Prince Andrew

Feb. 25 (UPI) — Nobel Prize-winner and scientist Richard Axel announced he is resigning as co-director of Columbia University’s premier interdisciplinary brain research center following recent revelations of his relationship with disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Axel announced in a statement that he was stepping down as co-director of the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute “to focus on research and teaching in my lab.”

Several high-profile individuals have been fired, resigned and even arrested since late January when the Department of Justice released more than 3 million additional pages of information about its investigation into Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting his sex trafficking trial.

The files — and names they contain — have drawn intense public attention, as demands for accountability grow for wealthy and well-connected associates of Epstein whose ties to him have come under renewed scrutiny.

Axel’s relationship with Epstein was revealed in the recently released documents, showing the two corresponded since at least 2010.

“My past association with Jeffrey Epstein was a serious error in judgment, which I deeply regret,” Axel, 79, said.

“I apologize for compromising the trust of friends, students and colleagues. I recognize the problems that this has caused, and I will work to restore this trust. What has emerged about Epstein’s appalling conduct, the harm that he has caused to so many people, makes my association with him all the more painful and inexcusable.”

Axel told New York Magazine in 2007 that he first met Epstein in the 1980s. The documents recently released showed that the two frequently connected over the years since at least 2010.

Columbia said in a separate statement that it has seen no evidence that Axel violated any university policy or the law.

“However, Dr. Axel made clear that in light of this past association, and the continued fallout from the release of DOJ files, he felt it appropriate to relinquish his position as co-director,” the university said.

“The university agrees with this decision, while at the same time recognizing his extraordinary contributions to the university and his dedication to his colleagues, to his students and to science.”

The school said Axel was also resigning from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Axel won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Linda Buck in 2004 for discoveries related to how the sense of smell works, specifically their identification of odorant receptor genes and how those receptors detect and process smell, according to the Nobel Prize.

Fallout from the Justice Department’s recent release of Epstein files has impacted the lives of several high-profile individuals, including former British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson, who was arrested this week on suspicion of misconduct in public office over accusations of leaking government information in emails to Epstein.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Britain’s Prince Andrew, was also recently arrested on similar charges over allegations that he passed confidential information to Epstein.

Feb. 24 (UPI) — Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the United States, was released on bail in the early hours of Tuesday after being arrested in London on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Metropolitan Police said in a news update that it released a 72-year-old-man arrested at an address in the Camden area of north London earlier on Monday evening, pending further investigation.

The force said the man had been taken to a London police station for questioning after search warrants were executed at two addresses in Wiltshire and Camden on Feb. 6.

Mandelson is 72-years-old and owns homes in Wiltshire and Camden.

The Met launched an investigation amid allegations that Mandelson passed details of confidential government documents when he was serving as Business Secretary in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2009 after the latest tranche of Epstein files released by the Department of Justice show email exchanges in which Mandelson appears to share market-sensitive information.

In one email in 2009, Mandelson appeared to send Epstein information regarding Britain’s response to the then-financial crisis, including an “asset sales plan.”

In 2010, he apparently shared information about a “tax on bankers’ bonuses” and gave Epstein advance notice of a bailout package for the Euro, a day before it was announced.

The alleged emails were sent after Epstein’s conviction for sex offenses in the United States in 2008.

The BBC said it understands that Mandelson denies he acted in a criminal way or for personal financial gain in his relationship with Epstein, although he has not commented publicly in months.

Mandelson’s arrest came four days after the former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested and released under investigation by Thames Valley Police in a parallel but separate misconduct in public office probe in connection with his friendship with Epstein.

Mandelson was fired as Britain’s U.S. ambassador by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in September after files from the U.S. House Oversight Commttee emerged showing the “depth and extent” of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein was “materially different from that known at the time of his appointment.”

Andrew, who settled a sexual assault civil suit brought by the late Virginia Giuffre in 2022 for an undisclosed eight figure sum out-of-court, has also denied any wrongdoing — but has remained silent on the latest slew of allegations from 2010 and 2011 when he was Britain’s Trade Envoy.

