The Metropolitan Police investigation into whether former Labour politician Peter Mandelson provided confidential government information to Jeffrey Epstein is reportedly at risk of collapsing. Detectives believe they require unredacted files from the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to pursue a misconduct in public office charge, but anticipate increasing unlikelihood of receiving them.
Scotland Yard's requests for the documents, initially made under an informal information-sharing agreement, have not been answered by the DoJ or the FBI. The force has since escalated its appeal through mutual legal assistance (MLA), a formal process for international cooperation in criminal probes. The impasse is understood to be partly due to the US administration's reluctance to share files that could potentially damage President Trump's reputation or set a precedent for future disclosures related to the Epstein scandal.
Mandelson's defense lawyers may argue that the redacted emails previously released by US agencies lack full context. The unredacted files are considered crucial for building a case, as the offense of misconduct in public office requires substantial documented evidence for a conviction.
Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party in February amid claims Epstein provided him with $75,000 between 2003 and 2004. Bank statements appear to show three $25,000 transactions referencing Mandelson. In 2009, Epstein also reportedly wired $10,000 to Mandelson's husband for an osteopathy course and other expenses.
A tranche of documents released by the DoJ included an image allegedly showing Mandelson in his underwear with an unidentified woman. Released emails also suggested Mandelson may have leaked market-sensitive information in 2008 while serving as Secretary of State for Business. He was arrested on a tip-off from House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who suggested Mandelson might be a flight risk, though the Met later apologized for inadvertently revealing Hoyle as the source.
Mandelson has not been charged with any offense and denies any wrongdoing. When questioned about his relationship with Epstein, he stated, "My knowledge of him is something I regret, I wish I'd never met him in the first place."
The Met Police are reportedly attempting to gather sufficient evidence by interviewing former colleagues of Mandelson. However, sources indicate that securing a prosecution without access to the unredacted Epstein files would be exceedingly difficult.
The DoJ stated it has not refused assistance to any jurisdiction investigating crimes related to Epstein, asserting that both US and UK authorities follow established legal procedures for sharing information. "The department remains committed to co-operating with all jurisdictions pursuing potential crimes and will continue to do so in accordance with federal law and longstanding practice," a spokesperson said.
In November 2025, then-President Trump signed a bill ordering the release of approximately 3.5 million documents related to Epstein, having previously opposed their disclosure. This decision followed pressure from Epstein's victims and members of his own Republican party.
The Epstein files have also raised questions regarding Trump's past relationship with the financier. Trump has stated he banned Epstein from his Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, after an alleged inappropriate advance toward a teenage guest and noted that women working at the club's spa were taken by Epstein.