Prosecutors ding Prince Andrew for not helping feds in Epstein case
The lead prosecutor in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation says the case is moving forward but has had no cooperation from the British royal; Bryan Llenas reports.
Christina Oxenberg — a cousin to the British royal family — is hoping Prince Andrew will cooperate with investigators as they continue their probe into convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
“Epstein had a goal, which was he wanted to meet Andrew,” the 57-year-old told Fox News. “He got his goal through [his gal pal] Ghislaine [Maxwell]. It was easy to set up… But Andrew didn’t know he was being used. Jeffrey was a pervert. Ghislaine was an enabler of a pervert. So they are the problem and I want the focus to be on Ghislaine. The only thing the FBI needs to know from Andrew is how do we find Ghislaine? That’s all you need from him. What can he say? ‘I’m sorry I was an idiot.’ How many times do you want him to say that? We get it.”
“He did idiotic things,” Oxenberg continued. “But he’s not a pedophile. He’s not a sex ring organizer. I’m sure he’s filled with regret and remorse. He loves his family. He’s duty-bound. He loves his mother and doesn’t want to bring her grief.”
Christina Oxenberg is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic/Getty)
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Oxenberg, a celebrated writer, is the daughter of Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia — Andrew's second cousin. Oxenberg previously told Fox News that her mother and Andrew’s older brother Prince Charles grew up “very close.”
“They’ve always had a very good relationship,” she said. “They’re great buddies.”
Oxenberg was born in New York City but moved to London along with her older sister, actress Catherine Oxenberg. Oxenberg has been detailing her upbringing in a serialized tell-all memoir that she’s been updating every week on Patreon.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman told reports at a news conference outside Epstein’s former Upper East Side residence that federal prosecutors reached out to Andrew, 59, and have been struggling to get the prince to agree to sit down with them, the New York Post reported on Monday.
Britain's Prince Andrew (Reuters/Neil Hall)
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Berman told the press outside the mansion: “The Southern District of New York and the FBI have contacted Prince Andrew’s attorneys and requested to interview Prince Andrew, and to date, Prince Andrew provided zero cooperation.”
Andrew is accused of having sex with at least one of the women allegedly Epstein trafficked. He has vehemently denied any claims of wrongdoing in connection to his relationship with the financier.
A royal insider told the outlet, “This issue is being dealt with by The Duke of York’s legal team. Buckingham Palace will not be commenting further on this particular matter.”
Oxenberg said she met Epstein during a dinner party held at businessman Leslie Wexner’s townhouse. She said that at the time, Epstein didn’t know Maxwell, a British socialite. Oxenberg shared she isn’t surprised Andrew wound up befriending Epstein and his notorious pal.
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From l-r: Christina Oxenberg, Ghislaine Maxwell and HRH Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia attend Christina Oxenberg's 'Life is Short: Read Short Stories' book signing party at Vanessa Noel on April 23, 2013, in New York City. ((Photo by Mireya Acierto/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
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“Andrew didn’t understand, and it’s not his fault, but he was targeted specifically by Epstein and Maxwell,” she said. “Andrew thought they were friends… He was targeted by Ghislaine and I know that. I just happen to know that for a fact.”
“Andrew is not a mastermind sex trafficking ring organizer,” she stressed. “Forgive me, my sweet cousin Andrew, but the dude couldn’t organize a dinner party, let alone a sex trafficking ring… Epstein had a fixation with Andrew for years before he met him — that was a known thing. He wanted to meet Andrew. Ghislaine was eager to make this goal a reality for him… Epstein was a glutton pervert, but somebody was willing to feed his perversion — that was Ghislaine.”
Oxenberg claimed that despite reports, Maxwell was never Epstein’s girlfriend — only his employee. However, she allegedly wanted to marry Epstein and was eager to fulfill his desires, remaining on his good side.
“That’s what she told me,” claimed Oxenberg. “That was her goal. She said, ‘I’m making myself indispensable to him. I’m giving him whatever he wants and I want him to marry me. This is how I’m getting there.’”
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Royal Ascot Race Meeting Thursday - Ladies Day. Prince Andrew, The Duke Of York and Jeffrey Epstein (far right) At Ascot. With them are Edward (far left) and Caroline Stanley (in pink), the Earl and Countess of Derby. (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
According to Oxenberg, the two women were never friends, but they both found themselves in the same circles. She last saw Maxwell in 2015 for a public event she hosted. Oxenberg said she has since spoken to the FBI and shared everything she knew about Epstein and Maxwell.
“She didn’t appeal to me,” said Oxenberg. “She sounded like a raving nut job the few times I encountered her. She was on the make from early childhood to be in the right circles. I’m a member of one of those circles so I was on her list. [But] I’m super low, periphery, very unimportant. If she could have used me more, she would have… She didn’t find a use for me… She and I had totally different goals. I didn’t know her enough to be suspicious of her. I just thought she was not my cup of tea. Meanwhile, she was actively, strategically targeting.”
Epstein killed himself in his Manhattan hail cell in 2019 at age 66. Reports have since speculated about Maxwell’s current whereabouts. The Duke of York was issued his walking papers later that year and ordered to move his offices out of Buckingham Palace after a nuclear interview he gave to the BBC in which he defended his friendship with Epstein.
In the interview, Andrew denied ever having sex with one of Epstein’s main accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, after she claimed she had sex with Andrew three times, including when she was 17.
Photo from 2001 that was included in court files released shows Prince Andrew with his arm around the waist of 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre who says Jeffrey Epstein paid her to have sex with the prince. Andrew has denied the charges. In the background is Epstein's girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. (U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals)
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Andrew claimed in the interview that he has “no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”
However, Giuffre maintained in court filings that Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew at least three times, recalling the prince “sweating all over me” on a London dance floor. Andrew, denying the claim, insisted he cannot sweat as a consequence of a war injury.
Oxenberg said she has some advice for Andrew.
“I would say, ‘Please remember to say sorry to the women who are still hurting — they matter the most in all of this,’” she said. “‘I’m sorry you were betrayed by your friend, but that is what happened. Now it’s time for you to give her up. Wherever she is or whoever can get the FBI to her — she’s the one the FBI needs to go after for these young ladies, the victims. She used you. Now give her up.’"
“The women - my heart goes out to them,” said Oxenberg. “[They] were abused. That’s incontrovertible… [And] many people were fooled over the years… You just cannot believe real evil exists right in your face.”
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Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell at Cipriani Wall Street on March 15, 2005, in New York City. (Joe Schildhorn/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
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Despite the fact Epstein died behind bars awaiting trial for sex trafficking, Berman said the feds’ investigation into his sex abuse network will continue because “Jeffrey Epstein couldn’t have done what he did without the assistance of others.”
“And I can assure you that the investigation is moving forward,” added Berman.
Fox News’ Julius Young contributed to this report.
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