The latest Epstein files to be released in the US have sparked a political storm in Norway after it revealed two high-ranking people with close ties to the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The largest legal document ever charging Epstein with sex crimes, including the trafficking of underage girls, includes nearly 3 million pages of documents, 2,000 videos and 180,000 photos, and was released a week ago.
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The documents were released under the Epstein File Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed in November under pressure from his supporters to release the files, fulfilling a campaign promise.
New facts have come to light throughout this week as media, investigators, and other stakeholders continue to scrutinize this voluminous document.
They have implicated a number of high-profile figures, from princes to industry leaders believed to have been in Epstein’s vast network, including former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, billionaire Elon Musk, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and British Labor politician Peter Mandelson.
In Norway, the revelation of emails between Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Epstein caused initial shock.
And on Thursday, Norwegian police opened a criminal investigation into former Norwegian Prime Minister Torbjörn Jagland on charges of “serious corruption” related to gifts, loans and benefits he may have received from Epstein.
The latest Epstein files also included emails showing that Borge Brende, Norway’s foreign minister from 2013 to 2017, had several business dinners with Epstein.
Here’s what we know about the Norwegian scandal.
Who is Torbjorn Jagland and why is he being investigated?
Mr. Jagland, 75, is a senior politician in the Norwegian Labor Party. He is being investigated on suspicion of economic corruption.
He served as Prime Minister of Norway from 1996 to 1997 and then Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2000 to 2001. He also served as Speaker of Parliament (President of Parliament) from 2005 to 2009.
However, Jagland’s relationship with Epstein is linked to his time as secretary-general of the Council of Europe, an organization set up to protect human rights on the continent, and at the same time as leader of the Nobel Committee.
He joined the Norwegian Nobel Committee in 2009 as chairman, but was demoted to regular member in 2015 after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo, sparking backlash from China. His demotion was seen as an offer of peace to the Chinese government.
During this time, Jagland also served as President of the Council of Europe, serving two terms from 2009 to 2019. Critics at the time said he was not doing enough to fight corruption and was too friendly to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
On Thursday, Norwegian police announced that they were investigating whether Jagland had accepted gifts, loans or travel allowances while holding these jobs, after documents released last Friday revealed emails between him and Epstein.
Authorities have not provided details about whether Epstein or others in his network provided these benefits, but Pal K. Ronses, head of the Okokrim Police Economic Crimes Unit, told reporters that what was uncovered in the file “provides the basis for investigating whether these are criminal acts.”
Norwegian publications reported that new files revealed that Jagland had planned a family visit to Epstein’s private Caribbean island in 2014, but the trip was later canceled.
In an interview with Norwegian state broadcaster NRK, Jagland’s lawyer Anders Brosvet denied the allegations and said there was “no question” whether the politician had received any benefits.
“Based on the information we’ve discovered so far, we think it’s very easy to make clear that this is not a transfer of benefits,” he said.
After the release of Epstein’s files, Jagland said through his lawyer that his contact with Epstein was “unwise” and that he “never” had anything to do with Epstein regarding his personal life or “dealings with young girls.”
As a former president of the Council of Europe, Jagland has immunity from criminal prosecution, but Norwegian police have asked the body to revoke his protection.
Who is Borge Brende? What do Epstein’s files reveal about him?
Evidence in these files shows that Borge Brende, who served as Norway’s foreign minister from 2013 to 2017, had several business dinners with Epstein and corresponded with him via email and text messages.
Mr. Brende, 60, is chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), which hosts the annual business summit of the same name in Davos. He is a member of Norway’s opposition Conservative party.
Following last week’s revelations, the WEF said in a statement that its risk committee would investigate communications between Mr. Brende and Mr. Epstein.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Brende said she had limited contact with Epstein and was unaware of his past or crimes.
He said he met Epstein at a dinner party in 2018 and the investor was introduced as an “American investor.”
“The gathering included several other leaders,” he said. “Over the next year, I attended two similar dinners with Mr. Epstein, along with other diplomats and business leaders. These dinners and several emails and SMS messages were the extent of my interactions with Mr. Epstein,” he said.
Brende also said he regrets not taking action to find out more about Epstein’s history.
“I remain committed to learning from this experience and indeed welcome any future independent review that I have requested,” he added.
What was the reaction like in Norway?
The revelations have prompted calls for a further investigation in parliament, where Mr Jagland’s Labor Party holds a majority.
Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide, also from the Labor Party, said in a statement on Thursday that he had acted on a request from police and contacted the Council of Europe to remove Jagland’s immunity.
However, opposition parties, including the main opposition Conservative Party, are demanding that the government establish an independent commission to investigate the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“What everyone is wondering now is whether this is the tip of the iceberg. Is this the culture that exists at the top of Norwegian politics and diplomacy?” opposition Progress Party leader Sylvie Listhaug told parliament on Thursday, according to broadcaster NRK.
However, Labor Prime Minister Jonas Gare Store, who has supported the police investigation, agreed to the request, saying a commission of inquiry was not an “appropriate means of clarifying the matter,” NRK reported.
How does Crown Princess Mette-Marit relate to Epstein?
Meanwhile, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 52, has also attracted attention for her alleged close ties to Mr. Epstein, as documented in emails included in files released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Her friendship with Epstein was already known. But the latest set of documents, hundreds of messages sent over several years, sheds a clearer picture on the nature of her relationship with him.
They included a 2012 email from Mette Marit to Epstein in which she asked, “Is it inappropriate for a mother to suggest two naked women with surfboards as her five-year-old son’s wallpaper?”
Epstein then replied, “Let them decide,” and advised the mother to “stay out of it.”
In another email, Epstein told Mette-Marit that he was in Paris “looking for a wife” but that “I prefer Scandinavians.”
In response, Mette-Marit said Paris was “good for an affair,” but “Scandinavians” were “good for wives.”
In a statement after the documents were released, the Crown Princess said she felt “deep sympathy and solidarity” with the girls abused by Epstein.
She said she felt responsible for “not investigating Epstein’s background more thoroughly,” and expressed regret that “I had no contact with Epstein at all. I’m just embarrassed.”
Separately, Mette-Marit’s eldest son, Marius Borg Høiby, 29, appeared in court this week on multiple charges including rape and domestic violence. she mentioned in an email to Mr. Epstein.
In court on Wednesday, he denied charges of rape and filming people without their consent, but admitted transporting drugs and speeding while driving.
Hoiby was first arrested on suspicion of assault in August 2024. His trial will continue until March.
Police said the evidence against him included incriminating videos on his cellphone, including one that allegedly showed him assaulting an incapacitated woman at his parents’ Skaugam home west of Oslo in December 2018. He is accused of raping four women.
Hoiby has no royal title. He was born to Mette-Marit, a non-royal, while she was dating his heir, Prince Haakon, before marrying him in 2001. He has previously spoken out about his struggles with mental health issues and substance abuse.
