Jeffrey Epstein used his ties with the head Nobel Peace Prize committee, Thorbjorn Jagland, in his chats with elites like Richard Branson, Larry Summers, Bill Gates and Steve Bannon.
The millions of documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein mention the name of Jagland about a million times. Thorbjorn Jagland headed the Norwegian Nobel Committee from 2009 to 2015, Associated Press reported.
So far, the documents do not show any direct lobbying for the Nobel Peace Prize. However, Epstein frequently highlighted that he had hosted Jagland at his properties in New York and Paris in the 2010s.
Epstein hosted Jagland, invited others
In 2018, Epstein exchanged various text messages with Steve Bannon, an ally of US President Donald Trump, related to Trump’s interest in peace prize. At one point, Epstein writes, “Donald’s head would explode if he knew you were now buds with the guy who on Monday will decide the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Epstein also sent an email in 2013, telling British entrepreneur and magnate Richard Branson that Jagland would be staying with him in September. Jeffrey also invited Branson to meet Jagland and said he “might find him (Jagland) interesting.”
A similar email was also sent to Kathy Ruemmler, a year after she left a job as White House counsel to President Barack Obama. The email reportedly said, “Head of Nobel Peace Prize coming to visit, want to join?”
The convicted sex offender also wrote to the former Treasury Secretary and Harvard University president Larry Summers about Jagland, saying, “head of the Nobel Peace Prize staying with me, if you have any interest.” Epstein referred to Jagland as “not bright” but someone who offered a “unique perspective.”
The financier wrote to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in 2014, informing him that Jagland had been reelected as head of the Council of Europe. In response, Gates wrote, “I guess his peace prize committee job is also up in the air?”
During Jagland’s tenure as chair of the committee, it gave the peace prize to Obama in 2009 and to the European Union in 2012.
Thorbjorn Jagland was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein through Terje Rod Larsen, a Norwegian diplomat known for helping broker the Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and the Palestinians.
Nobel committee head under investigation
Jagland, who has been mentioned in the documents released by the US Justice Department last month, has now been charged with “aggravated corruption” in connection with the files, Associated Press reported, citing the economic crime unit of Norwegian police.
The Norwegian crime unit said that investigations are underway related to whether gifts, travel and loans were received in connection with Jagland’s position. Police has searched his Oslo residence along with two other properties.
Meanwhile, the Peace Prize Committee head has denied the charges, his lawyers informed.
(With inputs from Associated Press)