Former British ambassador to the US Peter Mandelson, who was arrested in connection with the Epstein scandal, has been released on bail.
House searches were carried out at two addresses and the investigation was continuing, the police in London said early this morning. The investigators arrested the former economics minister on Monday.
Peter Mandelson was Britain’s business minister from 2008 to 2010.Image: keystone
In the new police press release, Mandelson was, as usual, not named, but described only as a 72-year-old former minister who is accused of misconduct in public office. No additional information will be released about the case until further notice, it said.
Mandelson came into the focus of the investigation because of his close relationship with the now deceased US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The case triggered a government crisis in London, during which Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office appeared to be hanging by a thread at times.
Insider information passed on to Epstein?
The background was the recent publications from the US Department of Justice’s Epstein files. This appears to indicate that Mandelson was not only more closely linked to the multimillionaire Epstein than previously known, but may also have leaked sensitive government information to him during the global financial and economic crisis. Mandelson was economics minister under then Prime Minister Gordon Brown during the crisis from 2008 to 2010.
According to the files, Mandelson is said to have, among other things, passed on the decision for a 500 billion euro rescue package in the euro crisis to Epstein the day before it was announced.
Starmer knew about his friendship with Epstein
Things got tricky for Starmer because he had to admit that he knew about the friendship between Mandelson and the previously legally convicted criminal Epstein when he made him British ambassador to Washington last year. Mandelson had to resign from this post just months later in September due to the scandal. Mandelson’s downfall was primarily because he maintained his friendship with Epstein even after his conviction for forced prostitution of a minor. Starmer knew that too.
A good two weeks ago, several of the head of government’s confidants from the social democratic Labor Party resigned over Mandelson’s appointment – including his chief of staff and close political advisor Morgan McSweeney. Mandelson himself lost his seat in the British House of Lords. According to the wishes of the head of government, his title of Lord should also be withdrawn.
Similar allegations against ex-Prince Andrew
The multimillionaire Epstein, who died in custody in 2019, had run an abuse ring for years with a number of victims that are still not entirely known, but are obviously very large. At the same time, he maintained close contacts with the highest circles in politics, business, science and the nobility.
In Great Britain, the Epstein scandal has been keeping the government and the palace in suspense for weeks. Last week, the former Prince Andrew was also temporarily arrested on similar allegations. (sda/dpa)