Newly published emails and court documents show Britain’s ambassador to Washington, Lord Peter Mandelson, urged financier Jeffrey Epstein to "fight for early release" after Epstein was convicted of soliciting an underage girl in 2008, and that the pair kept in touch for years after the conviction.
The correspondence, made public in recent media reports and filings in US tribunals and congressional materials, includes a message from Mandelson to Epstein saying, "Your friends stay with you and love you" and urging him to be "incredibly resilient, fight for early release and be philosophical about it as much as you can." The emails and related material also show Mandelson visiting Epstein properties and forwarding messages that linked Epstein to senior banking figures involved in a major 2010 deal.
The messages surfaced amid the release of a photograph and message album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell and other documents made public by US lawmakers. The album includes a 10-page birthday greeting from Mandelson to Epstein that described the financier as "my best pal" and included holiday photographs. Court filings and emails shown in tribunal proceedings also contain exchanges between Epstein and banking executives that mention Mandelson and discuss introductions and meetings.
Mandelson, a veteran Labour peer who was appointed ambassador to Washington by Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier this year, told a podcast interviewer he "regret[s] very much" continuing an association with Epstein "for far longer than I should have done" and said he had been "taken in" by Epstein's explanations. In that interview, Mandelson said he did not see any criminal activity during his association and denied any role in introducing women to Epstein. He said he "never had any kind of professional or business relationship" with Epstein.
But emails disclosed in filings involving former Barclays chief Jes Staley and other documents indicate Epstein acted as a go-between in business contacts. The filings allege Epstein played a behind-the-scenes role in the February 2010 purchase of Sempra Commodities — a deal involving the taxpayer-owned Royal Bank of Scotland — by introducing Mandelson or encouraging meetings with senior bankers. Epstein had been convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution.
The correspondence also suggests that Mandelson stayed at Epstein properties after the conviction. An Epstein-to-Staley email dated June 2009 referenced Mandelson staying at Epstein's Manhattan house, and other messages indicate contact as late as 2012 or 2013. Mandelson has said he stayed at Epstein's homes "in the early years" but has been vague about precise dates.
Epstein was arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges in 2019 and was found dead in his cell while awaiting trial. Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of recruiting young women for Epstein and is serving a multi-decade sentence.
The disclosures have prompted calls from some victims and campaigners for Mandelson to be removed from his ambassadorial post. Sarah Ransome, who has publicly described herself as an Epstein victim, said Mandelson "should not be ambassador" and urged his dismissal. A woman identified in filings as a former assistant to Epstein recounted meeting the Duke of York and visiting private rooms in Buckingham Palace, according to material published alongside the communications.
Downing Street said the government followed normal vetting procedures in appointing Mandelson and that Prime Minister Keir Starmer was briefed in full before the appointment. A No. 10 spokesman said Mandelson's friendship with Epstein was "a matter of public record" and that candidates for ambassadorial roles are subject to extensive background checks by the Foreign Office and Cabinet Office. The prime minister has publicly backed Mandelson remaining in post.
Labour sources and Mandelson allies have pointed to his long career in public life and said there is no public evidence he knew about Epstein's crimes. Mandelson has repeatedly said he never saw wrongdoing during his contacts and suggested that his sexuality made it unlikely he would have been involved in introducing women to Epstein.
The newly disclosed material documents a broader social network around Epstein that included prominent politicians, business leaders and celebrities. Items in the Maxwell-compiled album include messages and sketches from a range of figures; some recipients have denied wrongdoing or questioned the provenance of particular contributions.
Legal filings shown in recent tribunal proceedings also describe Epstein's role in facilitating introductions between Mandelson and senior bankers, including exchanges in 2009 and 2010 in which Epstein encouraged meetings about acquisitions. Mandelson has said Epstein "operated in a financial and business way" beyond his sphere and described him as a prolific networker rather than a business partner.
The revelations arrive with sensitive diplomatic work pending: Mandelson is due to be involved in arrangements for a high-profile state visit by a US president next week. Critics say the timing raises questions about his suitability to represent the UK in Washington. Officials say the ambassador will continue to carry out his duties while the government assesses further disclosures.
Victims' advocates and some opposition politicians have demanded disclosure of the vetting documentation used during Mandelson's appointment process. The Foreign Office said it would not comment on individual security checks but reiterated that standard procedures were followed.
Mandelson has said he feels "a profound sense of sympathy for those women who suffered" as a result of Epstein's actions and pledged to cooperate with any further inquiries. He warned in his interview that more "very embarrassing" details might emerge from the trove of material that has been released in recent weeks.
The public record assembled so far shows a long-running and sometimes close social acquaintance between Mandelson and Epstein, with the new emails underscoring contact after Epstein's 2008 conviction and a role for Epstein in facilitating business introductions. The disclosures have intensified scrutiny of how political and financial elites engaged with Epstein and have prompted renewed calls for transparency about the vetting and appointment of senior public figures.