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THE WORLD OF US politics continues to be caught up in the ongoing Epstein files saga, but with files being released in large tranches, it’s hard to know what new information we’ve discovered, or what’s factual as online platforms are awash with misinformation.
In the latest release light has been shed on the depth of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s relationship with former financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is now known to have run a sex trafficking organisation that victimised countless girls and young women.
The access that Andrew gave Epstein to the upper echelons of British society has also been illuminated by these latest files.
Why are the files being released in stages?
The ‘Epstein files’ are documents held by the federal government in the States that relate to various criminal cases that were brought against him and the evidence collected from those.
After initial opposition from Republicans, both sides of the aisle voted through the Epstein Files Transparency Act on 19 November, which meant that all files had to be made unclassified in 30 days.
However there have been extensive redactions in what’s been released so far to allow for the protection of victims’ identities, and for child abuse materials to be removed from released material.
A frequent phrase stamped across what has been released so far is ‘CSAM not scanned’, with CSAM standing for Child Sexual Abuse Material. It leads us to presume that elsewhere in the Epstein files, CSAM has been found.
The US Department of Justice has said that hundreds of thousands of pages of material have had to be reviewed to ensure these redactions are made.
On 19 December an initial tranche of records was released which included court documents, flight logs and other materials.
On the 20 December and then again yesterday two new batches were released, which included in the first tranche photos with celebrities and Epstein that have sparked much online conversation, including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and notably Bill Clinton.
It’s been stressed that simply being in the files or being photographed with Epstein is not an implication of wrongdoing, or knowledge of his wrongdoing.
What new information related to Andrew has come to light?
Chiefly a photograph has come to light that appears to show Andrew lying across a row of people’s laps – who appear to be women – with Ghislaine Maxwell standing over them and smiling down.
It’s believed that this image was taken at Sandringham, one of the Royal family’s most treasured private estates, where they often spend part of Christmas.
Emails have also been released that have raised further questions.
An email from an ‘A’ in ‘Balmoral’ to Ghislaine Maxwell reads: “Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?”.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking in the US.
In reply Maxwell says: “I have only been able to find appropriate friends. Will let you know about some church meetings on those dates.”
We don’t know that the man identified as ‘A’, who is also referred to as the ‘invisible man’, is Andrew – but he’s being widely connected to them.
Certain details from the sender suggest that that is the case, including a 2001 missive in which he mentions that he’s “at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family”.
The email asking for an introduction to new friends was sent in August 2001, just months after Virginia Giuffre claims she was forced into having sex with Andrew at Maxwell’s London residence.
It’s also sent shortly after the Balmoral email, and newspaper reports from that year show that Andrew was in fact at Balmoral at the time.
There are also documents that show Maxwell forwarded ‘A’ details about a trip to Peru in early 2002, which also included references to finding girls.
“I doubt that he will find someone here, but we can try,” a third party contact in Peru wrote.
He also mentioned other normal holiday activities.
A replied to Maxwell saying: “I would love to do them all but fear that there would not be enough time!” he also wrote “As for girls well I leave that entirely to you”.
Andrew made an official visit to Peru in March 2022 as part of his royal duties.
The press office at Buckingham palace is not releasing new statements on these latest revelations, but is referring news outlets to a statement it released at the time that Andrew was stripped of his royal titles which read:
“The King and Queen’s ‘thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse’.”
Could Andrew face further consequences?
Andrew has already been made to move out of the Royal Lodge he shared with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, and has been stripped of his titles, including ‘Prince’.
However he still holds other peerages, but it would take an Act of Parliament in Westminster for those to be removed officially.
He could also be formally removed from his place in the line of succession (which is 8th).
King Charles is still paying privately for Andrew’s new accommodation at Sandringham estate.
There could be further consequences for Andrew if more information comes to light that shows the extent of his relationship with Epstein.
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