The case of U.S. sex‑criminal Jeffrey Epstein is set to be investigated at the EU level, according to several European parliamentarians.
Marie‑Agnes Strack‑Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Security and Defence (FDP), told the “Handelsblatt” that Europol and the EU’s anti‑money‑laundering authorities should immediately and systematically assess existing findings. She added that, where necessary, they should cooperate closely with international partners, arguing that cross‑border networks can only be effectively uncovered through joint efforts.
Sergey Lagodinsky, vice‑chair of the Greens in the European Parliament, stressed the need for a European review of the scandal. “Where there are credible indications of cross‑border crime, money laundering or political influence, the issue must not stay purely national” he said. “If there are transnational money flows or organised structures, coordinated analysis by Europol and EU AML bodies is correct-supplementing national investigations and under clear parliamentary oversight”.
Strack‑Zimmermann noted that the revelations surrounding Epstein raise serious questions that cannot be bounded by continental or national borders. “If political decision‑makers, business actors or financial flows have been compromised or coerced, this is a security‑political problem for Europe as well” she said. “If there is evidence of a targeted foreign influence operation, it would be alarming. We know that authoritarian regimes deliberately target vulnerabilities of individual actors to destabilise democracies from within”.
