英アンドルー王子の「協力ゼロ」と米検事　エプスタイン被告捜査

【ニューヨークＡＦＰ＝時事】未成年少女を性的目的で人身取引した罪で起訴され、勾留中に死亡した米富豪、故ジェフリー・エプスタイン被告の捜査をめぐり、支援すると公言した英国のアンドルー王子（59）から米連邦捜査局（FBI）が得られた「協力はゼロ」だった。米検事が27日、明らかにした。（写真は英国のアンドルー王子。ベルギーのブルージュで）
　アンドルー王子は、エプスタイン被告があっせんした当時１７歳の少女と性行為をしたとの疑惑を否定しており、昨年１１月「必要ならば、いかなる適切な法執行機関の捜査を支援する意志がある」と明言していた。
　だが、同被告の共犯者の有無を捜査している米ニューヨーク州南部地区連邦地裁のジェフリー・バーマン連邦地方検事は、アンドルー王子はＦＢＩや自身の事務所からの事情聴取の要請にこれまで返答していないと指摘。記者らに「きょうまで、アンドルー王子がもたらした協力はゼロだ」と述べた。
　英バッキンガム宮殿（英王室）はこれまでＡＦＰの取材に応じていない。
　エリザベス女王の次男であるアンドルー王子は昨年の英ＢＢＣとのインタビューで、エプスタイン被告との自身の交友関係を擁護。激しい批判を浴びて、公務から身を引くことを余儀なくされた。アンドルー王子は同じインタビューの中で、１７歳で人身売買されエプスタイン被告の友人との性行為を強要されたと主張しているバージニア・ジュフリーさんと性的関係を持ったという疑惑も否定した。
　エプスタイン被告の被害者らの弁護人は２８日、米当局に協力するようアンドルー王子に強く呼び掛けた。被害者５人を代表する弁護人のグロリア・アルレッド氏は英ＢＢＣラジオで、王子にはＦＢＩの聴取に応じる「道義的義務」があると明言、応じないことは「被害者らに害を及ぼす」ことだと話した。
　バーマン氏は、捜査への個人の協力の有無について通常言及することはないが、アンドルー王子は支援すると明言したため例外だと説明している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/01/29-12:31）

Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation regarding late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and has yet to respond to a FBI request for an interview, a US prosecutor said Monday.
Andrew denies claims he had sex with a 17-year-old girl procured by Epstein and said in November he was willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.
But New York attorney Geoffrey Berman, who is leading an investigation into possible co-conspirators of the disgraced US financier, said his office and the FBI had not heard from Andrew despite his offer to assist.
To date, Prince Andrew has provided zero cooperation, Berman told reporters during a news conference outside Epstein's former New York home where Andrew has admitted staying at in the past.
Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to request for comment when contacted by AFP.
Queen Elizabeth II's second son was forced to step back from royal duties after he faced outrage over an interview with the BBC late last year in which he defended his friendship with Epstein.
Andrew, 59, also denied having sexual relations with Virginia Giuffre, who alleges she was trafficked to have sex with friends of Epstein when she was 17.
Epstein, 66, killed himself in a New York jail last summer while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
He was a multi-millionaire hedge fund manager who befriended countless celebrities over the years, including US President Donald Trump.
Epstein was charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors and another of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.
He denied the charges but was facing up to 45 years in jail if found guilty.
- 'Ill-judged association' -
Determined to obtain justice despite his death, dozens of women who say they were abused by Epstein have sued his estate and prosecutors have pledged to pursue any accomplices.
Jeffrey Epstein couldn't have done what he did without the assistance of others and I can assure you that our investigation is moving forward, Berman said Monday.
Giuffre says she had sex with the prince at the central London home of Epstein's socialite girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001.
In what proved to be a disastrous BBC interview, Andrew said he did not remember meeting Giuffre and that he absolutely and categorically did not have sex with her.
Afterwards he issued a statement in which he said he I... unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein.
While Epstein's death has been ruled a suicide -- with two prison guards charged for alleged failure to monitor him -- it has also fueled conspiracy theories, mostly speculating he was murdered to stop him revealing compromising information about wealthy acquaintances.
Several of Epstein's accusers have said Maxwell recruited them to provide sexual favors for Epstein and some of his associates.
Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 of paying young girls for massages but served just 13 months in jail under a secret plea deal struck with the then state prosecutor.