The European Commission has formally requested the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to initiate an investigation into former EU Trade Commissioner Lord Mandelson following the disclosure of communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This development emerges amidst ongoing legal scrutiny concerning the British peer’s alleged misconduct during his tenure in both European and UK governmental positions.
Commission spokespersons confirmed the referral occurred on February 18th, prompted by recently published documents in the United States that revealed extensive correspondence between Lord Mandelson and Epstein. These communications suggest the former trade envoy may have provided Epstein with confidential government information during Mandelson’s term as UK Business Secretary in 2010, including advance notice of a €500 billion emergency bailout package designed to stabilize the struggling euro currency.
The investigation intensifies following Lord Mandelson’s arrest by UK authorities on Monday under suspicion of misconduct in public office. Although released on bail in the early hours of Tuesday, the peer was required to surrender his passport amid concerns about potential flight risk—a possibility reportedly raised by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle with the Metropolitan Police.
While Lord Mandelson has maintained public silence regarding the allegations, sources indicate he denies any criminal wrongdoing or financial motivation. His legal representatives have strongly criticized the arrest decision, dismissing suggestions he planned to leave the UK as having “absolutely no truth.”
This episode marks the latest development in the ongoing scrutiny of Lord Mandelson’s association with Epstein, which previously led to his dismissal as UK ambassador to the United States. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer subsequently apologized to Epstein’s victims, acknowledging that Mandelson had misrepresented the extent of his relationship with the financier during official vetting procedures. Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The European Commission emphasized that all members are subject to strict codes of conduct, stating: “We are assessing whether there is any breach of the respective obligations. Given the circumstances and the significant amount of documents made available publicly, we asked OLAF to look into the matter.”