On Feb. 12, 2026, Norway’s economic crime unit, Økokrim, searched three properties belonging to Thorbjørn Jagland, his home in Oslo and holiday homes in Risør and Rauland, and charged him with aggravated corruption. Jagland was Norway’s prime minister in 1996 and 1997, later its foreign minister, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and secretary general of the Council of Europe from 2009 to 2019.

The case grew out of the U.S. Justice Department’s January release of Epstein files, which mention Jagland hundreds of times. According to Norwegian and international reporting, emails appear to show Epstein covering travel costs for Jagland and his family to visit his homes in Paris, New York and Palm Beach after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. A 2014 family trip to Epstein’s Caribbean island was planned and then canceled. That same year Jagland asked Epstein for help financing an Oslo apartment, and in 2018 Epstein asked him to set up meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Økokrim opened its investigation on Feb. 5. Because Jagland had immunity from his Council of Europe years, Norway asked the council to lift it, which it did unanimously, clearing the way for the charge. Investigators are examining whether he received gifts, travel or loans in connection with his positions between 2011 and 2018.

Jagland denies criminal liability and says he is cooperating. He has admitted that keeping up ties with Epstein may have shown poor judgment.