Former Norwegian prime minister Thorbjorn Jagland is under police investigation on suspicion of aggravated corruption over alleged links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Norway’s economic crime unit Oekokrim said Thursday.
Paal Loeseth, director of Oekokrim, said investigators found reasonable grounds to examine Jagland’s conduct given his roles as chair of the Nobel Committee and as secretary general of the Council of Europe during the period covered by newly released documents. The probe will look into whether Jagland received gifts, travel, loans or other benefits connected to his positions, Oekokrim said.
Jagland’s lawyer Anders Brosveet said his client welcomed the investigation and would cooperate fully, adding it was better to have an authoritative review than press speculation.
Police have asked for Jagland’s immunity to be lifted to facilitate the probe. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said Norway would propose to the Council of Europe that Jagland’s immunity be revoked, saying it is important that the facts come to light.
Jagland, 75, was Norway’s prime minister from 1996 to 1997 and served as secretary general of the Council of Europe from 2009 to 2019. He also chaired the Nobel Committee that awards the Nobel Peace Prize from January 2009 to March 2015. Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, said the institute was awaiting Jagland’s explanation and warned that receiving significant financial benefits from Epstein while on the Nobel Committee would breach its code of ethics.
The latest documents, part of a cache released by the US Justice Department, include messages between Jagland and Epstein that have provoked outrage in Norway. In one May 2012 message, Jagland wrote: “I have been in Tirana (Albania) extraordinary girls.” In January 2013 he wrote: “I can’t keep it going only with young women as you know.” Jagland has said he showed “poor judgment” by maintaining ties with Epstein.
The revelations have prompted scrutiny of several prominent Norwegians. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has admitted poor judgment for maintaining contacts with Epstein after his conviction. Norway suspended diplomat Mona Juul pending an investigation into her alleged links, and the World Economic Forum said it would conduct an independent review of its CEO and former foreign minister Borge Brende over his dealings with Epstein.
While appearing in the documents does not itself prove wrongdoing, they highlight connections between Epstein’s network and public figures who have sometimes minimized or denied those ties.
Edited by: Sean Sinico