A US judge is planning to release documents, which allegedly reveal that Prince Andrew played a crucial role in protecting pedophile Jeffrey Epstein from receiving an extra 18 years of jail.
Federal judge Kenneth Marra has ordered Epstein's legal team to produce "extraordinary circumstances" as to why the papers should not be made public, News.com.au reported.
The 15,000 pages of suppressed material are believed to contain the names of several powerful figures, including Prince Andrew, who allegedly lobbied on Epstein's behalf.
Epstein was jailed for 18 months in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution. Had it not been for the plea deal, the 61-year-old could have been jailed for up to 20 years.
As details of the plea deal emerge, law commentators are questioning how Epstein's team managed to pull off such a coup in the first place and whether the FBI helped keep Prince Andrew's name out of the headlines during its 2005 investigation.
