FBI probe into Prince Andrew's friendship with Jeffrey Epstein 'parked'

The decision comes more than four years after then-US attorney Geoffrey Berman called out the prince for breaking his commitment to speak to investigators.

An FBI probe into Prince Andrew and his friendship with paedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein has been “parked", it has been revealed. Authorities in the US confirmed they have paused their investigation into the Duke of York until “new evidence is presented that can move the case forward”.

The decision comes more than four years after then-US attorney Geoffrey Berman called out the prince for breaking his commitment to speak to investigators, saying the royal had provided “zero cooperation” to the FBI ’s investigation.

A source close to the case told the Mirror: “The agents and attorneys who have, for years, worked diligently looking into Andrew’s friendship with Epstein are beyond frustrated. “They’re angry that the probe has been parked.

“But the truth be told, no new leads have been discovered for quite some time, and until new evidence is presented that can move the case forward, it has been shelved.”

Last night, one of those abused by now dead Epstein when she was a teenager labelled the move, a “systematic cover-up”. The 36-year-old, awarded compensation from the Wall Street financier’s victim’s fund, said: “All of us who have continued to fight for justice knew this day would one day come.

“From the very beginning, we have been denied our voices, brushed under the carpet and told to be quiet. The government always says that no one is above the law, but we all know that is untrue. For the past three decades, we have been party to a systematic cover-up, and this is now the final part of that.”

Sources have revealed the probe and a gradual decline in hours spent pursuing the case has occurred since the end of last year. However, this has been accelerated in recent months as resources are being diverted to other significant cases, including the high-profile probe into hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.

The legal source claimed that “hundreds of potential leads and dozens of possible victims have come forward in the Diddy investigation over the last month,” which has significantly strained federal investigators’ time and manpower. “It’s all hands on deck right now,” the source added. “The sheer volume of information being gathered in the Combs case is comparable to when the Epstein investigation first broke wide open.

“We simply don’t have the resources to keep every case running at full capacity, and right now, it’s the Diddy case consuming the lion’s share of investigative efforts.” Despite the huge public interest in Andrew’s connection to Epstein, the Southern District of New York (SDNY) is not expected to officially announce the investigation’s status per protocol.

However, a second source confirmed that the investigation into Duke, 64, has been put on hold for the foreseeable future. “Right now, resources are going elsewhere,” he stated. “The officers and agencies have compiled much of their findings on Prince Andrew from the years of investigations, but the matter remains at an impasse.”

The investigation, which included the royal, has been a point of contention for years. Although the Duke was not considered a criminal suspect, the FBI considered him a significant witness as they maintained an open mind. Despite allegations by Epstein’s “teen sex slave’ Virginia Giuffre, that the American financier loaned her out to sleep with the Duke on at least three occasions, the royal and his legal team have strongly denied any wrongdoing.

The millionaire’s victims and Berman have long called for Andrew to face questioning under oath over his ties to the convicted sex offender, but progress has stalled. In 2020, when he was the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the lawyer made the extremely rare decision to blast Andrew publicly.

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He accused the Duke of “seeking to falsely portray himself” as eager to help the Epstein inquiry before he accused Andrew of providing “zero cooperation.” Berman claimed that despite public statements to the contrary, the royal had “repeatedly declined” requests to schedule an interview.

Andrew’s legal team denied his claims, insisting that the Duke offered to assist authorities on at least three occasions. Nevertheless, no formal interview ever took place, and now, with the Epstein probe effectively on hold, it appears increasingly unlikely that US investigators will ever question Prince Andrew.

One key figure who could still potentially unlock new evidence is Ghislaine Maxwell, Andrew’s gal pal and Epstein’s former lover. The British socialite, 62, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of trafficking young girls for her ex-boyfriend to abuse, and has so far not said anything.

Maxwell’s cooperation would be crucial in reactivating the probe into Andrew, but those close to her say she would “never” speak to the FBI about the royal. One of the most vocal critics of Andrew’s association with Epstein is renowned US criminologist and victims’ rights activist John Walsh.

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