The European Commission has asked the EU’s anti-fraud agency to investigate Lord Mandelson following the publication of documents in the United States related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reports, as cited by Gazeta Express.
The request to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) was made last week, a Commission spokesperson said, after communications between the peer and Epstein were among the released documents.
Lord Mandelson served as the European Commission’s Trade Commissioner from 2004 to 2008. He later became the UK Business Secretary, during which time the emails disclosed in the United States appear to show that he provided Epstein with confidential government information.
The EU referral follows his arrest by UK police on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Lord Mandelson has not publicly commented on the allegations, but it is understood that his position is that he did not act in any criminal manner and was not motivated by financial gain.
Emails released by the U.S. government last month suggest that the 72-year-old peer gave Epstein advance notice of a €500 billion (£438 billion) bailout package to rescue the struggling euro in 2010.
A European Commission spokesperson told the BBC that, as a member of the Commission, Lord Mandelson was subject to obligations under a code of conduct.
“On this basis, and given that new documents were recently published, we are reviewing them and assessing whether there has been any breach of the relevant obligations,” she said.