Seven other police forces across the country are running live investigations into Epstein’s links to Britain including allegations he trafficked women and girls to and via Britain on private aircraft after Prime Minister Brown spoke about Epstein’s “Lolita Express” and its use of U.K. airports.

At least 87 flights that were related to Epstein arrived at or departed from U.K. airports between the early 1990s and 2018, according to an investigation by the BBC.

Sky Roberts and Amanda Roberts, Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law, praised Britain’s proactive approach in investigating possible wrongdoing revealed in the files and criticized U.S. authorities for not doing more.

“As Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s family, we commend the British authorities for taking meaningful action and treating the Epstein files with the urgency they demand. While these arrests aren’t for the underlying exploitation, they are a crucial step toward truth and accountability,” they said in a statement Monday.

“The contrast with the continued inaction in the United States is undeniable. Survivors deserve transparency, swift investigation, and real justice, no matter who is implicated.”

Feb. 23 (UPI) — British police on Monday arrested former Ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Mandelson was taken into custody and interviewed at a London police station about his relationship with deceased sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

The former ambassador has been under investigation since Feb. 4 over allegations that he leaked confidential government information to Epstein, which followed revelations last September about his friendship with the disgraced financier.

“Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office,” Metropolitan Police said in a news release. “He was arrested at an address in Camden … This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas.”

Police in Britain generally do not release the names of people they are investigating after an arrest, but the description matches Mandelson, and video footage of his arrest showed him being driven away from his home after his arrest, The Guardian reported.

Mandelson’s arrest comes four days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Britain’s former Prince Andrew, was arrested and later released — on his 66th birthday — on suspicion of misconduct in public office amid a renewed probe into his ties with Epstein.

Both investigations have been spurred by the release of documents over the last several months by the U.S. Department of Justice that include emails, videos and pictures that offer a glimpse into the relationships Epstein had with a wide swath of politicians, businesspeople and other prominent individuals while he was allegedly trafficking and sexually abusing young women and children.

Mandelson was a British cabinet minister from 2008 to 2010 when he allegedly passed information to Epstein during the global banking crisis, NPR reported, noting that he has not been accused of sexual misconduct.

Feb. 16 (UPI) — Thomas Pritzker, executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, announced that he would leave his role at the company, weeks after his association with sex predator Jeffrey Epstein came to light.

Pritzker, who is the cousin of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, on Monday said in a letter to Hyatt’s board that he decided to leave in order to provide “good stewardship” to the company he has led for more than two decades, CBS News and CNBC reported.

In the letter, which was released by the Pritzker Organization, the 75-year-old said that he had “regret” over his connection to both Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, who helped the pedophile in his schemes of abuse.

“Good stewardship also means protecting Hyatt, particularly in the context of my association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, which I deeply regret,” Pritzker said. “I exercised terrible judgement in maintaining contact with them, and there is no excuse for failing to distance myself sooner.”

Hyatt’s board named Mark Hoplamazian, who already is the company’s president and chief executive officer, as chairman of its board effective immediately, the company said in a press release.

“Tom’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping Hyatt’s strategy and long-term growth, and we thank him for his service and dedication to Hyatt,” Richard Tuttle, chair of the company’s board’s nominating and corporate governance committee, said in the release.

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution and was arrested in 2019 on federal child sex trafficking charges but killed himself in jail before being brought to trial.

Pritzker, who had been a member of Hyatt’s board and its executive chairman since 2004, was named in Epstein court documents released on Jan. 3 by the Department of Justice, which also named Britain’s now-former Prince Andrew, former President Bill Clinton and current President Donald Trump, none of whom were accused of wrongdoing in the filings.

The documents showed that Pritzker continued to communicate with Epstein after his 2008 plea deal.

In addition to being named in the documents, Pritzker had previously been accused by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre as one of several men she was trafficked to for sex, although Pritzker has denied the allegations, according to CBS News.

Pritzker is the latest person to face consequences for a relationship with Epstein and Maxwell since the Jan. 3 release and the Jan. 30 release of more than 3 million more investigative and court documents related to the two sex offenders.

