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Peter Mandelson, the former United Kingdom ambassador to the United States, was arrested Monday (February 23) by London's Metropolitan Police on suspicion of misconduct in public office, as part of an ongoing investigation into his ties with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Officers detained the 72-year-old at his home in Camden, north London, before taking him to a police station for questioning. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest in a statement, saying: "Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was arrested at an address in Camden on Monday, 23 February and has been taken to a London police station for interview. This follows search warrants at two addresses in the Wiltshire and Camden areas."
The arrest stems from allegations that Mandelson passed sensitive, market-moving government information to Epstein in 2009, while serving as a minister under then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He does not face any allegations of sexual misconduct.
The investigation was launched on February 3 after the U.S. Department of Justice released millions of documents, some of which appear to show Mandelson leaking sensitive political and financial information to Epstein. Police subsequently searched two properties linked to Mandelson — one in Camden and one in Wiltshire, roughly 100 miles west of London — earlier this month.
Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing.
Mandelson is a long-standing figure in British politics, having played a central role in the New Labour movement and former Prime Minister Tony Blair's landslide election victory in 1997. Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed him as the UK's ambassador to Washington in December 2024, though Mandelson was dismissed from the post in September 2025 after emails revealed the depth of his friendship with Epstein following the financier's 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor. He later stepped down from the House of Lords but retains his title due to parliamentary procedure.
Mandelson's arrest comes less than a week after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicion of the same offense in connection with his own ties to Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor was released after 11 hours in custody and remains under investigation — meaning he was neither charged nor exonerated.
Under British law, misconduct in public office requires investigators to establish that the suspect held a public role, willfully neglected or abused that role, breached the public's trust in a serious way, and acted without reasonable excuse or justification.
Starmer's political standing has also come under pressure. His decision to appoint Mandelson drew significant scrutiny, and his future as prime minister may hinge on the release of files connected to the appointment.
Mandelson's case remains open, and no charges have been announced. It is not yet known when a charging decision might be made.