Poland’s justice minister to probe Polish links to Epstein

WARSAW – Poland’s justice minister said on Feb 5 that secret service officials, prosecutors and police would join a team to look into Polish links to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Formed after the release of millions of new documents by the US Justice Department on Jan 30, which highlighted links between the alleged provider of underage women to many powerful figures, the team’s work could lead to a formal commission inquiry.

Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek has been named to lead the team. “As you know from media reports, Epstein’s circle included Poles,” Mr Zurek told journalists.

“It is said that his staff, which managed this dramatic, covert operation, included two Poles”.

Mr Zurek said Polish officials know the names of the two individuals – “a Polish woman and a Polish man” – but did not provide further information.

The justice minister said the team will determine whether there were activities involving Epstein and his network in Poland warranting further investigation, including the potential presence of Polish victims.

So far, according to Mr Zurek, “no victims of this practice have come forward... but we know that this recruitment of women may also be juvenile”.

The justice minister said the team’s work could eventually lead to a formal commission that would “want to request some of the classified documentation from the United States”, as part of an eventual investigation.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced on Feb 3 that

Poland would examine links between the disgraced financier and Russian intelligence.

But this was laughed off by the Kremlin. Its spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “let’s not waste our time”, in response to the accusations.

The first meeting of the Polish team is to take place next week, with much of its personnel already assembled. AFP