Prince
Andrew told to 'stop playing games' over Epstein inquiry
US lawyer
representing alleged victims tells duke to ‘do the right thing’ and assist
inquiry
PA Media
Tue 28 Jan
2020 08.18 GMTLast modified on Tue 28 Jan 2020 09.00 GMT
A US lawyer
has called on Prince Andrew to “stop playing games” and assist authorities with
their investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking inquiry.
Lisa Bloom,
who represents five of Epstein’s alleged victims, said it was time for the Duke
of York to “do the right thing” and speak with investigators in the US.
The US
attorney Geoffrey Berman said at a news conference on Monday that Andrew had
provided “zero cooperation”, despite his lawyers being contacted by prosecutors
and the FBI as part of the investigation.
Bloom told
BBC News on Tuesday: “It is time for anyone with information to come forward
and answer questions.
“Prince
Andrew himself is accused of sexual misconduct and he also spent a great deal
of time with Jeffrey Epstein. So it’s time to stop playing games and to come
forward to do the right thing and answer questions.”
She said
Berman had been left with “no choice” but to comment publicly about Andrew’s
alleged lack of cooperation into the investigation.
She said:
“He [Berman] doesn’t have the power to subpoena Prince Andrew as part of the
criminal investigation, so what else can he do except use the power of the
press to come forward publicly and say: ‘You know what, Prince Andrew, you said
you would fully cooperate with law enforcement and you have not done it.’”
Berman, who
is overseeing the Epstein investigation, told reporters outside the disgraced
financier’s New York mansion that “to date, Prince Andrew has provided zero
cooperation”.
Buckingham
Palace was not commenting on the matter, but a source said: “This issue is
being dealt with by the Duke of York’s legal team.”
Andrew
stepped down from royal duties in November following a disastrous Newsnight
interview on his association with Epstein. At the time, he said: “I am willing
to help any appropriate law enforcement agency.”
Following
the interview, he was accused of failing to show regret over his friendship
with the disgraced financier, who took his own life in prison while awaiting
trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
Virginia
Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked by Epstein, said in an interview with
BBC Panorama that she was left “horrified and ashamed” after an alleged sexual
encounter with Andrew in London in 2001.
The duke
categorically denies he had any form of sexual contact or relationship with
Giuffre.
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