The son of two high-ranking Norwegian diplomats is reported to have died by suicide amidst an investigation into their connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Edward Juul Rod-Larsen, 25, who inherited $5 million from Epstein, was discovered deceased in Oslo. The inquiry was initiated following revelations in files from the US Department of Justice linking the diplomats, Terje Rod-Larsen and Mona Juul, to Epstein. Although the parents have not faced any allegations, authorities are looking into the matter.

The couple, along with their children, were mentioned in emails suggesting a visit to Epstein’s private island in 2011. The family denies receiving any part of the $10 million Epstein allocated to their children in his will, a sum equivalent to what he left his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The lawyers of Rod-Larsen and Juul attribute Edward’s tragic decision to end his life to the intense public scrutiny surrounding their ties to Epstein.

Both Rod-Larsen and Juul have held prominent positions in the diplomatic sphere, with Rod-Larsen serving as Deputy Secretary-General of the UN and Juul as a former State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Juul, who resigned as Norway’s ambassador to Jordan amid Epstein-related scrutiny, clarified that her interactions with Epstein were indirect through her husband, disassociating herself from any direct ties.

The tragic incident has shed light on the challenges faced by the family due to their perceived association with Epstein, with the couple expressing their dismay over the relentless public focus that has impacted not only them but also their children. They emphasized the complexity of suicide and denounced speculative connections as irresponsible and undignified.