Norway's Økokrim has announced that it is broadening its investigation into allegations surrounding the International Peace Institute (IPI) and its former leader, Terje Rød-Larsen. The agency is assessing all factors that may suggest criminal activity, including potential human trafficking. This further follows a previous report made to the American FBI back in 2019 regarding connections between IPI and Jeffrey Epstein, which included disturbing allegations of Eastern European women being recruited for questionable internship positions.

In 2019, the Attorney General had deemed it inappropriate to initiate an investigation after receiving notifications about Epstein and IPI. The focus was on instances where young, attractive women from Eastern Europe, who lacked proper educational backgrounds, were allegedly offered temporary internship jobs at IPI. Reports suggest that images of these women were sent to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, raising significant concerns regarding their treatment and well-being.

The development of this investigation signifies a critical step in addressing these severe allegations and seeks to ensure accountability. As Økokrim delves deeper, the implications of their findings could resonate far beyond Norway, shedding light on potentially broader systemic issues related to human trafficking and exploitation in various organizations under the guise of legitimate internships or work opportunities.