Norway's crown princess says she was 'manipulated and deceived' by Epstein

Norway‘s Crown Princess Mette-Marit said on Friday she regretted her friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, seeking to contain one of the biggest scandals to hit the country’s royal family

Norway‘s Crown Princess Mette-Marit said on Friday she regretted her friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, seeking to contain one of the biggest scandals to hit the country’s royal family.

The U.S. Justice Department’s release of millions of Epstein documents has sent shockwaves around the world, revealing the disgraced financier’s ties to prominent people, including the crown princess and top Norwegian politicians, business executives and diplomats.

“I was manipulated and deceived,” Mette-Marit said in a tearful interview with public broadcaster NRK screened on Friday morning.

“Of course, I wish I had never met him,” she said of Epstein.

Add NBC News to GoogleU.K. releases documents showing PM Starmer knew risk of appointing Epstein’s friend as ambassador 04:03The files showed frequent communication between Mette-Marit and Epstein that occurred long after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting an underage girl. The 52-year-old crown princess, who apologized to King Harald and Queen Sonja in a February 6 statement, has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.