The son of two senior Norwegian diplomats under investigation for their connections to convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein has died by suicide, according to reports.
Details of the Tragedy
Edward Juul Rod-Larsen, 25, who was bequeathed $5 million (£3.67 million) by Epstein, was found dead in Oslo on Wednesday, as reported by Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang. The death occurred just days after police launched a probe into his parents, diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen and Mona Juul, following the release of files by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) that allegedly linked them to Epstein. Neither Rod-Larsen nor Juul has been accused of any wrongdoing.
Background and Investigation
The couple's children have never been accused of any crime or placed under investigation. However, emails revealed by the DOJ suggest that the family visited Epstein's private island, Little Saint James, in 2011. In one email, Rod-Larsen thanked Epstein for the invitation, describing the island as 'totally unique' and adding, 'We all loved it!' He also wrote, 'Mona sends a kiss.'
Norwegian and French authorities have now launched a joint investigation into the couple's links to Epstein. According to DOJ documents, Epstein left a total of $10 million to Edward and his twin sister, Emma, in his will—the same amount he left his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The family has stated they have not received any of the money and only learned of the bequest through the media.
Family Statement
A statement issued by the couple's lawyers, Thomas Skjelbred and John Christian Elden, attributed Edward's suicide in part to 'months of public spotlight' fueled by speculation about their financial ties to Epstein. The statement read: 'Months of a public spotlight that has long since ceased to be critical, and has instead become suspicious, speculative and at times limitless. A spotlight that has not only affected two parents, but has also drawn their children involuntarily into the relentless machinery of the public.'
They added: 'Speculating on connections is both irresponsible and undignified. Suicide is always complex. There is never one explanation, never one cause, never one blame.'
Prominent Diplomatic Careers
Rod-Larsen served as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, while Juul was State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs when their children were born. The siblings were often referred to as the 'Peace Twins' due to their parents' roles in the Oslo Accords—the Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts in the 1990s that inspired the Tony Award-winning Broadway show 'Oslo'.
Juul, who most recently served as Norway's ambassador to Jordan, resigned in February after facing scrutiny over her alleged contact with Epstein. Norway's foreign ministry launched an investigation into her knowledge of and interactions with Epstein. Juul told Norwegian news agency NTB that it was 'imprecise' to describe her contact with Epstein as minimal, but clarified that any contact arose through her husband's relationship with Epstein, adding she had no independent social or professional relationship with him. Rod-Larsen was pictured in the Epstein files holding up a phone displaying a social media page of a woman in a bikini.
