Norway police investigate diplomat over Epstein links

Norway’s high-level economic crime unit, Økokrim, launched a formal investigation on Thursday into celebrated veteran diplomat Mona Juul and her husband Terje Rød-Larsen over allegations of "aggravated corruption" linked to their former association with deceased American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The probe aims to determine whether the couple, who are currently based in Oslo but have operated internationally for decades, accepted personal financial benefits or loans from Epstein that may have improperly influenced their prestigious diplomatic and non-profit work. This investigation follows years of mounting public scrutiny regarding how Epstein managed to cultivate deep ties with Norway’s foreign policy elite under the guise of philanthropy and international mediation. The couple is widely recognized for their historic roles in brokering the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, a milestone that cemented their status as giants of Norwegian diplomacy. However, the current allegations center on high-interest loans and financial support provided by Epstein to the International Peace Institute (IPI), a New York-based think tank that Rød-Larsen led for many years. Juul, who until recently served as Norway’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, is also under scrutiny for any potential involvement or knowledge of these transactions while representing the Norwegian state on the global stage. While Terje Rød-Larsen resigned from his position at the IPI in late 2020 following revelations of a personal $130,000 loan from Epstein, the escalation to a criminal investigation for "aggravated corruption" marks a significant intensification of the case. Norwegian law defines aggravated corruption as a serious criminal offense, particularly when involving high-ranking public officials or significant financial sums. The authorities are expected to examine a complex web of international bank transfers and meeting logs to determine if any official diplomatic actions were compromised by the clandestine financial relationship between the couple and the disgraced financier.