Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
The FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York sought an interview with ex-prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor for connections to Canadian sex offender and fashion mogul Peter Nygard.
The revelation comes in the latest batch of documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice related to Jeffrey Epstein.
An April 2020 letter from American authorities officially requested assistance from their U.K. counterparts in securing an interview with the former prince.
The letter says that evidence exists linking Mountbatten Windsor to both Epstein and Nygard in two separate sex-trafficking investigations.
The U.S. letter said that investigators found at least one occasion where Mountbatten Windsor travelled to Nygard Cay in the Bahamas. This is the location where Nygard is alleged to have trafficked adult women and minor girls from the United States.
Nygard was first arrested in Winnipeg in December 2020 under the Extradition Act after he was charged in New York with nine counts, including sex trafficking and racketeering.
These American charges have not been tested in court and Nygard denied all allegations against him.
The U.S. letter says that authorities wanted to question Mountbatten Windsor about his visit to Nygard’s estate in the Bahamas, and other information he might have about Nygard and “related individuals.”
List of questions
The letter noted that the former prince was not the target of any investigation at the time and there was no evidence he had committed any crime under U.S. law.
The letter indicated Mountbatten Windsor may have been asked to testify in either the Nygard or Epstein case if he shared “relevant information” during any interview.
The U.S. authorities included a list of questions they wanted their U.K. counterparts to ask in the event they had to conduct a voluntary or compelled interview with Mountbatten Windsor.
These questions include dates he met with either Epstein or Nygard, travelled to either man’s properties, and women he met through either of them.
Nygard’s history of sexual assault allegations has also spread through Canadian courtrooms in recent years.
The disgraced fashion mogul, now 84, was convicted on four counts of sexual assault in a Toronto court last year. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, but is expected to serve just under seven years with credit for time served before his conviction.
‘Sexual predator’
Justice Robert Goldstein described Nygard as “a sexual predator” who used his wealth and influence to lure victims to his company headquarters where he’d assault them — using his power to keep them too afraid to come forward.
Nygard has previously indicated plans to seek an appeal for both his conviction and sentence.
Nygard had a preliminary hearing in Montreal earlier this year on another sexual assault and forcible confinement charge. He again denied the allegations.
The Canadian Press has reached out to Nygard’s lawyer for an update on any legal proceedings.
Sexual assault charges in Winnipeg against Nygard were stayed in October after it was revealed that records of police interviews with the complainant in 1993 were destroyed without justifiable reasons, violating Nygard’s right to a fair trial.
King Charles stripped his brother of his remaining royal titles due to his ties to Epstein.