UK probes if Epstein used airbases for trafficking girls amid Andrew scrutiny

UK Defence Secretary John Healey has launched a formal investigation into whether the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein utilized Royal Air Force bases and military infrastructure for trafficking operations. The review, ordered this week, will involve officials examining more than twenty years of Ministry of Defence flight logs and records to identify any connections to Epstein's flights. This action comes directly in response to a formal demand from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who wrote to six police forces urging investigations into Prince Andrew's alleged use of government jets and RAF facilities to meet with Epstein during his official role as a UK trade envoy. The scandal has intensified with the recent arrest and release on bail of both Prince Andrew and former UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over their alleged links to Epstein.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed the review will scrutinize all departmental records related to Epstein-linked flights landing at RAF bases, with any evidence of criminal activity to be handed over to civilian police. An MoD spokesperson stated the department's full cooperation with police investigations, emphasizing that their "thoughts are with all the victims of Epstein’s vile crimes." The practice of private jets using spare capacity at RAF airfields is acknowledged, with private customers typically charged fees to cover costs. This high-level probe signifies a significant escalation in the UK's official response to the Epstein scandal, directly linking national defense infrastructure to the investigation and increasing pressure on figures like Prince Andrew, whose associations with Epstein have long been a source of controversy and now formal legal scrutiny.