Washington D.C. – Norway’s parliamentary oversight committee unanimously agreed on Tuesday to appoint a rare external inquiry into foreign ministry links to Jeffrey Epstein, marking a significant escalation in the Norway Epstein probe that has rocked the Scandinavian nation’s political establishment. The Norway Epstein probe represents part of a deepening scandal over friendships with the late U.S. sex offender that has implicated high-ranking officials and even royalty.
Parliamentary Committee Takes Unprecedented Action
The decision to launch the Norway Epstein probe came after the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs met to address mounting public pressure for accountability. This rare external inquiry reflects the gravity of revelations that have emerged from newly released files in the United States, which have revealed a host of connections between Epstein and politicians, royals, and the ultra-rich across Europe.
The Labour Party’s Sverre Myrli told reporters after the meeting, “If only half of what we have learned in the last few weeks is true, then this is terrible.” This statement underscores why the Norway Epstein probe has become essential in a country where public officials are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards.
Former Prime Minister Under Investigation
At the center of the Norway Epstein probe is Thorbjorn Jagland, a former prime minister and foreign minister who also served as ex-chair of the Nobel Peace Prize committee. Norway’s white-collar crimes police have opened an investigation into Jagland on suspicion of aggravated corruption, making him the most prominent figure caught up in the Norway Epstein probe.
The files central to the Norway Epstein probe show that Jagland and Epstein’s assistants made detailed plans in 2014 for Jagland, his wife, two children, and his son’s girlfriend to visit Epstein at Palm Beach and the Caribbean island that he owned. Jagland, who was then secretary general of the Council of Europe rights watchdog, has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island.
Financial Dealings Raise Red Flags
The Norway Epstein probe has uncovered concerning financial arrangements between officials and Epstein. In an email in 2014, Jagland sought Epstein’s help in financing an apartment in Oslo, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest and improper financial relationships between a high-ranking European official and a convicted sex offender.
This financial aspect of the Norway Epstein probe has drawn particular scrutiny as investigators examine whether Epstein used financial incentives to cultivate relationships with influential political figures.
Russian Connection Revealed
The Norway Epstein probe has also revealed attempts by Epstein to leverage his relationships with Norwegian officials for diplomatic purposes. Emails from 2018 showed Epstein asking Jagland to arrange for him to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and saying he had insights to offer President Vladimir Putin. Jagland promised to bring it up with Lavrov’s assistant.
This international dimension of the Norway Epstein probe raises concerns about whether Epstein was attempting to use his connections with Norwegian officials to gain access to foreign governments and potentially influence diplomatic matters.
Ambassador and Former Minister Implicated
The Norway Epstein probe expanded on Monday when police announced that Mona Juul, who resigned on Sunday as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, was also being investigated for corruption. Her husband, former cabinet minister Terje Roed-Larsen, is suspected of complicity, significantly broadening the scope of the Norway Epstein probe.
Roed-Larsen’s ties to Epstein came to light in 2019, before the current Norway Epstein probe intensified. He has apologized several times for the relationship and in 2020 stepped down as CEO of the New York-based International Peace Institute, a think tank.
Family Visits and Financial Benefits
The Norway Epstein probe has uncovered evidence that the files indicate Juul and Roed-Larsen made plans to visit Epstein’s private island with their two children in 2011, though it remains unclear if the visit took place. In a message in 2017, Roed-Larsen called Epstein a “thoroughly good human being,” a characterization that has drawn sharp criticism given Epstein’s criminal history.
The Norway Epstein probe is examining how in 2018 the couple received Epstein’s help in negotiating the purchase of an apartment in Oslo, which is now a subject of the police investigation. Additionally, in a will signed two days before his death by suicide in a jail cell in 2019, Epstein said he was leaving $5 million to each of the couple’s two children.
Royal Family Connection
The Norway Epstein probe has even touched the royal family. Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, wife of the heir to the throne, apologized last week to the king and queen over a friendship with Epstein between 2011 and 2014, long after his 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor.
This royal connection has intensified public interest in the Norway Epstein probe and raised questions about the extent of Epstein’s infiltration into Norwegian high society and political circles.
Subjects Maintain Innocence
All three primary subjects of the Norway Epstein probe—Jagland, Juul, and Roed-Larsen—will cooperate with the respective investigations and see no merit in the accusations, their lawyers have said. However, the police’s actions and the parliamentary decision to launch an external inquiry demonstrate that these assurances have not stemmed the demand for a public inquiry.
Cultural Impact
The Norway Epstein probe has reverberated throughout Norwegian society, where officials are expected to be squeaky-clean. The scandal has shaken public confidence in the country’s political establishment and raised fundamental questions about oversight mechanisms and ethical standards for public officials.
As the Norway Epstein probe moves forward with both police investigations and the parliamentary external inquiry, Norwegians await answers about how such extensive relationships with a convicted sex offender could have been maintained by some of their most prominent public figures.
