Politicians, celebrities and royals have been caught up in the turmoil after the US Justice Department last week published a new cache of nearly three million documents related to the investigation of Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
Thorbjørn Jagland was Norwegian premier from 1996 to 1997 and secretary general of the Council of Europe from 2009 to 2019. Between January 2009 and March 2015, he also chaired the committee that selects the Nobel Peace Prize winner.
The police "have opened an investigation into... Thorbjørn Jagland, on suspicion of aggravated corruption", said its economic crime unit, Okokrim, in a statement.
"There are reasonable grounds for investigation, given that he held the positions of chair of the Nobel Committee and Secretary General of the Council of Europe during the period covered by the released documents," Okokrim director Pal K. Lonseth said.
"Among other things, Okokrim will investigate whether gifts, travel and loans were received in connection with his position," the statement added.
READ MORE: Who are the Norwegian names in the newly released Epstein files?
'Clarification'
Jagland's lawyer, Anders Brosveet, told AFP that "we are calm about the outcome of the investigation".
"It is good for Jagland to receive an authoritative clarification from Okokrim, rather than having the entire press corps conducting their own little private investigations," he added.
Okokrim has asked the foreign ministry to lift the immunity Jagland enjoys as former Council of Europe chief.
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said Thursday that Norway would submit a proposal to the council to revoke Jagland's immunity.
Norwegian newspaper VG reported this week that Jagland had extensive contact with Epstein, citing the latest documents released by the DOJ.
Jagland had asked Epstein for financial help to buy an apartment, it reported.
Jagland, 75, told VG he had obtained all his property loans from Norwegian bank DNB.
The released documents show that he had stayed with Epstein in New York in 2018, as well as in Epstein's Paris apartment in 2015 and 2018.
The former leader had planned a family trip to Epstein's island in 2014, which was ultimately cancelled.
Some of their reported exchanges have caused a stir in Norway.
"I have been in Tirana (Albania) extraordinary girls," Jagland wrote in an email to Epstein dated May 2012.
"I can't keep it going only with young women as you know," he said in January 2013.
On Sunday, Jagland told newspaper Aftenposten that he had shown "poor judgment" by maintaining ties with Epstein.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute said Wednesday it was awaiting an explanation from Jagland over the reported links.
The mention of someone's name in the files does not necessarily imply wrongdoing.
But the published documents show connections between Epstein or his circle and certain public figures who have often downplayed, or even denied, their existence.
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