Marius Borg Høiby Trial: Accusations of Financial Motives Raised by Defense
OSLO DISTRICT COURT (Nettavisen) – Marius Borg Høiby, son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has denied allegations of rape and sexual assault, with his defense team suggesting potential financial motives behind some accusers’ testimonies. The trial, which has garnered significant media attention, centers around charges related to incidents dating back to 2018.
Accusations of Financial Incentive
During his testimony on Thursday, Høiby addressed claims made by Victim D, who stated she remembered waking up from “a hard blow to the abdomen.” Høiby flatly rejected this account, suggesting a possible financial motivation. “After this case came out, there have been quite a few false accusations. Maybe there is an economic motive,” he stated, according to Nettavisen. When pressed by prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø, he clarified, “I’m not in her head, but it doesn’t make sense to me at all. It can be.”
The court also heard testimony from Victim D’s sister, who confirmed that her sister had been contacted by media outlets offering financial compensation for participation in podcasts and potential Netflix documentaries. While the victim declined these offers, she did file a claim for financial compensation for loss of income due to the emotional burden of the case.
Defense Challenges Credibility
Høiby’s defense team, comprised of Ellen Holager Andenæs and Petar Sekulic, argued that the suggestion of financial motives stemmed from numerous accusations made after the case received media attention, many of which were later dropped. Andenæs explained that Høiby’s comment was primarily directed at those earlier, dismissed cases. Yahoo News reports that the defense believes some individuals may have made incorrect statements due to potential financial gain.
Legal Aid Lawyers Respond
Several legal aid lawyers representing the accusers refuted the claims of financial motivation. Hege Salomon, representing one of the complainants, dismissed the suggestion as a “classic” defense strategy – blaming the victims and alleging financial incentives. She emphasized that seeking compensation as a victim of rape is “very uncontroversial.”
Liss Vassbotn, another legal aid attorney, stated that her client was not motivated by financial gain, as she did not initiate the police investigation herself. Her client’s involvement stemmed from the discovery of images and videos of naked women on Høiby’s digital devices, to which she had not consented.
Broader Context
The trial coincides with scrutiny surrounding Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s past correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The BBC reports that the Crown Princess has expressed regret over the correspondence, and a private trip has been postponed amid the controversy. MSN notes the trial is occurring during a tense moment for the royal family.
Høiby faces a total of 38 charges, including several counts of rape. He has pleaded not guilty to the four charges of rape and admits to some of the other 34 charges against him, including transporting drugs and speeding.