Among others, ex-Prince Andrew vacated the Royal Lodge, Britain’s former ambassador to the United States is being investigated for links to Epstein, lawyer Brad Karp has resigned and Davos CEO Borge Brende is also being investigated for his links.

Feb. 9 (UPI) — Prince William and Princess Catherine have said they are “deeply concerned” by the latest information coming out of the Epstein files in their first public statement about the scandal.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said the Prince and Princess of Wales were “focused on the victims” after new information released showed an increased number of mentions of William’s uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson.

The spokesperson said: “I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations. Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”

William is in Saudi Arabia on the first day of an official three-day visit.

Mountbatten-Windsor, 65, has been stripped of his royal titles and was forced to leave the Royal Lodge residence by King Charles III. He now lives on Charles’ privately owned Sandringham Estate. The late Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his military titles and patronages in January 2022.

Charles faced hecklers Monday during a visit to Clitheroe train station in Lancashire. One person shouted, “How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?” the BBC reported.

The Justice Department’s Epstein files drop on Jan. 30 included many from a suit against Mountbatten-Windsor that he settled with Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre in 2022.

Giuffre, in a lawsuit, accused the then-prince of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager and employed by Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied the allegation.

The release included photos of Mountbatten-Windsor, including one showing him leaning over the body of a woman who was lying on the ground and another of him on all fours while next to the same woman, whose face was redacted.

Feb. 10 (UPI) — Buckingham Palace said the royal household stood ready to fully cooperate with police weighing an investigation into links between the former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and the late Jeffrey Epstein.

“The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct,” a spokesman for the palace said late Monday.

“While the specific claims in question are for Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police we stand ready to support them as you would expect,” he said.

King Charles’ intervention came hours after Thames Valley Police said it was determining whether to act on a complaint by Republic, a group that campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy, accusing Andrew of misconduct in public office and breach of official secrets laws while he was serving as Britain’s trade envoy in 2010.

Republic lodged the complaint on Monday after emails from the latest tranche of Epstein files to be released appeared to show Andrew forwarding Epstein official reports possibly containing commercially privileged information from an October 2010 trip to Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam, including confidential information about investment opportunities.

Andrew emailed the reports to Epstein less than five minutes after receiving them himself from his assistant on Nov. 30 with the subject line “South East Asia Visit Reports,” U.S. Department of Justice files obtained by the BBC show.

“We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures,” said a Thames Valley police department spokesman.

The alleged incident was just before Andrew has claimed he broke off his relationship with Epstein in early December 2010 but the emails appear to indicate this was not the case as he forwarded Epstein another confidential email on Dec. 24 detailing business opportunities in the rebuilding of Afghanistan‘s war-torn Helmand Province, the region for which Britain was responsible during the war.

The terms under which trade envoys are appointed state that the envoy must not share sensitive, commercial, or political information they are party to with unauthorized persons, that they are bound by the Official Secrets Act and have a duty to keep sensitive documents secure.

“The role of a Trade Envoy carries with it a duty of confidentiality in relation to information received. This may include sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits. This duty of confidentiality will continue to apply after the expiry of their term of office. In addition, the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1989 will apply,” the document states.

“Trade Envoys are responsible for the protection of any documents they have been provided which might contain sensitive data and ensuring that they are carried, stored, and disposed of in an appropriate manner,” it adds.

Andrew has long denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, including allegations made by the late Virginia Giuffre, but has remained silent over the most recent slew of allegations.

in 2022, he settled a lawsuit alleging sexual assault brought by Guiffre out of court with an undisclosed payment believed to run to eight figures.

Earlier Monday, Prince William and Princess Catherine broke their silence on the scandal, issuing a statement expressing “deep concern” over the latest revelations being unearthed from the Epstein files.

However, the statement stressed that they “focused on the victims” and made no mention of Andrew, who is William’s uncle.

The King has been heckled by members of the public about his brother twice in recent days as he goes about his official duties, most recently on a trip to Lancashire on Monday.