The request from US lawmakers adds a new layer of political and legal jeopardy for Peter Mandelson, already under police investigation in Britain over his dealings with the disgraced financier.
Democrats seek Mandelson’s help in Epstein inquiry
Two Democratic members of the powerful US House Oversight Committee have formally asked Peter Mandelson to take part in their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s network.
In a letter sent this week, Representatives Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam urged the former cabinet minister and ex-UK ambassador to Washington to cooperate with a transcribed interview.
The lawmakers say Mandelson held “extensive social and business ties” to Epstein and “critical information” on his operations.
The request is not a subpoena and the committee cannot force Mandelson, a British citizen, to appear. Garcia and Subramanyam are instead seeking his voluntary participation in a staff interview focusing on Epstein’s “sex-trafficking operations” and any co-conspirators or enablers.
They have asked for a reply by 27 February, effectively setting a deadline for Mandelson to indicate whether he will speak to congressional investigators.
Letter targets alleged enablers and co-conspirators
The Democrats’ letter makes clear that their focus goes beyond Epstein himself, who died in a US jail in 2019.
They say the committee is trying to “uncover the entities of Mr Epstein’s co-conspirators and enablers and understand the full extent of his criminal operations”. In that context, Mandelson’s long-standing association with the financier is being treated as a potentially valuable source of detail on how Epstein moved in elite political and financial circles.
The lawmakers highlight that Mandelson has stepped down from the House of Lords and no longer represents the UK in Washington, yet still appears central to understanding Epstein’s access to senior figures in government and business.
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The Democrats frame Mandelson’s testimony as vital to mapping the networks that allowed Epstein to operate for years despite repeated allegations.
Mandelson’s response and previous apology
Lord Mandelson has not issued a fresh public statement since the letter emerged, but he has previously expressed regret about his ties to Epstein.
He has acknowledged that he maintained contact with the financier over several years and has apologised “to the women and the girls who suffered”. That apology has not quelled questions about how close the relationship was, and what information may have flowed between the two men.
The BBC has approached Mandelson for comment on the congressional request. People close to him have previously insisted he did nothing criminal and did not seek personal financial gain from his dealings with Epstein.
Parallel UK police investigation over market-sensitive leaks
While Democrats in Washington apply political pressure, Mandelson is already the subject of a criminal inquiry in the UK.
Last week, British police opened an investigation into allegations that he passed market-sensitive government information to Epstein. The allegations centre on Mandelson’s time as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s government in 2008.
The inquiry followed the release of a cache of emails by the US Department of Justice. Those documents appear to show Mandelson discussing sensitive policy moves with Epstein, including a proposed one-off tax on bankers’ bonuses being developed by the Treasury.
Other messages suggest Epstein may have received early word of a massive €500bn EU bailout package aimed at stabilising the euro.
If confirmed, such advance notice could have had enormous value to investors and traders. Detectives are now examining whether any laws were broken and whether Epstein or others used that information for financial gain.
From ambassador to sacking in Washington
The scandal has already cost Mandelson one of the most prestigious diplomatic roles in British public life.
He was appointed UK ambassador to the United States in February 2025, in a move that drew attention given his long political career and reputation as a seasoned operator in transatlantic relations.
In September, Downing Street abruptly dismissed him, citing “new information” about the depth of his relationship with Epstein. That decision signalled that concerns about Mandelson’s conduct were not confined to historic political gossip but had become a current risk for the government.
US Congress widens its focus beyond Mandelson
Mandelson is not the first high-profile British figure asked to cooperate with the House Oversight Committee’s Epstein inquiry.
In November last year, sixteen Democrats on the committee sent a similar request to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the royal formerly known as Prince Andrew, who has long faced scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal styles and titles, including “prince”, in October after sustained pressure and public anger over his ties to the financier. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing or criminal conduct.
Together, the approaches to Mandelson and Mountbatten-Windsor show that US lawmakers are deliberately testing how far key British figures are willing to cooperate with an American investigation into Epstein’s network.
What Democrats are trying to build
While the committee’s work is still at an early stage, several broad lines of inquiry are emerging. Lawmakers say they want to understand:
- How Epstein cultivated relationships with political, financial, and diplomatic elites
- Which individuals or institutions may have enabled his activities, knowingly or through negligence
- Whether sensitive government or financial information was exchanged or exploited
- How victims were recruited, controlled, and silenced across jurisdictions
Cooperation from foreign figures such as Mandelson could give investigators a clearer sense of how Epstein operated beyond US borders and how his reputation among global elites shielded him for so long.
Foreign Office payout and political fallout
Back in London, Mandelson’s dismissal as ambassador is creating its own administrative headache. The Foreign Office is reviewing the financial terms of his departure, including any pay-off or benefits granted when he was removed from the post.
Scrutiny of that package is likely to intensify if the police investigation advances or if US lawmakers publish detailed findings based partly on his interactions with Epstein.
British officials will be weighing reputational risks against legal obligations in any contract or departure agreement signed when Mandelson left the role.
Why Epstein’s network still matters
Jeffrey Epstein’s death in 2019 ended his personal criminal liability, but interest in his connections has barely faded. For victims, identifying enablers and co-conspirators is a route to some form of accountability and potentially further legal action.
For lawmakers, the case is a stress test of how well institutions protect vulnerable people when the alleged abuser is rich, well-connected, and socially useful to those in power.
The Mandelson request shows that questions about Epstein are moving deeper into the territory of political influence, lobbying, and financial intelligence.
There is also a clear cross-border dimension. If a UK politician is found to have leaked market-moving information to a US financier, that raises questions for financial regulators, intelligence agencies, and ethics watchdogs on both sides of the Atlantic.
Key terms and what could happen next
For readers trying to track the jargon around this story, a few phrases are central.
- Transcribed interview: A formal questioning session with congressional staff, recorded word-for-word, which can later be published or used in hearings.
- Market-sensitive information: Non-public data about government decisions or financial moves that could influence stock prices, currencies, or bonds.
- Enabler: A person or institution that, through action or inaction, helps someone like Epstein maintain access, reputation, or logistical support.
If Mandelson agrees to speak to the committee, his interview could be conducted privately at first, giving lawmakers a chance to test his account against documents and other witnesses. That might then lead to a public hearing, which would bring intense political theatre and global media attention.
If he refuses, Democrats could still place his name and unanswered questions in any final report, and UK authorities may feel extra pressure to show they are thoroughly investigating the allegations at home.
For other public figures with lingering Epstein ties, the current moves by Congress act as a warning. Any documented contact — from emails about policy to trips on private planes — may be revisited, reinterpreted, and potentially exposed, years after it seemed buried.