The former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland has been charged on suspicions of corruption following evidence of his ties with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Norwegian Economic Crime Investigation Service announced on Thursday that it would look into whether gifts, travel or loans were received by Jagland in connection with his official positions, including serving as PM between 1996 and 1997, serving as a Chairman of the Council of Europe, as well as Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
While Jagland, 75, has immunity as part of his past role as a diplomat for Europe’s largest intergovernmental human rights body, Norwegian authorities say they’re looking to lift this privilege.
Jagland is one of several Norwegian public figures whose reputations are under intense scrutiny, as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released the latest batch of Epstein files, including over 3 million pages of documents related to the trafficking of underage girls.
Emails included in these files are reported to show that Jagland planned solo and family visits to Epstein’s homes in Paris, New York and Palm Beach after Epstein was convicted of a child sex offence.
In the files, there appears to be instances where Epstein covered the travel expenses to his properties for Jagland and his family.
Jagland also faces allegations that he solicited Epstein’s help in obtaining a bank loan in another exchange, however, police have not confirmed whether this allegation is part of the “gross corruption” charge.
Lawyers for Jagland say he denies criminal liability and is willing to cooperate with authorities.
The Norwegian crime unit Økokrim are searching three of Jagland’s properties, and the former PM is expected to be questioned on the matter.
Other Norwegian public figures named in the Epstein files include Crown Princess Mette-Marit, diplomats Mona Juul and Terje Rød-Larsen, as well as chief executive of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Borge Brende.
Last week, Crown Princess Mette-Marit gave a “profound apology” to Norwegians, after it emerged she had exchanged three years worth of messages with Epstein. Some of the email exchanges revealed she had spent four days at Epstein’s Palm Beach House in Florida while he wasn’t there, with other emails showing apparent plans to meet in-person.
“It is important for me to say I am sorry to all those I have disappointed. Some of the content in the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be,” the Crown Princess said in an official statement from the Norwegian palace.
Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul and her husband Terje Rød-Larsen are also being investigated by Norway’s Økokrim for “aggravated corruption”, following Norwegian media reports that each of their children would receive $5m USD in a will allegedly signed by Epstein days before he died.
Another former Norwegian PM, Brende, who now serves as chief executive of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is also being investigated for his ties to Epstein, after the WEF ordered an independent review. Brende has acknowledged dining with Epstein three times in 2018 and 2019, as well as communicating through messages, but Brende maintains he was “unaware” of Epstein’s criminal activity at the time.
Brende told Al Jazeera he regretted not looking into Epstein’s history, saying: “I remain committed to learning from this experience and welcome the upcoming independent review, which I indeed requested.”
As a result of the revelatory ties between Norway and Epstein, there’s been prompt demands for further probes into the country’s parliament, which Jagland’s Labour Party dominates.
Opposition parties are demanding the Norwegian government set up an independent investigation committee to probe the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.