WEF President Borge Brende steps down after Epstein links come to light
Geneva: Borge Brende has resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Economic Forum (WEF) after details of his past interactions with late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein surfaced in documents released by the United States Department of Justice last month.
Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who took charge of the WEF in 2017, announced his decision to step down on Thursday. His exit follows scrutiny over his contacts with Epstein, whose associations with global leaders and business figures have drawn attention in recent disclosures.
In a statement announcing his resignation, Brende said, “After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My time here, spanning 8-1/2 years, has been profoundly rewarding.” He did not refer to Epstein in the statement but added that he believed it was the right time for the Forum to continue its work “without distractions.”
The WEF, which organises the annual Davos summit, had earlier launched an independent review into Brende’s relationship with Epstein. The move came after the newly released files revealed that Brende had attended three business dinners with Epstein and had exchanged emails and text messages with him.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 for procuring a minor for prostitution and served about a year in prison. He continued to maintain contact with influential figures until 2019, when he was arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking underage girls. Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail that year.
Earlier this month, Brende stated that during a 2018 visit to New York, he had been invited by former Norwegian politician Terje Rod-Larsen to attend a dinner that included “someone who was presented to me as an American investor, Jeffrey Epstein.”
“The following year, I attended two similar dinners with Epstein, alongside other diplomats and business leaders. These dinners, and a few emails and SMS messages, were the extent of my interactions with him,” Brende said.
He maintained that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal background at the time. “I was completely unaware of Epstein’s past and criminal activities,” he said, adding that he would not have had any contact had he known about the financier’s history. He also expressed regret for not conducting a more thorough background check.
In a separate statement, WEF co-chairs Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink said the independent review carried out by external counsel had been completed. According to the findings, there were no additional concerns beyond what had already been disclosed.
The WEF announced that Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim President and CEO. The Forum’s board of trustees will oversee the leadership transition and begin the process of identifying a permanent successor.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
