British authorities have taken former UK envoy to Washington, Peter Mandelson, into custody over claims that he disclosed classified government material to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement issued Monday, the 23rd of February, 2026, Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest, saying, “Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office.”
Consistent with UK policing guidelines that bar the naming of suspects prior to formal charges, the statement did not directly identify Mandelson.
However, investigators described the suspect as a “former government minister” connected to properties that were searched in Wiltshire and Camden, north London.
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Police further disclosed that the former minister was detained on Monday and transported to a London station, where he remains under formal interrogation.
Mandelson’s arrest follows months of scrutiny. In September 2025, he was removed from his diplomatic role in Washington after details surfaced regarding his association with Epstein. The same day news broke that authorities were examining allegations he may have disclosed sensitive state information, Mandelson stepped down from the Labour Party.
He has not made any fresh public remarks since the investigation intensified. However, he previously maintained that records released by the Department of Justice did not “indicate wrongdoing or misdemeanour on my part.”