Jeffrey Epstein’s elite relationships visualised: the prince, the sultan and the politicians

The merchandise of nan Epstein files has reverberated astir nan world, starring to astatine slightest 9 resignations and investigations into high-profile figures, including nan erstwhile UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and nan ex-prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

The deluge of accusation has made it difficult to measure nan grade of nan connections but a Guardian information study reveals really frequent, heavy and longstanding his ties were to a number of high-profile figures.

The Guardian examined much than a cardinal emails released truthful acold and identified complete 150,000 unsocial emails betwixt Epstein and a prime group of elites and influential group (including those sent to aliases from assistants aliases adjacent associates).

In this two-part series, nan Guardian analyses correspondence betwixt much than 30 group and Epstein, and visualises nan online relationships of 7 high-profile figures. The first article looks astatine Mountbatten-Windsor, Mandelson, Trump’s erstwhile main strategist Steve Bannon, and nan Emirati billionaire Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem. Tomorrow, nan Guardian will attraction connected nan head Woody Allen, nan erstwhile caput of Barclays Jes Staley, and nan renowned economist and erstwhile US treasury caput Larry Summers.

Appearing successful nan Epstein files does not represent grounds of wrongdoing.

Steve Bannon: ‘get nexus to Brother Epstein’

Steve Bannon chiefly said to Epstein complete WhatsApp but nan Guardian identified almost 1,500 emails betwixt them aliases their assistants – mostly successful 2018, a twelvemonth aft Bannon near his White House role. The 2 men often discussed authorities and film.

In May 2018, Bannon sent Epstein a Guardian article astir a Dutch accumulation exploring his governmental propaganda. In a seeming reference to Leni Riefenstahl, he said nan Nazi filmmaker was “his hero”. (He has previously spoken about learning from her method while leaving “the authorities aside”.)

On Apr 22, 2018, astatine 7:31 AM, Jeffrey E. wrote:

we should spell spot it. . sean tin dress for illustration adolph and you for illustration leni

On Sun, Apr 22, 2018 astatine 7:39 AM, Steve Bannon wrote:

Leni my hero

In July 2018, Bannon forwarded Epstein an article detailing his plans to motorboat a rightwing instauration called “The Movement” successful Brussels. The matter explicitly mentioned Bannon’s courtship of “nationalists of nan correct from East to West”. Epstein responded pinch strategical advice:

From: Jeffrey E
To: Steve Bannon
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2018 02:02:16

If you are going to play present , you’ll person to walk clip , europe by distant doesn’t activity . Lots and tons of look clip and manus holding

Epstein besides acted arsenic an informal advisor to Bannon connected immoderate of his media projects, pinch Bannon asking him for feedback connected American Dharma, a documentary astir Bannon’s profession directed by Errol Morris (“Get nexus to Brother Epstein asap”), and successful August 2018 connected an early trim of Bannon’s movie astir nan US president, Trump @War.

Bannon has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing successful relationship pinch Epstein and told nan New York Times that his narration pinch nan disgraced financier had been strictly professional.

Epstein introduced Bannon to different high-profile people, including Kenneth Starr – nan precocious independent counsel who led an investigation into Bill Clinton’s narration pinch Monica Lewinsky – arsenic good arsenic nan businessman Tom Pritzker, nan celebrated leftwing world Noam Chomsky and Bin Sulayem, nan erstwhile chair of Dubai-based logistics group, DP World:

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem: ‘I see you a adjacent friend and I don’t person anyone I tin telephone a adjacent friend’

Bin Sulayem and Epstein had a prolific online correspondence, pinch adjacent to 4,200 nonstop emails exchanged from August 2005 – erstwhile nan early DP World chair is asked “what clip you would for illustration your massage coming successful New York” – to 2019.

Among nan galore emails, successful which nan 2 often referred to each different arsenic friends, shared recreation plans, business ideas, contacts and news articles (including immoderate astir longevity and an article astir nan resignation of a Liberian curate complete a activity scandal), location are intersexual references and messages discussing women.

