Epstein files latest: Sarah Ferguson's charity to close 'for foreseeable future' after Epstein file revelations

Thanks for following our live updates as we continue to cover the fallout from the latest release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Millions of documents, as well as videos, emails and images, were released by the US Department of Justice on Friday - the largest tranche of files relating to the late sex offender.

Several revelations over the weekend focussed on Epstein's relationship with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, while today the disgraced financier's friendship with Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to Washington, has been in the spotlight.

Here's what Paste BN uncovered from the release today:

• Emails from 2010 between Epstein and Mandelson, then the UK's business secretary, appear to show Epstein was given advanced notice of a €500bn EU bank bailout in 2010;
• Mandelson also appeared to send Epstein an email in the same year claiming he "finally got him to go," the day before Gordon Brown resigned as prime minister;
• Another email appears to show Mandelson talking of "tasty models and dancing" with Epstein;
• Another exchange between the pair saw Epstein joke that Mandelson marrying Princess Beatrice could be considered incest;
• The Metropolitan Police confirmed this evening it received "a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office" that were being assessed;
  
• Elsewhere in the files, someone referred to as "Sarah", who Paste BN believes to be Sarah Ferguson, described Epstein as a "legend" in a 2010 email, asking Epstein to, "Just marry me";
• Her charity, Sarah's Trust, has tonight announced it will close "for the foreseeable future";
• Meanwhile, videos showing naked women, dancing, sweeping and posing have been unearthed, some of which appear to be filmed by Epstein;
• In another video, Epstein is seen answering questions in an interview in which the interviewer asks, "Do you think you're the devil himself?" and whether he believes he is a "sexual predator".

Sarah Ferguson's charity, Sarah's Trust, has announced it will close "for the foreseeable future".

It comes just days after new revelations emerged about the former duchess's friendship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. 

A spokesman for the charity said: "Our chair Sarah Ferguson and the board of trustees have agreed that with regret the charity will shortly close for the foreseeable future.

"This has been under discussion and in train for some months.

"We remain extremely proud of the work of the trust over recent years. We have partnered with over 60 other charities in over 20 countries, providing education, healthcare, crisis response and environmental projects.

"We delivered over 150,000 aid parcels during the COVID pandemic, provided medical aid and training for those affected by the war in Ukraine and delivered education for over 200 children in Ghana."

The controversy surrounding the Epstein files "will not go away" until the full batch of documents is realised, a US lawyer has said.

Dave Aronberg, the former state attorney for Florida's Palm Beach County, told The World with Yalda Hakim that around two and a half million more documents were being withheld.

"Those files contain important information. And I don't know if we're ever going to see it, at least not while Trump is in office, because it contains the internal memos from law enforcement, the FBI, prosecutors, internal memos," he says.

"We want to know the names of the alleged co-conspirators. And somewhere in those three million pages are those names."

Watch Aronberg's full interview...

 By James Matthews, US correspondent, in Washington

The first reaction on Capitol Hill was a stark warning for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor - 'tell us what you know and what you've done, before we find out'. 

The message from the House Oversight Committee that applies to Lord Mandelson, too. 

On Andrew, committee member Suhas Subramanyam told Paste BN: 

"The more he hides, the more files we will find, and we will find the information regardless of whether he comes to us and testifies." 

The Democratic member floated the suggestion that the former Prince could feel the long arm of the law. 

"If we find more evidence of crimes," he said, "then the law enforcement, either here or in the UK, needs to make a decision about when they should go after him." 

Asked if Lord Mandelson should come to the US to give evidence, Subramanyam said: "It's the same thing, and I don't care if you're Democrat or Republican or Labour, whatever country you're in, whatever title you have, everyone who was involved or committed crimes should be held accountable."

By Rhiannon Mills, royal correspondent

An allegation from a second woman that she was sent to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's home by Jeffrey Epstein "does need to be investigated", according to a former Metropolitan Police chief.

The encounter allegedly took place at the Royal Lodge in Windsor in 2010, the former duke's residence at the time, when the woman was in her 20s, her lawyer told the BBC.

Speaking to Paste BN, Neil Basu, who was assistant commissioner between 2018-2021, said that the Met "would have a legal duty to cooperate" if the likes of the FBI come to them with fresh evidence of serious criminality relating to British subjects.

US lawyer Brad Edwards has said he's been instructed by a woman who claims she was taken to Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate in 2010.

