Washington DC [US], February 26 (ANI): Borge Brende, the chief executive of the World Economic Forum, announced about his resignation on Thursday, after an independent investigation by the group into his ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, New York Times reported.

His resignation came less than a month after the release of the latest batch of files related to Epstein revealed that Brende, a former foreign minister of Norway, had allegedly stayed in contact with Epstein long after he had been convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution.

'We respect his decision to step down,' the forum said in its statement, expressing its appreciation to Brende for his 'instrumental' leadership over a 'pivotal period of reforms.'

As per New York Times, Brende said that after 'careful consideration,' he wanted the forum to continue its work 'without distractions.'

He is among several prominent Norwegians named in the documents released by the Justice Department in recent weeks, which exposed how Epstein had courted decision makers around the world.

Bob Kerrey, the former US senator from Nebraska has resigned from the board of a clean energy start-up in the state after documents released by the Department of Justice indicated that Kerrey and Jeffrey Epstein had met and corresponded over email more than a decade ago.

Lawrence Summers, the Harvard University economist and the school's former president will resign from teaching at the end of the academic year, according to a Harvard spokesman. The announcement comes after documents released by the Department of Justice showed a close relationship between Summers and Epstein long after Epstein was convicted of prostitution involving a minor, as per New York Times.

Hillary Clinton, the former first lady of the US, senator and secretary of state had no dealings with Epstein but is once again under pressure to answer for the actions and relationships of her husband.

Richard Axel, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist and professor announced that he was resigning as a co-director of a flagship neuroscience institute at Columbia University because of his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, as per the New York Times. (ANI)