Federal prosecutor who investigated Jeffrey Epstein and Diddy is suddenly fired

The US Department of Justice has fired veteran federal prosecutor Maureen Comey, who worked on high-profile cases, including those against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and famous rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs.

The news of her departure from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York has been confirmed to CBS by reliable sources, but the reasons for her dismissal have not yet been made clear. According to sources close to the matter, she has not received any official explanation for the decision, writes A2 CNN.

Maureen Comey is the daughter of James Comey, the former FBI director who was fired by President Donald Trump in 2017. US media reported that Trump has privately said that he does not want another "Comey" in his administration.

Her dismissal comes at a critical time, as the Attorney General's Office, led by Pam Bondi, faces intense criticism over its handling of the Epstein-related files. Bondi had previously hinted that she would release a list of Epstein's clients, but recently stated that there is no "incriminating list" and that there will be no further releases.

Epstein, a notorious financier and convicted paedophile, died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on serious sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, but speculation about a cover-up continues to circulate in public opinion.

Another possible factor behind Comey's firing is her team's failure to convict Sean "Diddy" Combs on the most serious charges of trafficking and organized crime. The rapper was found guilty of only lesser charges earlier this month.

Meanwhile, her father, James Comey, is under investigation by the US Secret Service for a since-deleted Instagram post that federal authorities interpreted as a call for violence against President Trump. The prosecution is also reviewing his testimony before Congress in connection with the investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Since Donald Trump returned to power in January of this year, the Justice Department has undertaken a wave of firings of officials involved in sensitive investigations into the president. Just last week, Attorney General Bondi fired at least 20 people who had worked on Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigations into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Also, several prosecutors who had prosecuted participants in the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, have been removed from office. The Department of Justice has not yet provided an official comment on the dismissal of Maureen Comey. (A2 Televizion)