Prince Andrew is reportedly “bewildered” by a US attorney’s request for him to make a statement, after Ghislaine Maxwell was charged in relation to Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged sex crimes.
The British socialite was arrested in New Hampshire on Thursday, and has been accused of helping the disgraced financier “identify, befriend and groom” young girls.
During a press conference yesterday, Audrey Strauss, the acting US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said she “would welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk with us.”
“We would like to have the benefit of his statement,” she added, prompting speculation that the Duke may be called in for questioning.
Acting US Attorney Audrey Strauss went on to say, in response to reporters’ questions: “We would welcome Prince Andrew coming in to speak to us…and giving us an opportunity to hear his statement” https://t.co/i5IQYoIXcL
— Mark Blacklock (@MarxMedia) July 2, 2020
In response to her statement, a source close to the Duke told the Daily Telegraph: “The duke’s team remains bewildered given that we have twice communicated with the DOJ [US Department of Justice] in the last month and to date, we have had no response.”
Last year, one of Jeffrey’s alleged victims Virginia Roberts Guiffre claimed Ghislaine helped him groom teen girls for sex.
Speaking to NBC’s Dateline last November, Virginia alleged that Jeffrey directed her to have sex with a number of powerful men – including Prince Andrew.
The Duke of York later denied her claims in a controversial Newsnight interview, in which he addressed his former friendship with Jeffrey.
According to the indictment at the Southern District Court of New York, Ghislaine Maxwell is facing six charges – including enticement and conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and two counts of perjury.
The 58-year-old faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted of the charges against her.
On this week’s episode of the Gosscast, Goss.ie Founder & CEO Ali Ryan opens up about her own experiences with double standards, gender inequality and sexism both in the workplace and in society in general.
Joining her this week is top Irish fitness coach Kiki Fit, who opens up about her own troubling experiences with harassment, as well as the struggle to be taken seriously as a woman in business.
