Newly reviewed emails show Jeffrey Epstein remained in contact with Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem for years after his 2008 pedophilia conviction, maintaining business and personal exchanges.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman and chief executive officer of Dubai based logistics giant DP World, was among prominent executives and political figures who continued corresponding with Epstein after his imprisonment on charges that included procuring a minor for prostitution.
The correspondence was reviewed by Bloomberg News and the emails suggest the relationship went beyond casual contact.
They show exchanges about business opportunities, shared contacts, and personal matters, even as Epstein’s criminal history remained widely known.
Continued contact
The emails reveal that bin Sulayem sent highly personal notes to Epstein. In a September 2015 message, he described rekindling a relationship with a foreign exchange student in Dubai in “intimate and boastful” terms.
The correspondence indicates that the two men discussed visits and plans connected to Epstein’s private Caribbean island.
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Bin Sulayem frequently wrote about visiting the island and offered assistance when Epstein explored plans for a private resort there.
Shortly before his 2019 arrest, Epstein distributed a contact list that included bin Sulayem, identified as “sultan,”.
The last apparent message from bin Sulayem to Epstein, sent on the day of the arrest, contained nothing more than a non-functioning attachment.
Bin Sulayem and DP World did not respond to multiple requests for comment, according to Bloomberg.
Business ties
Emails indicate Epstein connected bin Sulayem with figures in his network for years, including New York real estate investor Andrew Farkas. US Justice Department records suggest Farkas may have introduced the two.
Correspondence shows bin Sulayem planned to attend a marina opening near Epstein’s private island in 2007. The emails also show Epstein offered to facilitate business introductions, including a proposed connection to Gene Pressman from the founding family of Barneys New York, though it remains unclear whether such referrals resulted in concrete deals.
A spokesperson for Farkas said he has acknowledged that his relationship with Epstein was based on business, expressed regret over the association, and condemned Epstein’s crimes.
At the time, bin Sulayem led both DP World and its state owned parent, Dubai World, overseeing a broad business portfolio before stepping down in 2010 following the global financial crisis.
DP World Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has not publicly commented on his appearance in the newly released U.S. Justice Department files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
