The UK Ministry of Defence has initiated an investigation to establish whether any Royal Air Force bases were accessed by Jeffrey Epstein during his visits to the country.
Defence Secretary John Healey has instructed officials to conduct a thorough review of records, emails, and any other material that could reveal whether the late financier’s private aircraft landed at military facilities. The review is part of a wider effort to clarify allegations that have resurfaced amid new evidence from US sources.
An MoD insider said the investigation would “ruthlessly pursue any information that can shed light on this scandal,” reflecting the department’s commitment to uncover any possible links.
The review comes after former Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for a formal police inquiry into whether Andrew Mountbatten Windsor used RAF bases to meet Epstein. Brown confirmed submitting a five page dossier to several police forces, including the Metropolitan, Sussex, and Thames Valley Police, containing fresh material drawn from documents recently released in the US.
Concerns have been raised over a flight taken by Epstein on a Gulfstream jet that reportedly landed at RAF Marham in Norfolk in December 2000. The base is situated about 20 miles from the Sandringham Estate, a royal property.
Last year, a BBC investigation revealed that approximately 90 flights connected to Epstein arrived and departed from airports in the UK, some carrying British women who later said they were abused.
At the time, the MoD stated that it is “standard practice for spare capacity at RAF airfields to be available for private or commercial aircraft, with fees covering all associated costs.” Mountbatten Windsor has repeatedly denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
Commenting on the latest review, an MoD spokesperson said: “The defence secretary has ordered a review of all records that the department may hold relating to Epstein flights landing at RAF bases to ensure that any information which relates to Epstein's crimes is uncovered and provided to the relevant authorities. The MoD will support any civilian police investigations. Our thoughts are with all the victims of Epstein's vile crimes.”
Separately, Essex Police said last week it was “assessing the information that has emerged” regarding private flights at Stansted Airport, following the US government’s release of Epstein-related material.
Stansted Airport confirmed that private flight operations are independent from the main terminal, noting that passengers arriving on private jets do not enter the public terminals.
All immigration and customs checks for private flights are carried out directly by Border Force, with the airport stating it has “no visibility of passenger arrangements on privately operated aircraft.”
