The latest unsealing of millions of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation has triggered a wave of resignations and apologies across Europe, with Scandinavian elites particularly hard-hit.
Joanna Rubinstein, chair of Sweden for UNHCR, the fundraising arm of the UN Refugee Agency, stepped down today following revelations that she visited the convicted sex offender’s private Caribbean island in 2012, well after his 2008 prosecution for procuring a minor for prostitution.
Rubinstein, who travelled with her family, later thanked Epstein in an email, describing the stay as positive, according to the newly released files.
“This was not something the organisation or the board was previously aware of,” said Daniel Axelsson, press officer for Sweden for UNHCR, in a statement to Swedish media.
Rubinstein, a prominent figure in international philanthropy and former head of the World Childhood Foundation’s US operations, confirmed she met Epstein on one occasion but denied further contact.
Her resignation underscores the lingering fallout from Epstein’s network, which continues to expose high-level associations long after his 2019 death in custody while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
The scandal has also engulfed Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, wife of heir to the throne Crown Prince Haakon.
Newly released emails reveal extensive, flirtatious correspondence between Mette-Marit and Epstein from 2011 to 2013, including discussions on adultery, “wife hunting” and references to young Norwegian women.
She stayed at Epstein’s Palm Beach estate for four days in 2013 when he was absent and expressed boredom with royal duties, calling him a “sweetheart”.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre condemned her “poor judgement”, aligning with Mette-Marit’s own apology: “I showed poor judgement and regret having any contact with Epstein at all.”
The revelations add to ongoing royal woes, including her son Marius Borg Høiby’s recent indictment on sexual assault charges.
Other prominent Scandinavians have been drawn into the fray. Sweden’s Princess Sofia, a former model and reality TV star who married Prince Carl Philip in 2015, met Epstein multiple times around 2005 before his conviction through her mentor, Swedish-US businesswoman Barbro Ehnbom.
Emails show Ehnbom introducing Sofia as an “aspiring actress” and suggesting Epstein might like to meet her, with offers to fly her to the Caribbean, which she reportedly declined.
The Swedish Royal Court confirmed the brief social encounters, emphasising they occurred two decades ago and involved no further ties.
Sofia was notably absent from the 2025 Nobel Prize ceremony amid the scrutiny.
In Norway, former prime minister Thorbjørn Jagland, who later chaired the Nobel Peace Prize committee and served as Council of Europe secretary-general, planned a family holiday on Epstein’s Little Saint James island in 2014 but cancelled it.
Norwegian diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen resigned from the International Peace Institute in 2020 after admitting to securing donations from Epstein-linked foundations and maintaining a personal financial relationship with him.
Børge Brende, current President of the World Economic Forum and a former Norwegian foreign minister, is also named in the files, although details remain limited.
These Scandinavian connections highlight how Epstein’s web extended into Europe’s northern establishment, often through philanthropy, diplomacy and social circles.
Internationally, the 2026 file releases have sparked fresh turmoil. In Britain, Peter Mandelson – sacked as UK ambassador to the US in 2025 over Epstein ties – resigned his Labour Party membership yesterday after documents revived scrutiny of his friendship with the financier.
Former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faces renewed calls from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to co-operate with US investigators following photos showing him in compromising positions and offering invitations to Buckingham Palace dinners.
In Slovakia, diplomat Miroslav Lajčák stepped down as adviser to Prime Minister Robert Fico over mentions in the files, despite no accusations of wrongdoing being made against him.
Los Angeles Olympics chief Casey Wasserman, who co-chaired a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in 2016, apologised for “flirty” emails with Epstein’s accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak apparently also had deeper connections with Epstein than already known.
Barak kept contact with him until 2017, visiting him in his Manhattan property.
In a leaked 2013 audio recording, Epstein advised Barak to “look at” tech defence firm Palantir. Epstein also facilitated introductions, such as meetings with figures such as Ariane de Rothschild or others tied to finance and China.
Epstein’s foundations provided investment for a start-up Barak chaired.
Critics argue the scandals expose a broader failure of accountability among elites, with European Union and UN-linked figures facing particular questions about due diligence in international networks.