There has been no public comment from Andrew since the latest allegations. He has always vehemently denied all claims against him.

The allegation was reported by the BBC the day after the latest drop of millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein on Friday.

British officers may help

Talking about this latest allegation, Basu said British officers may be called upon for help.

"The FBI may be interested, and they may ask the Metropolitan Police for assistance, but there's certainly an allegation of very serious crime there," he said.

"So, it does need to be investigated, and I would expect the police, the British police, to be part of that."

The latest release of documents has led to calls for the London force to open their own investigations into whether any crimes linked to Epstein were committed in the UK.

Basu said the Met would be unlikely to be looking proactively through the documents themselves - but, asked if new revelations put added pressure on the force to act, Basu said they may end up legally compelled to do more.

"...certainly if they're asked to by the FBI, because they've uncovered serious criminality, and there may be British subjects involved, yes, it would put, whether, I wouldn't use the expression put pressure on it, it would be their legal duty to cooperate."

He added that if there are requests to talk to Andrew or others named in the latest files, they wouldn't necessarily have to travel to the US to help authorities there.

Explaining the procedure under which they may be spoken with, he said: "There's a legal process called mutual legal assistance treaties… if we have a witness or a suspect who's living in the United Kingdom… if we think it's solid, we would help them with that.

"Most jurisdictions require the actual interview of the individual to be done by the host force, so in this case, by a British police force, probably the Metropolitan Police.

"So, the FBI could be present, but the British police would lead the investigation. There's no need for the former prince to travel.

"He could be interviewed in this country. And many people, you know, I won't be the first person to say that he should do that."

Our chief political correspondent Jon Craig has been assessing what happens next for Lord Mandelson, as new mentions in the Epstein files continue to emerge.

The former UK ambassador to the US resigned from the Labour Party yesterday, and has faced calls today - including from Keir Starmer - to give up his peerage in the House of Lords.

We can now bring you what appears to be a series of text messages exchanged between Jeffrey Epstein and an unknown person in September 2018.

In a conversation over two days on Apple's iMessage, the unknown person - whose identity or phone number has been redacted - discussed someone described as a 23-year-old former model from Russia.

Addressing Epstein as "Jeffrey", the person said: "I might have a nice smart girl for you , Sir (sic)".

Epstein asks "smart girl?"

The unknown person replied "Yes very intelligent and sweet personality", before then sending what appears to be two pictures of the woman. Her face has been blocked.

Epstein then asked for her name and details. Her name then appears to be sent, but has been redacted.

The woman was staying in San Diego for "haIf a year for an exchange program of her Moscow university" and wanted to stay in US, the unknown person said.

They also promised "more details in person".

Epstein then asked the person to send over their bank details to a third person.

In another message five hours later, Epstein said he had "sent you 5 thousand dollars today".

Epstein then checked the money has been received the following day.

The messages appear to have been exchanged less than a year before Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019 after being arrested on sex trafficking charges.

The Metropolitan Police says it's aware of the latest release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and confirms it's received "a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office". 

Ella Marriott, Commander of the Met, says: "The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation.

"As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate."

Lord Mandelson took a liking to money and who that had it while serving in the UK government, his biographer has said.

Donald McIntyre, author of Mandelson: And the Making of New Labour, told presenter Jonathan Samuels he started to get interested in "the lifestyles and money of pretty rich people" he dealt with when he became business secretary.

"He started having holidays in places like Saint Barts, he started meeting people like, eventually, Jeffrey Epstein.

"He has been drawn both to money and to this rather louche environment a bit like a moth to the light, and that has been a weakness in Mandelson's... throughout certainly the second half of his career."

Mandelson previously said in a statement: "I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered."

Watch McIntyre's full interview...

Lord Mandelson leaked sensitive UK government tax plans to Jeffrey Epstein when he was business secretary, emails appear to show.

The confidential document, released by the US Department of Justice as part of millions of files relating to Epstein, was written by Nick Butler, a special adviser to Gordon Brown, the prime minister at the time.

Mandelson forwarded the memo to Epstein in 2009, captioning it: "Interesting note that's gone to the PM."

The revelation will add to the pressure on the former British ambassador to Washington, who resigned his membership from the Labour Party yesterday.

Lord Mandelson has been approached for comment.

On his relationship with Epstein he has previously said: "I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered."

Butler told Paste BN: "I don't have any comment beyond being shocked by the betrayal of trust involved."