The European Commission has referred Peter Mandelson to the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) over allegations he shared sensitive government information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The referral follows the release of US Department of Justice documents that reportedly show Mandelson, while serving as EU trade commissioner, disclosed details of a €500bn eurozone bailout to Epstein.
Mandelson, 72, was arrested on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office but was released on bail. His lawyers have described the allegations as “baseless” and deny any wrongdoing. He is understood to have surrendered his passport after claims he planned to flee, which his legal team also rejects.
The European Commission stated that it asked Olaf to investigate on 18 February after reviewing newly published documents. An Olaf spokesperson confirmed the request but would not say whether a formal investigation would be opened. The probe is expected to be wide-ranging, according to the Financial Times.
Separately, Defence Secretary John Healey has ordered a review of military records spanning more than two decades to check for any evidence that Epstein or his associates booked RAF airfields for his flights. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned that the British state may have facilitated Epstein’s crimes by allowing his private jet to land at military bases.
The Metropolitan Police apologised to the Speaker of the House of Lords, Michael Forsyth, after mistakenly naming him as the person who alerted police about Mandelson’s alleged flight risk. The force had earlier apologised to Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for inadvertently revealing information about the arrest.
