The release of the Jeffrey Epstein files has led to a cascade of resignations and investigations, including into the former UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, and Prince Andrew. A Guardian data analysis of over a million emails has mapped the financier's extensive web of connections with the wealthy and powerful.
The analysis identified more than 150,000 unique emails between Epstein and a select group of elites, among them Steve Bannon, Donald Trump's former chief strategist. Despite Bannon's main communications being via WhatsApp, nearly 1,500 emails were exchanged, largely in 2018. Their correspondence ranged from political discussions to film projects, with Epstein offering strategic advice on Bannon's European ventures.
Epstein also acted as an intermediary, introducing Bannon to figures including the late Kenneth Starr, businessman Tom Pritzker, and Emirati billionaire Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem. Bin Sulayem, former chair of DP World, exchanged close to 4,200 emails with Epstein from 2005 to 2019, with references to women and sexual remarks, including a message describing disappointment with a Moldavian woman's appearance.
The Guardian's two-part series visualises the online relationships of seven high-profile individuals. The first part covers Prince Andrew, Mandelson, Bannon and Bin Sulayem. The second will examine film director Woody Allen, former Barclays head Jes Staley, and economist Larry Summers. Appearing in the files does not imply wrongdoing.
