The United States investigators, who are working on Jeffrey Epstein's case, reportedly, want to probe Prince Andrew to give evidence. However, the Duke of York will, allegedly, fight the U.S. demands, refusing to be questioned by the New York prosecutors.
Despite Jeffrey Epstein's death, the American prosecutors are continuously investigating the criminal sex offender's "historic sex trafficking network." The Department of Justice reportedly told the United Kingdom's Home Office that Prince Andrew is now tangled in a criminal probe. However, he vehemently denies any accusations made against him time and again.
According to The Sun, the advisors of Sarah Ferguson's former husband are shocked by the DoJ's demand. However, a source told the publication that the U.S. department has been in contact with the father-of-two's lawyers for several months now.
As they seemed to get tired of talking to his lawyers, thinking they were going nowhere, they "upped their ante" and went directly to the Home Office instead. An insider, allegedly close to the duke, said that the legal discussions with the DOJ "are subject to strict confidentiality rules," following their own set of guidelines.
They, reportedly, chose to follow both the letter and spirit of their rules. Hence, they have to stay mum about it, not giving any comments related to the DoJ this year. Prince Andrew is believed to be the target of action by Jeffrey Epstein's victims in the U.S. civil courts.
Mirror Online reported that American investigators, who are probing the disgraced financier, formally requested for Prince Andrew's appearance to give evidence. The DoJ, reportedly, made a formal ''Mutual Legal Assistance'' (MLA) request to the Home Office, not letting it go through the Buckingham Palace.
The prosecutors needed the MLA to allow cooperation between two different countries when it needs to gather evidence in an investigation or prosecution of criminal offenses. If the Home Office approves the request, the FBI could ask Prince Andrew to go to a British court to give evidence under oath. He could be a witness if he refused to cooperate.
It will be the U.K.'s judge discretion if the hearing is going to be in open court. However, if the U.S. prosecutors want Prince Andrew to be handed over, they have to obtain an arrest warrant or a "grand jury indictment" to formally make a request to the U.K.
Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex slave, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, had accused Prince Andrew of sleeping with her on three occasions, including the time when she was only 17. However, he strongly denies the allegations and even declines seeing any suspicious behavior of Epstein.
