Prosecutors are seeking to have him detained for up to four weeks due to concerns about a possible reoffending. Although Høiby has admitted to some less serious charges, he categorically denies the most serious ones. Several of his former partners are acting as plaintiffs, and the court has prohibited them from contacting him.
If the court finds him guilty, Høiby could face up to 16 years in prison. The trial, which is expected to last until mid-March, has already generated significant public interest in Norway.
Additionally, a new scandal has erupted surrounding the Norwegian royal family. Documents published in the U.S. allege that Høiby’s mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, maintained a relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein from 2011 to 2014.
According to Norwegian media, Mette-Marit’s name appears over a thousand times in documents provided by the U.S. Department of Justice. In response to these allegations, the Crown Princess issued a public apology, calling her connections with Epstein a "shame." The royal court confirmed that in 2013 she spent several days at Epstein's residence in Palm Beach but did not visit his private island.
Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon in 2001 and brought a son from her previous marriage into the royal family. Haakon is the legitimate heir to the Norwegian throne.
