Everything centers around Andrew's friend Epstein, a billionaire investment banker who has been accused of soliciting underage girls for sex. The claims first popped up in 2005, when a woman reported that her 14-year-old daughter had been taken to Epstein's Palm Beach mansion and was paid $300 to strip down to her underwear and massage him. This resulted in an undercover investigation, which unearthed evidence that Epstein would hire young women to give him erotic massages. In June 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a single state charge of soliciting prostitution and served 13 months in jail. This is in addition to several civil suits that have been filed against Epstein over the years, some of which have been thrown out or settled out of court.
Epstein and Andrew's friendship is well-documented. The pair reportedly became friends in 2000 after Andrew attended a function in Florida with Epstein. The banker had many famous friends — including Bill Clinton and Kevin Spacey — and Andrew stood by Epstein during his legal troubles. In 2011, shortly after Epstein's release from prison, Andrew was spotted strolling through Central Park in NYC with the disgraced businessman and registered sex offender. This proved to be a step too far on Andrew's part, and he was forced to resign from his role as UK special representative for international trade and investment. In July 2011, it was reported that Andrew had cut off all ties to Epstein.
