Norway launches probe into 11 senior officials over US Epstein files links

What the report says

Norway’s parliament has opened a probe into 11 current and former senior officials over alleged links to Jeffrey Epstein and public grants tied to a Norwegian think tank. The inquiry includes Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, who has denied wrongdoing, and follows the release of Epstein-related records by the US Department of Justice earlier this year. The hearing began in Oslo on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera, with lawmakers seeking to determine whether foreign ministry decisions and development aid were handled properly.

The scrutiny centers on more than 130 million kroner, or about $13.5 million, in state support that Norway’s Foreign Ministry reportedly gave to the International Peace Institute between 1997 and 2018. The institute was led by prominent diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen for many years. Al Jazeera reported that Rod-Larsen, Stoere and other well-known Norwegian figures have appeared in media coverage and police investigations connected to Epstein’s network and alleged misconduct, including accusations involving corrupt practices. All of the individuals named in those investigations deny wrongdoing.

Parliament officials say the case raises broader questions about accountability, abuse of office and confidence in Norway’s public institutions. Stoere told lawmakers he never had a relationship with Epstein and said any problems were limited to individual lapses rather than a wider culture in the foreign ministry. A separate independent inquiry has also been established and is scheduled to deliver its final report by January 31, 2028.