Police in Norway have opened an investigation into a high-profile diplomat and her husband over their links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mona Juul resigned as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq on Sunday, days after she was suspended following Norwegian media reports that each of her children would receive $5 million (£3.6 million) in a will allegedly signed by Epstein days before he died.
Emails released in the so-called Epstein files also appear to show that Juul's husband, Terje Rød-Larsen, had dinner with Epstein in Paris in June 2019, weeks before Epstein's arrest in the US on sex trafficking charges.
Juul's lawyer has stated she does not recognize the accusations made against her and Rød-Larsen's lawyer expressed confidence the investigation will reveal no basis for criminal liability.
Appearing in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing.
Norway's foreign ministry has said Juul's contact with Epstein revealed a serious lapse in judgment.
An aggravated corruption inquiry has been launched by the Norwegian economic crime unit Økokrim, with police stating they will investigate whether benefits were received in connection with Juul's position.
A property in Oslo has been searched in connection with the investigation.
Juul and Rød-Larsen were part of a small group of diplomats that negotiated the 1993-1995 Oslo Accords, regarded as a significant breakthrough in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Norwegian media reports indicate Rød-Larsen had extensive communication with Epstein and arranged multiple meetings with Juul.
The wider Epstein documents, released by the US Department of Justice last month, contain millions of private emails, images, and FBI reports into Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
Juul is the latest prominent figure from Norway drawn into the widening scandal surrounding the Epstein files, which have implicated individuals like Crown Princess Mette-Marit and former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland.
Mette-Marit issued a profound apology to Norwegians for her friendship with Epstein after it was revealed they exchanged messages for three years.
Jagland is under investigation for his alleged links to Epstein, with assurances of cooperation from his legal team.
The World Economic Forum has ordered an independent review into Borge Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, over his interactions with Epstein.
Brende has acknowledged dining with Epstein and is open to the WEF's decision to conduct a review.
