The European Commission has initiated an inquiry by the EU’s anti-fraud agency into Lord Mandelson following the recent unsealing of documents in the United States. These documents pertain to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
A Commission spokeswoman confirmed that the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) received this request last week. The impetus for the inquiry appears to stem from the discovery of communications between the peer and Epstein among the released materials.
Lord Mandelson held the position of the Commission’s trade envoy for a period spanning from 2004 to 2008. Subsequently, he transitioned to the role of UK business secretary. It is during this later tenure that the emails, now disclosed in the US, seem to indicate he shared internal government information with Epstein.
This referral to the European Union’s investigative body follows Lord Mandelson’s arrest by UK police on Monday. He was taken into custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office. While Lord Mandelson has not issued a public statement regarding the allegations, it is understood that his position asserts he has not engaged in any criminal activity and was not driven by financial gain.
Documents made public by the US government last month suggest that the 72-year-old peer provided Epstein with advance notification of a substantial €500 billion (£438 billion) bailout package. This package was intended to support the struggling euro economy in 2010.
The European Commission spokeswoman communicated to the BBC that, as a member of the Commission, Lord Mandelson was bound by specific obligations outlined in a code of conduct. “On this basis, and as new documents were published recently, we are looking into these and assessing whether there is any breach of the respective obligations,” she stated. She further added, “Given the circumstances, and the significant amount of documents made available publicly, the European Commission also asked Olaf on 18 February to look into the matter. Pending the ongoing assessment, we are not in a position to comment further.”
A core function of Olaf is to investigate serious misconduct by staff members and individuals associated with EU institutions. Lord Mandelson’s prior appointment as the UK’s ambassador to the US was terminated last year. This decision followed the emergence of further details concerning his association with Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer later issued an apology to Epstein’s victims concerning Lord Mandelson’s appointment. He indicated that Lord Mandelson had misrepresented the extent of their relationship during the vetting process.
The recent investigation by UK police was prompted by the latest release of documents. Lawyers representing Lord Mandelson voiced criticism regarding the decision to arrest him after searches were conducted at two of his properties. They asserted that the suggestion he was planning to leave the UK was “absolutely without truth.”
In a related development, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle confirmed he had transmitted information to the Metropolitan Police. This information suggested that Lord Mandelson might pose a flight risk.
Lord Mandelson was subsequently released on bail in the early hours of Tuesday morning, pending further investigation. It is understood that his passport was surrendered as a condition of his bail.