Since the Justice Department released the latest batch of Jeffrey Epstein’s emails, many political and business leaders have come under new scrutiny for remaining in contact with him long after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
From former royals being arrested to billionaires, diplomats and academics stepping back from public roles, here are the most important people facing the fallout.
prince andrew
British police arrested the king’s brother, the former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, on Thursday on charges of “misconduct in public office.” Authorities said they conducted searches at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk counties in an escalation from what they called a review of claims made in newly released Epstein-related documents from the Justice Department.
Andrew has long faced accusations related to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, most notably from one of Epstein’s most outspoken accusers, Virginia Giuffre, who committed suicide last April. In her posthumously published memoir, Giuffre claimed she was trafficked at age 17 to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor. “He believed it was his birthright to have sex with me,” she wrote, recalling that Ghislaine Maxwell later allegedly told her, “You did a great job. Prince had a great time.” Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and previously reached a civil settlement with Giuffre without admitting liability.
But the current arrests do not center on those charges. Instead, investigators are looking into whether Andrew improperly shared sensitive government material while serving as Britain’s trade envoy. Emails released by the Justice Department appear to show he forwarded confidential travel reports and investment briefings to Epstein shortly after receiving them. King Charles has said there will be no royal intervention, saying: “The law must follow the law.”
bill gates
Microsoft Founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has abruptly withdrawn hours before he was to speak at India’s high-profile Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit, citing a desire to “ensure the focus remains on” the summit itself.
Part of the Justice Department’s latest release includes emails and communications showing Gates met with Epstein multiple times between 2011 and 2014, several years after Epstein was convicted in Florida. The two discussed philanthropy, including a proposed fund that would pool money from Gates and other billionaires to support global health initiatives. The plan ultimately failed, and Gates said he cut ties after concluding Epstein’s idea was a “dead end.”
The released documents also include a series of inflammatory statements, including allegations that Gates had affairs with “married women” and drug use, that appeared in emails Epstein sent to himself. Gates, through the Gates Foundation, has categorically denied the accusations, calling them “absolutely ridiculous and completely false.” To date, there is no documentation suggesting that Gates was involved in Epstein’s criminal activities or had knowledge of sex trafficking.
Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson’s Epstein revelations, like Prince’s arrest, triggered The former British ambassador to the US lost his diplomatic post, resigned from the Labor Party and resigned from the House of Lords as details of his relationship with Epstein became clearer after the release of UK political fallout documents.
Part of the Justice Department document shows that ties between the two continued for years after the financier was jailed in 2008, with Mandelson calling Epstein’s release a “liberation day.”
Like Prince Andrew, London’s Metropolitan Police A criminal investigation has been launched Investigating whether Mandelson improperly shared confidential government information with Epstein.
Larry Summers
Larry Summers, the former U.S. Treasury secretary and Harvard president who resigned from several public positions, continued to communicate with Epstein after he faced sex trafficking charges, often seeking relationship advice from him, newly released emails show.
A 2019 email from Summers to Epstein shows Summers discussing an interaction he had with a woman, writing: “I said what are you up to. She said ‘I’m busy’. I said you were very shy.”
Epstein responded: “You responded well… Being angry shows concern. Not complaining shows strength.”
Summers resigned from the OpenAI board of directors and left Harvard University while Harvard University reviewed the relationship. He also resigned from the think tank and signed a contract as a staff writer. new york times ending.
Catherine Rümmler
Kathryn Ruemmler resigned as Goldman Sachs’ chief counsel last week after Epstein’s emails revealed she shared nonpublic White House communications with the disgraced financier.
The emails show that Rummler, who served as White House counsel under President Barack Obama, forwarded Epstein’s internal materials about the government’s handling of the 2012 Secret Service prostitution scandal, asking for his input in communications with reporters. She was not in government at the time but is still dealing with the consequences.
Her spokesman said she “did nothing wrong” and stressed that to her current knowledge, she would not have interacted with Epstein.
It’s Qiao Yi
Joichi Ito’s resignation as director of the MIT Media Lab became an early template for a story that has since resurfaced at various institutions. Ito admitted in 2019 to concealing his financial ties to Epstein and resigned amid backlash over the way the donations were handled and characterized.
He resigned from multiple board and academic positions, setting an early standard for accountability in elite academia.
Thomas Pritzker
Thomas Pritzker announced on February 16 that he would resign as executive chairman. Hyatt Regency The company admitted he exercised “terrible judgment” in maintaining his relationships with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The latest Justice Department documents detail years of cordial correspondence between Pritzker, Epstein and Maxwell following Epstein’s 2008 conviction. In one email, Pritzker wrote to Epstein about a meeting at the Louvre in Paris.
Kathy Wasserman
Casey Wasserman announced on February 13 that he had put his agency up for sale after his name appeared in the latest Epstein dossier, sparking betrayals from high-profile clients such as singer Chappell Roan.
Justice Department documents show Wasserman flew on Epstein’s private jet at least once, flying with a group that included former President Bill Clinton. The documents also contain flirtatious emails exchanged between Wasserman and Maxwell in 2003. In a staff memo announcing the sale, Wasserman said he regretted the message was “distracting.”
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem
On February 13, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was replaced as chairman and chief executive of Dubai-based logistics giant DP World after emails between him and Epstein were exposed, showing their close relationship. DP World, owned by the Royal Family of Dubai, operates one of the world’s largest ports and logistics networks, including Jebel Ali, the busiest port in the Middle East.
Newly released emails show that Epstein described Ben Sulayem in a 2010 message as a “close personal friend” who often spoke about women.