Jeffrey Epstein transferred thousands of pounds to Reinaldo Avila da Silva, the husband of former UK minister Peter Mandelson, shortly after the convicted sex offender’s release from prison in 2009, according to emails published by the US Department of Justice.
The documents show da Silva emailed Epstein on 7 September 2009 requesting funding for an osteopathy course and other expenses. Epstein replied that he would wire the loan amount, and the following day da Silva asked if a £10,000 payment included his school fees. Epstein confirmed it did. Mandelson then emailed Epstein, reminding him to structure the payment as a loan to avoid gift tax.
Da Silva confirmed receipt of the money on 17 September 2009. Further emails from April 2010 show Epstein instructing his accountant to send $13,000 to da Silva, and later to send $2,000 per month. An earlier email from Epstein to Mandelson in July 2009 suggested the financier had met da Silva while serving the final days of his prison sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Mandelson, who was business secretary at the time and later served as UK ambassador to Washington, apologised on Friday, stating he was wrong to believe Epstein after his conviction. He said he was never culpable or complicit in Epstein’s crimes and learned the truth after Epstein’s death.
