Newly-released emails related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have laid bare the extent of his relationships with several high-profile figures.
More than 3 million pages, 180,000 images and 2,000 videos were made public by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday, coming six weeks after a deadline signed into law by US president Donald Trump to mandate all Epstein-related files be released.
But the revelations around his apparent communication with Lord Peter Mandelson are among the most explosive, with potentially major implications for both the former cabinet minister and wider political sphere.
The extraordinary exchanges appear to show a lengthy, wide-ranging and intimate relationship between the disgraced financier and Lord Mandelson, including, most notably, when he served as business secretary in Gordon Brown’s Labour government.
Emails suggest the former minister shared internal cabinet business with Epstein, giving him key updates before they were announced and, on at least one occasion, seemingly helping him to lobby the government.
But the emails also suggest the pair were friends as well as strategic business partners, with Lord Mandelson telling the sex offender “you are one of my best friends”, and writing: “Where r u? I miss you.”
Much of this took place after the financier’s conviction for solicitation of prostitution and of solicitation of prostitution with a minor in June 2008, and his subsequent 13-month prison term, with Lord Mandelson resigning from the Labour Party as the latest documents were revealed.
Here, The Independent takes a look at some of the major emails believed to have been exchanged between the pair.
‘Finally got him’: How Mandelson ‘persuaded Gordon Brown to quit’
During his time as business secretary from 2008 to 2010, Lord Mandelson is believed to have shared several key pieces of internal information with Epstein, revealing what was happening at the heart of government.
But it was on 10 May 2010 that one of the most significant emails appears to have been sent. In a message to Epstein, Lord Mandelson revealed he had “finally got him [former prime minister Gordon Brown] to go today”.
Epstein responded, saying: “I have faith, the value of some chapters in your book should now increase”.
Mr Brown made a statement outside No 10 hours later, announcing his resignation.
‘Going to bed after a day of drama’
Just days earlier, Lord Mandelson also appeared to inform Epstein of the yet-to-be-announced €500bn bailout of the Euro.
The email read: “Sources tell me 500 b euro bailout, almost compelte [sic].” The next message confirmed: “Sd be announced tonight”.
A subsequent email said he was just leaving No 10 and would call. There was another email which read: “Going to bed after a day of drama”.
It was the next day that EU ministers agreed a €500bn deal to lend money to eurozone states.
‘Interesting note to PM’: How Mandelson ‘sent secret Whitehall information to paedophile’
The year prior, 2009, Lord Mandelson appeared to forward an email from the then prime minister Mr Brown’s former special adviser, Nick Butler, to Epstein, who was under house arrest at the time. The Whitehall document, addressed ‘Dear Gordon’, was sent to the prime minister and several high-ranking members of the government.
In it, Mr Butler shares market-sensitive information, mentioning that business leaders had raised concerns about the government holding on to publicly-owned “saleable” assets along with the government’s intention to sell £20bn in assets. Lord Mandelson apparently forwarded the document with the comment: “Interesting note that’s gone to the PM.”
Epstein asks for clarification on this, before the reply email says: “Land, property I guess”.
Mandelson ‘forwarded on No 10 memo’ – in four minutes
Another occasion on which Lord Mandelson appeared to loop Epstein in on government business came on 2 August 2009. Baroness Shriti Vadera, then a junior minister and adviser to Mr Brown, had sent a memo with proposals around getting banks to increase their lending.
This was sent to other advisers in No 10, alongside the prime minister’s principal private secretary Jeremy Heywood and Lord Mandelson.
Mr Heywood replied to share his thoughts on the email and, four minutes later, it appears the email chain was forwarded to Epstein by Lord Mandelson.
Epstein told Lord Mandelson to ‘mildly threaten’ chancellor over bankers’ bonus tax
Over several days in December 2009, Epstein asked Lord Mandelson to lobby the government to amend the upcoming bank bonus tax so that it only applied to cash bonuses, rather than non-cash elements such as share options which were often more valuable.
Lord Mandelson appears more than open to his request, telling Epstein that he is “trying hard to amend” the policy and delivering updates such as: “Treasury digging in”.
