Epstein Transferred Thousands to Mandelson's Husband Following Prison Release
Newly published correspondence from the US Department of Justice has revealed that convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sent substantial financial transfers to the husband of former UK business secretary Peter Mandelson shortly after Epstein's release from prison in 2009. The email disclosures, made public on Friday, provide detailed evidence of financial requests and transactions between Epstein and Reinaldo Avila da Silva, Mandelson's partner.
Financial Requests and Transfers Detailed in Correspondence
According to the documents, da Silva initiated contact with Epstein on 7 September 2009, approximately two months after Epstein completed 13 months of an 18-month sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor. In his email, da Silva specifically requested financial assistance for an osteopathy course and associated expenses, stating: "I sent you a couple of emails last week regarding my osteo course expenses, incl fee, anatomical models, laptop if you can help me with this. I hope you received them."
Da Silva proceeded to provide detailed banking information for the osteopathy school, confirming an annual fee of £3,225. Epstein responded promptly the same day, writing: "I will wire your loan amount immediated'y [sic]." The following day, da Silva sought clarification regarding a £10,000 payment, questioning whether this amount included his school fees or represented a separate transfer to the educational institution directly.
Ongoing Financial Arrangements Revealed
Further correspondence shows that on 17 September 2009, da Silva confirmed receipt of funds, emailing Epstein: "thank you for the money which arrived in my account this morning." The financial relationship apparently continued into 2010, with additional emails revealing that da Silva shared his bank details with Epstein in April of that year.
According to reports from the Financial Times, which first brought these allegations to light, Epstein subsequently forwarded da Silva's banking information to his accountant with instructions to "send 13k dollars." Later communications indicated Epstein directed his accountant to establish regular payments, specifically instructing: "send 2k per month to reinaldo" [sic].
Mandelson's Association with Epstein Under Scrutiny
These latest disclosures raise significant new questions about the nature and extent of Mandelson's relationship with the disgraced financier. Mandelson previously served as the UK's ambassador to Washington until September, when he was dismissed following revelations about his support for Epstein. Earlier this month, Mandelson issued a public apology to Epstein's victims, expressing regret for having believed falsehoods presented to him by the convicted sex offender.
The newly released documents indicate that Mandelson and Epstein maintained frequent communication, often exchanging brief messages about their respective locations and activities. Additional emails published in November by the House oversight committee, which is investigating the US government's handling of the Epstein case, confirmed that contact between the two individuals continued as recently as 2016.
A representative close to Mandelson previously denied the allegations when initially approached by the Financial Times in September. The Guardian has reached out to Mandelson for comment regarding these latest revelations, though no response has been received at the time of publication.
These email disclosures form part of a broader collection of documents being released by US authorities, shedding further light on Epstein's extensive network of associates and the financial arrangements that sustained his relationships with prominent figures across multiple countries.
