Newly released documents linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case have brought renewed attention to allegations involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the late convicted sex offender, underscoring how long-running legal scrutiny continues to surface claims connected to Epstein’s activities.

According to a legal letter included in the latest tranche of Epstein-related files, an unnamed exotic dancer alleged that she was asked to “engage in various sex acts” with Epstein and Mountbatten-Windsor during an encounter at Epstein’s Florida residence in 2006. The letter, written by the woman’s lawyers and dated March 2011, claims she had initially been offered $10,000 to dance at the property.

The document states that after performing, the woman was allegedly asked by Epstein and Mountbatten-Windsor to participate in a threesome. Her lawyers wrote that she declined to have sex, saying she had been hired only to dance, but claimed that she was later pressured into sexual acts. The letter further alleges that she was paid only $2,000 of the agreed $10,000 fee.

According to the account, the woman and other exotic dancers from Rachel’s Strip Club in West Palm Beach were chauffeured to Epstein’s home, where she said she observed “other young women dressed provocatively,” some of whom she believed appeared to be underage. The letter claims she was taken upstairs and introduced to Mountbatten-Windsor by Epstein before being asked to perform.

The legal correspondence also alleges that after the encounter, the woman was invited to travel with Epstein and Mountbatten-Windsor to the Virgin Islands, an offer she said she declined. Her lawyers wrote that she later agreed to keep the matter confidential in exchange for a proposed settlement of $250,000, although it remains unclear whether any settlement was ever reached.

The letter explains that the woman had not pursued the claims earlier because she felt ashamed of the situation, despite working as an exotic dancer. “She was not proud of the circumstances of that night,” the document says, adding that she felt she had been “treated like a prostitute.”

As with other materials released from the Epstein files, the claims outlined in the letter remain allegations rather than court-tested findings. Their publication nevertheless reflects ongoing efforts by courts and authorities to make public records related to Epstein’s network and conduct, a process that continues to bring greater transparency to a case that has had global ramifications.

A US federal judge has sentenced Ryan Routh to life in prison for attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the 2024 election campaign, bringing a decisive conclusion to one of the most serious security cases in recent American political history.

Routh, 59, was convicted last year of attempting to kill Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September 2024, when Trump was still a presidential candidate. The sentencing underscores the gravity with which the US justice system treats threats against democratic processes and national leadership.

In a sentencing memorandum, Judge Aileen Cannon said Routh’s actions “undeniably warrant a life sentence,” citing the sustained and deliberate nature of the plot. She noted that Routh “took steps over the course of months to assassinate a major Presidential candidate, demonstrated the will to kill anybody in the way, and has since expressed neither regret nor remorse to his victims.”

The incident was thwarted after a US Secret Service agent on duty spotted the barrel of a rifle protruding from bushes near the golf course. The agent immediately fired at the suspect, prompting Routh to flee. He was later arrested nearby without further harm to the public or to Trump, a response widely credited to the vigilance and rapid action of security personnel.

Although investigators said Routh did not have a clear line of sight to Trump at the time, federal agents testified that a semiautomatic rifle fitted with a scope and an extended magazine was recovered from the hiding place. Jurors were also told that Routh had compiled a list of locations where Trump was likely to appear and had written a note to a friend explicitly describing the plan as “an assassination attempt.”

Routh, a native of North Carolina who had been living in Hawaii before his arrest, pleaded not guilty and chose to represent himself at trial, which began on 8 September. Throughout the proceedings, he displayed erratic behaviour, at times challenging Trump to a game of golf and making disjointed references to figures such as Adolf Hitler and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following the jury’s guilty verdict, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen in the courtroom before US marshals intervened and escorted him out, an incident that further highlighted the volatile nature of the case.

In his closing statement, delivered in the third person, Routh ranged across unrelated subjects including US history, the Russia-Ukraine war and his stated plans to buy a boat. Judge Cannon repeatedly interrupted the statement and eventually cleared the courtroom to maintain order.

Prosecutors said the evidence presented left little doubt about Routh’s intentions. Lead prosecutor John Shipley told the court that a “mountain of evidence” demonstrated “how close he got to actually pulling this off,” reinforcing the seriousness of the threat that was averted.

Routh’s lawyer, Martin Ross, confirmed that an appeal would be filed, but the life sentence ensures he will remain incarcerated while any further legal challenges proceed.

The Florida incident was the second attempt on Trump’s life in 2024. In July of that year, a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing one person and injuring several others, including Trump. The shooter, later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was shot dead by officers at the scene.

Former US President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify before Congress as part of the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, easing a months-long standoff just days before a planned vote to hold the couple in criminal contempt.

The decision comes ahead of a looming House vote on whether to sanction the Clintons for declining to appear before the Republican-led committee. Following confirmation that both will now testify, lawmakers announced that consideration of the contempt resolutions would be postponed.

It remains unclear when the depositions will take place, but the move would mark a rare moment in congressional history. If Bill Clinton appears, he would become the first former US president to testify before a congressional panel since Gerald Ford did so in 1983.

Bill Clinton was acquainted with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The former president has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and has said he severed ties with him more than 20 years ago. Hillary Clinton has stated that she never met or spoke to Epstein.

The Clintons had previously resisted the committee’s demands, arguing that they had already provided sworn written statements reflecting what they described as their “limited information” about Epstein. Their legal team dismissed the committee’s subpoenas as politically motivated, calling them an attempt to embarrass political rivals.

The House Oversight Committee nevertheless voted late last month to advance contempt proceedings, with the measure receiving support from several Democrats as well as Republicans. Over the weekend, lawyers for the Clintons proposed limited testimony, centred largely on a four-hour interview with Bill Clinton, though committee chairman James Comer raised concerns that such an arrangement could restrict questioning.

On Monday evening, Bill Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Angel Ureña, confirmed on social media that both Clintons would appear before the panel.
“They negotiated in good faith,” Ureña wrote, addressing the committee. “You did not. They told you under oath what they know, but you don’t care. But the former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone.”

Soon after, House Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx said the contempt vote would be delayed to allow more time “to clarify with the Clintons what they are actually agreeing to”. Chairman Comer said he would review the terms and then consult with committee members on the next steps.

Neither Bill nor Hillary Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein’s abuse, and both have firmly denied any knowledge of his criminal activities. Supporters of the move to testify say it could help bring greater transparency to the investigation and reduce political tensions surrounding the inquiry.