British authorities are seeking the cooperation of the Department of Justice as they pursue the investigation stemming from the Epstein files, the Metropolitan Police commissioner said in an interview on Wednesday.
Commissioner Mark Rowley declined to comment on why the files have led to the arrest of two prominent British figures – Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, and former US ambassador Peter Mandelson – while no US officials have been arrested or prosecuted following the release of the files. But Rowley praised the British authorities’ willingness to search for “famous” people.
“I can’t talk about the strategies of the US police on this, because I haven’t examined their files,” he said. “But in the UK, we pride ourselves on working without fear or favour, and we will go where the evidence takes us. And we have investigated, and sometimes prosecuted, high profile people in the past, and I’m sure we will again in the future.”
Rowley said “conversations” between investigators at the Met Police and the Department of Justice and the FBI had been taking place for some time – although he declined to give a timetable. He said communications between UK and US law enforcement are a precursor to more formal requests that British authorities intend to submit, including mutual legal assistance agreements – or MLAT requests.
“You need the original documents that the US teams have found, and a full, verifiable understanding of where those documents came from, to be able to make a case if it leads to prosecution – which, of course, it may or may not, depending on where the investigation goes,” Rowley said.
The arrests of Mountbatten-Windsor and Mandelson have been madeprovoked criticismin Congress and elsewhere aboutlack of resultsin the United States for many prominent people revealed in the Epstein files to have close ties to the late convicted felon.
Mountbatten-Windsor washe was arrested last monthfor allegations of misconduct in public office. In 2019, Mountbatten-Windsor wasaccused in the case of alleged sexual harassment of Virginia Giuffreone ofEpstein’s accusersbut he denied all the allegations.
A few days after the arrest of Mountbatten-Windsor, the British police alsoMandelson was arrestedon charges of misconduct in public office amid allegations that he passed classified information to Epstein. Mandelson’s lawyers have saidhe cooperatesand investigation. Neither have they been charged.
A Justice Department spokesman said “each state has its own laws and rules of evidence.”
“Prince Andrew was arrested for ‘misconduct in public office’ under British law. There is no such federal crime here. As we have said time and time again, if new evidence of a crime comes to light, we will investigate,” the spokesman added.
Rowley said the talks with the Justice Department are a preliminary step before the “formal process” begins.
“Typically, if you are working with a country, you think they have important material for your investigation, you always start with a conversation, because otherwise you send the MLAT – you send it without understanding. So it tends to start with a conversation about what is possible, what is there, what questions are meaningful for the receiving country, and then, for our work process.”
He declined to specify which Justice Department officials he has contacted, but indicated that he has been satisfied with their willingness to cooperate so far.
