DP World chief exchanged emails with Jeffrey Epstein for years

07:50

By: Dakir Madiha

DP World chief exchanged emails with Jeffrey Epstein for years

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chief executive of global logistics group DP World, maintained a long-running stream of personal and professional emails with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for more than a decade after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, according to documents released by the United States Department of Justice. The correspondence shows the Dubai-based executive discussing sexual experiences with women and, in some cases, sharing information about overseas prostitution services.

The disclosures stem from more than three million pages of Epstein-related records published on January 30 under a transparency process overseen by the Justice Department. Among the prominent figures named in the files, bin Sulayem stands out for the length and continuity of his exchanges with the disgraced financier, which continued until less than a year before Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019.

According to reporting by the Financial Times, several emails sent by bin Sulayem contained explicit descriptions of encounters with women and occasionally included images. In a message from June 2013, he detailed information about a woman he had met in Paris, listing her age, weight, height, and bust size, and asked Epstein for his opinion. In another exchange that month, bin Sulayem wrote that he was with a “new woman” whom he described as “100 percent Russian” while on his yacht.

Later correspondence included references to prostitution services abroad. In December 2013, bin Sulayem is reported to have sent Epstein a price list for such services in Japan. In 2017, Epstein sent bin Sulayem a link to an escort website in Italy, which prompted a brief response of approval. The Financial Times also reported that bin Sulayem helped arrange training for a Russian woman described as a masseuse who later worked at Epstein’s private spa in a hotel in Antalya, Turkey. Testimony during the 2022 trial of Ghislaine Maxwell described how Epstein routinely sought sexualized massages at his luxury properties.

Beyond explicit content, the emails suggest Epstein acted as an informal intermediary, offering to connect bin Sulayem with influential figures in American business and politics. In 2018, Epstein proposed introducing him to Steve Bannon, writing that the two had become friends. A year earlier, bin Sulayem sought Epstein’s advice about attending Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration after receiving an invitation. Another message from April 2018 shows bin Sulayem sending Epstein a document titled “The recognition of Somaliland, a brief history” while discussing possible infrastructure and financing projects in the region.

The revelations carry potential reputational risks for DP World, which operates in more than 70 countries and handles about 10 percent of global container traffic. The company recently announced a one billion pound expansion of its London Gateway port, which is expected to become the United Kingdom’s largest container facility. Contacted by the Financial Times about the emails, DP World declined to comment.