The financier warns that “gb [Gordon Brown] needs friends in May”, referring to the upcoming general election, then orders the business secretary to “amend it” and “deliver the message personally to dimon”, referring to Jamie Dimon, who has been CEO of JPMorgan Chase since 2006.
A few days later, Epstein asks Lord Mandelson if Mr Dimon should call then chancellor Alistair Darling “one more time” about the issue, to which the minister replies: “Yes and mildly threaten”.
Darling, who died in 2023, wrote in his biography that Mr Dimon called him a few days later and “was angry, very angry”. “He said that his bank bought a lot of UK debt and he wondered if that was now such a good idea,” the book said.
Mr Epstein also asks the minister if a small business fund could be established “in exchange” for a reduction in tax.
How Epstein funded Mandelson’s partner’s osteopathy course
The full extent of financial exchanges between Lord Mandelson and Epstein remains unknown, but details of many alleged payments have come to light in recent days.
In 2003 and 2004, Epstein’s account statements show that he wired a total of $75,000 to Lord Mandelson and his partner and now-husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva.
Responding to questions about the payments on Sunday, Lord Mandelson said: “I have no record and no recollection of receiving these sums and do not know if the documents are authentic”.
A few years later, in 2009, Mr da Silva would request help from Epstein to pay for his osteopathy course, which the financier gladly did.
On Monday, a Times article published a response from Lord Mandelson over the course funding. “The idea that giving Reinaldo an osteopath bursary is going to sway mine or anyone else’s views about banking policy is risible,” he said.
‘Hung parliament’ or ‘a well hung young man’
On the day of the 2010 general election, 6 May, Epstein emailed Lord Mandelson for an update, asking “well?”
The former minister appears to reply to the financier around 20 minutes later, a few hours before polls were due to close: “we are praying for a hung parliament. Alternatively, a well hung young man”.
Dishing out career guidance on ‘reputation and stature’
After Labour’s 2010 election defeat, Lord Mandelson appeared to stay in touch with Epstein as the financier attempted to help him find future employment.
Ministerial rules required that ministers had to seek advice from Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) on appointments or employment they sought within two years of leaving office.
Epstein told Lord Mandelson he was “working around your restriction”, suggesting an advisory role at BP which would have been out of the scope of the rules. He refers to Lord Mandelson in the e-mails as “Petie”.
The following month, Lord Mandelson also appeared to discuss a potential role for himself at Deutsche Bank, for a salary of $1 million plus a bonus of $3 to 5 million.
In an exchange about the former minister’s options, he explains that the “high premium” from his time in public service. Epstein replies that businesses expect “undivided commitment” from employees, to which Lord Mandelson says “they will … But they also want me to maintain reputation/stature…x”.
‘Does that make it incest’
The relationship between Lord Mandelson and Epstein wasn’t just about business or money, the extensive host of emails suggest. The pair often shared details of upcoming plans and many jokes.
In October 2009, the pair exchanged jokes about Princess Beatrice, daughter of Dame Sarah Ferguson (whose emails with Epstein have also come to light in recent days).
After the financier jokes that Lord Mandelson should “marry” the princess, he points out that he is already her “Lord President”, as he was serving as Lord President of the Council at the time.
Mr Epstein responds: “does that make it incest , how exciting”.
‘Models and dancing’
A few years later, in May 2013, the pair were still exchanging lewd emails. records suggest. Epstein emailed Lord Mandelson first, telling him that he was aware his was visiting the Russian city of St Petersburg.
Lord Mandelson, at this point working in the private sector, responded by asking if Epstein would also be there, to which the financier said “not my cup a ‘tea”.
The former minister attempts to explain that it is “a rave”, which Epstein asks if means “its for gays”, to which Lord Mandelson says: “Er no, tastey [sic] models and dancing”.
‘Where r u ? I miss u’
On 21 December 2010, Epstein emails Lord Mandelson to tell him about a “good lunch” and that he “followed up with jes”, which most likely refers to Jes Staley, then chief executive of JP Morgan.
Lord Mandelson appears to reply: “Where r u ? I miss u”. To which Epstein returns: “Call later..”.
