By Staff, Agencies

Former UK ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson has been released on bail after being arrested as part of a misconduct in public office investigation connected to his past relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed Tuesday that a 72-year-old man detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office had been released pending further inquiries. Although authorities did not officially name the suspect, Mandelson had already been publicly identified. He was seen being escorted from his London residence by plainclothes officers.

The investigation centers on allegations that Mandelson shared confidential government information with Epstein roughly 15 years ago. Documents released last month by the United States Department of Justice—comprising millions of pages related to Epstein—include messages from 2009 suggesting that Mandelson, then a senior minister, discussed details of an internal report on post-2008 financial crisis fundraising strategies, including potential state asset sales. The correspondence also indicates he offered to lobby colleagues to ease a tax on bankers’ bonuses.

Earlier this month, police opened a criminal inquiry and carried out searches at Mandelson’s properties in London and western England. The January document release also shed further light on his association with Epstein, whom Mandelson once referred to as “my best pal.”

He was dismissed from his ambassadorial role in Washington in September by Prime Minister Keir Starmer after emails showed continued contact with Epstein following the latter’s 2008 conviction. Mandelson has since stepped down from the House of Lords but retains the title Lord Mandelson.

A prominent figure in the “New Labor” era under former prime minister Tony Blair and later a senior minister under Gordon Brown, Mandelson had previously resigned twice from government posts over separate ethical controversies, admitting errors while denying wrongdoing.

His arrest followed closely on the detention of Prince Andrew in a related but separate misconduct probe. Officers from Thames Valley Police searched Andrew’s residence in Norfolk and Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park. Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said authorities had opened an investigation after reviewing the allegations and acknowledged the high level of public interest in the case.

Andrew was released after approximately 11 hours in custody. Among the Epstein files are emails that appear to reference his official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore, as well as allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK for a sexual encounter with him.

Under UK law, misconduct in public office carries a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.