The UK Is Arresting Epstein-Linked Figures. Why Isn't the US?

The UK Is Arresting Epstein-Linked Figures. Why Isn't the US?

UK Arrests Epstein-Linked Figures; No US Arrests Follow Document Release

Weeks after Department of Justice officials released more than 3 million investigative documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, no arrests have been made in the United States.

Consequences for Epstein's associates in the US have been limited to resignations and public apologies. No high-level criminal prosecutions have resulted from the document release.

UK Arrests

The UK has taken a different approach. Former royal prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on 19 February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Former Washington ambassador Peter Mandelson was arrested days later on the same suspicion.

Neither man was arrested on suspicion of Epstein-related sexual misconduct. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied such claims in prior statements.

US Actions to Date

In the US, congressional investigations have been opened. New Mexico's top prosecutor announced an inquiry into Epstein's Santa Fe-area ranch.

There has been little federal action from the Department of Justice, led by Attorney General Pam Bondi. No federal arrests related to Epstein have been made since accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell was apprehended in 2020.

Legal Experts Weigh In

Legal experts cited multiple possible reasons for the absence of US arrests, including insufficient evidence to prove allegations beyond a reasonable doubt and a potential lack of political willpower.

Kate Mangels, a partner at Kinsella Holley Iser Kump Steinsapir, said federal prosecutors may have already made charging decisions.

"The documents that are being dribbled out in redacted form have been in the possession of the Department of Justice for some time," Mangels said. "The US Department of Justice has already reviewed these documents and made whatever determinations they've made as to the feasibility of bringing charges."

"The fact that documents are now being released, and that the public is now aware of certain things, or other countries are now aware of certain things, doesn't necessarily change the DoJ position," she said.

Mangels said US public pressure could affect prosecution decisions but noted that pursuing cases now "would probably raise questions" since the DOJ reviewed these materials long ago. She added that further federal action is not necessarily off the table. Different leadership at the DOJ might make different determinations about charges. "If new information came out, for whatever reason, that could obviously change the decision-making process," she said.

Joseph McNally, former federal prosecutor and now director of emerging litigation at McNicholas & McNicholas, said: "We'll see how it plays out." He also pointed to the DOJ's years-long possession of the investigative documents.

"The southern district of New York has very capable, aggressive prosecutors," McNally said, referring to the office that pursued charges against Epstein in 2019 and against Maxwell. "I am confident that they would have looked at other targets that they could have potentially charged."

"Maybe these documents will help spur new leads that will be looked at, but I don't expect suddenly a round of criminal prosecutions to result from the release of documents," he added. "These were documents the government had when they were previously making charging decisions."

Criticism of US Inaction

John Day, a defense attorney in New Mexico and former prosecutor, said the UK's actions suggest authorities there "are being aggressive about Epstein, and the fallout from Epstein, whereas the US Department of Justice seems willing to try to cover up and hide Epstein material."

"The people who were allegedly involved with him are being arrested and prosecuted in the UK, and the people in the US who were involved with him apparently are being protected, which is tragic for the victims," Day said. He noted that the UK prosecutions are not based on sex trafficking but rather misuse of sensitive government information.

Day said legal limitations may also apply. Enough time may have passed that some crimes exceed the statute of limitations. "If there's no way to prosecute these people criminally, then you're out of luck, which is an awful conclusion to the Epstein story," he said.

"I think there would have to be a significant change at the Department of Justice, because all the signs point to leadership at the Department of Justice trying to conceal, delay, obfuscate information from getting out, and protect powerful people who are associated with Epstein," Day said.

Spencer Kuvin of Goldlaw, an attorney who has represented multiple Epstein victims, said: "The arrests taking place in the UK shows a country which is taking the sexual assault of victims and the Epstein investigation much more seriously than the US. Unfortunately, I don't believe that the current administration will take any further action against potential perpetrators here in the US. It will take a change in administration before any true justice will occur."

DOJ and White House Statements

Bondi reportedly told a congressional committee: "We have pending investigations in our office." Additional details about those inquiries were not provided.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said: "Just as President Trump has said, he's been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein."

Jackson claimed that "by releasing thousands of pages of documents, cooperating with the House Oversight Committee's subpoena request, signing the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and calling for more investigations into Epstein's Democrat friends, President Trump has done more for Epstein's victims than anyone before him."

Trump was friends with Epstein until a falling out that predated Epstein's Florida state-level prostitution case.

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Source

Reported by Victoria Bekiempis for the Guardian. Read original article.