Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul resigns amid corruption charges

Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul, accused of gross corruption linked to her ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has resigned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dagbladet reports.

Juul’s lawyer, Thomas Skjelbred, confirmed her departure, stating she will formally retire on May 1, coinciding with her eligibility for pension. “In light of the ongoing processes in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Storting [Norwegian parliament], and Økokrim [Norway’s National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime], Juul has decided it is appropriate to step down to avoid further strain on the institution,” Skjelbred said in a statement.

Juul, formerly Norway’s ambassador to Jordan and Iraq, was stripped of her title after being charged with gross corruption on February 9. Leaked documents revealed her and fellow diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen maintained close contact with Epstein.

“Juul had not hoped to end her long career in the Norwegian foreign service this way, but she believes this is the right decision,” Skjelbred added. He clarified that Juul is retiring on standard terms.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously confirmed to Dagbladet that Juul remained employed as of March 27, though she had not been listed in the department’s public directory. The ministry has not yet responded to further inquiries.