In 2009, Epstein wrote an email saying: “Where are you? are you good I loved nan torture video.” The US lawman lawyer wide later appeared to confirm nan connection was sent to an email connected to Bin Sulayem. DP World and Bin Sulayem person not publically commented connected nan email.

Bin Sulayem resigned arsenic caput of DP World, which is yet owned by nan emirate’s royal family, after nan revelations complete his relationship pinch Epstein. Bin Sulayem has not been accused of wrongdoing aliases charged pinch crimes relating to Epstein.

From: Jeffrey Epstein
To: Sultan Bin Sulayem
Date: Tue 8/20/2013 12:38:34 AM
Subject: Re: London gateway larboard is getting fresh to unfastened this October

invite prince andrew.. one will shape if you want. besides . tin we integrated for joi ito to beryllium met successful dubai connected sept 2

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson: ‘A steadfast, generous and ultimate friend’

The erstwhile prince Andrew was arrested connected suspicion of misconduct successful nationalist agency connected 19 February complete allegations he shared confidential worldly pinch Epstein while serving arsenic a UK waste and acquisition envoy.

Mountbatten-Windsor, whose title was removed owed to his narration pinch Epstein, claimed to person first met nan businessman successful 1999, aft being introduced by Maxwell.

Email records released truthful acold chiefly show correspondence from 2009 to 2011, during and aft nan financier’s clip nether location apprehension aft his 2008 condemnation for soliciting adultery from a minor.

In 2010, aft his merchandise from location arrest, Mountbatten-Windsor congratulated Epstein and offered to meet successful Paris.

From: The Duke
To: Jeffrey Epstein
Subject: RE:
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2010 17:02:13 +0000

Really, really bully news. If you are successful Paris astir nan 16th I’ll beryllium crossed to salary homage to your caller life ahead!….

And arsenic acold arsenic things to do I have, pinch DS, a bully encephalon to make things happen. Even looking astatine purchases from authorities of up to £3B each.

A

HRH The Duke of York KG

The correspondence suggests respective meetings. In August that year, nan prince invited Epstein for meal astatine Buckingham Palace. After Jeffrey agreed, Andrew asked really galore group would beryllium there. Epstein responded:

From: Jeffrey Epstein
To: The Duke
Date: Mon Sep 27 18:31:11 2010

I want backstage clip pinch you„ however, one americium present pinch sarah writer and vera, should one bring them all. truthful arsenic to adhd immoderate life.

The aforesaid day, Mountbatten-Windsor confirmed nan clip pinch a “see you then” and later Epstein emailed to adhd different personification to nan list.

To: The Duke
From: Jeffrey Epstein
Date: Mon 9/27/2010 6:41:23 PM

add 1 more.. ███, romanian very cute

Mountbatten-Windsor did not respond to invitations to remark but has successful nan past denied wrongdoing successful narration to Epstein.

Sarah Ferguson – nan erstwhile duchess of York and Andrew’s woman from 1986 to 1996 – was besides successful regular interaction pinch Epstein. She enlisted his thief astir her near-bankruptcy and nan financier helped settee her debts to a erstwhile adjunct whom she appeared to beryllium conscionable short of £100,000. After nan communicative collapsed successful 2011, Ferguson wrote to Epstein acknowledging he had been a “steadfast, generous and ultimate friend” to her family, moreover arsenic she faced unit to region herself from him.

Peter Mandelson: ‘One of my champion friends’

Mandelson, a cardinal fig successful nan Labour statement since nan 1980s, was arrested and released connected bail complete claims he committed misconduct successful nationalist agency during nan people of his relationship pinch Epstein.

Mandelson, who has denied immoderate wrongdoing, had already mislaid his occupation arsenic ambassador complete his narration pinch Epstein and resigned from nan House of Lords and from nan Labour party.

Emails from 2009 look to show Mandelson passing connected a confidential appraisal of imaginable argumentation measures by an advisor to Gordon Brown, who was premier curate astatine nan time.

