Revelations from newly released Jeffrey Epstein documents have brought down senior figures across Europe, triggering resignations and investigations, while the political and public fallout in the United States has so far been far more restrained.
The huge trove of Epstein documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice has sent shock waves through Europe's political, economic and social elites - dominating headlines, ending careers and spurring political and criminal investigations.
Former U.K. Ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson was fired and could go to prison. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces a leadership crisis over the Mandelson appointment. Senior figures have fallen in Norway, Sweden and Slovakia. And, even before the latest batch of files, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III, lost his honors, princely title and taxpayer-funded mansion.
Apart from the former Prince Andrew, none of them faces claims of sexual wrongdoing. They have been toppled for maintaining friendly relationships with Epstein after he became a convicted sex offender.
"Epstein collected powerful people the way others collect frequent flyer points," said Mark Stephens, a specialist in international and human rights law at Howard Kennedy in London. "But the receipts are now in public, and some might wish they'd traveled less."
