce him to friends that you can trust and rely on to be friendly and discreet and fun.“He does not want to read about any trip in the papers whom or what he saw.”Photographs previously released by the Department of Justice appeared to show Andrew introducing Epstein to British high society – including a shooting trip to Balmoral and a trip to the royal box at Ascot.Andrew stepped down from royal duties in 2019 after his disastrous Newsnight interview, but the publication of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, and the US government’s release of documents from Epstein’s estate, brought more scrutiny over his relationship with the financier.It led to the King officially stripping his disgraced brother of both his HRH style and his prince title.US politicians have criticised Andrew for his “silence” after he missed a deadline last month to respond to their request to sit for an interview about Epstein.He paid millions to Ms Giuffre, a woman he has claimed never to have met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim in 2022.