Mandelson besides appeared to talk a taxation connected bankers’ bonuses, corroborate an imminent bailout package for nan euro nan time earlier it was announced successful 2010 and counsel that nan caput of JP Morgan should “mildly threaten” nan UK chancellor.

The records show his interaction pinch Epstein lasted acold longer than his clip successful government.

The earliest emails successful nan files released truthful acold are betwixt Mandelson and Ghislaine Maxwell, pinch nan immense bulk of nan released correspondence betwixt Epstein and Mandelson relating to nan play betwixt 2008 and 2014. Maxwell and Mandelson joked astir his 2 erstwhile resignations from government.

From: Peter Mandelson
To: Ghislaine Maxwell
Date: 09:38 AM 6/17/2002 +0100

I emotion disgusting. That’s why I americium chaotic and dangerous, and doubly fallen….

From: G Max
To: Peter Mandelson
Date: 18 June 2002 01:56

Suffice it to opportunity that neither maine not excavation will lead to nan 3rd spill. You cognize what they opportunity though. 3rd clip lucky?

Gx

Mandelson referred to Epstein arsenic his “best pal” arsenic portion of a 2003 day book released last year. The emails show he continued to position Epstein arsenic 1 of his champion friends successful 2011, after his 2008 conviction.

From: Peter Mandelson
To: Jeffrey Epstein
Date: Thur 8/4/2011 1:13:04 PM

And a awesome instrumentality of your’s. Nat mentioned you astatine luncheon and she raced my remark that you are 1 of my champion friends and said you are nan nicest and cleverest group she knows and really overmuch you and ███ taught her.

The files besides show correspondence betwixt Epstein and Mandelson’s husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva. In an email successful 2009, Epstein appeared to nonstop thousands of pounds to Avila da Silva to money an osteopathy course. Mandelson and Avila da Silva joined successful 2023 aft 27 years together.

The wider network

As galore emails look aggregate times crossed nan files, nan Guardian utilized a ample connection exemplary to cleanable names and severely formatted dates, manually verified those results and de-duplicated erstwhile possible. However, owed to nan mediocre value of immoderate of nan scanned documents, arsenic good arsenic inconsistent redactions, nan study will person missed immoderate emails.

Most of nan emails shown successful nan study happened aft Epstein’s 2008 conviction, but this does not mean location was nary correspondence aliases connection earlier then, arsenic much documents are yet to beryllium released and galore of nan documents person been redacted.

Epstein’s connections extended to politicians and diplomats including nan former Norwegian PM Thorbjørn Jagland and elder diplomat Terje Rød-Larsen, who are nether investigation complete ties to Epstein, and nan erstwhile Israeli PM Ehud Barak and his wife, Nili Priel Barak. Barak has denied immoderate knowledge of inappropriate aliases unlawful behaviour. Jagland and Rød-Larsen are co-operating pinch investigators and contradict criminal wrongdoing.

Epstein besides had a prolific online connection pinch immoderate taste figures.

The Indian-American writer Deepak Chopra, who denied “any criminal aliases exploitative conduct”, and Epstein exchanged thousands of emails from 2016 to 2019. And Noam Chomsky’s extended correspondence besides progressive different members of his family. His woman and spokesperson, Valeria Chomsky, apologised for their “grave mistake”.

Epstein was first convicted successful 2008 for soliciting a insignificant for adultery and a caller investigation into nan financier was opened successful 2018. He killed himself successful situation while awaiting proceedings for activity trafficking successful 2019.

The thousands of emails show really he connected elites crossed finance, tech, authorities and nan arts world and was weighted for his networking abilities.

As Summers put it successful a 2017 email introducing Epstein to nan editor of a technological journal: “I cognize group who move among nan powerful, among nan able and among nan brilliant. Jeffrey does each 3 to a unsocial extent.”

Additional reporting by Sean Clarke, Oliver Holmes and Tom Richards