British Ambassador to Washington Lord Peter Mandelson urged financier Jeffrey Epstein to “fight for early release” after Epstein was jailed in 2008 for soliciting an underage girl, and continued to correspond with and visit him in the years that followed, according to newly disclosed emails and court filings.
The documents, released as part of recent reporting and litigation, include private messages in which Mandelson offered reassurance—writing, "Your friends love you"—and counselled Epstein to be "incredibly resilient, fight for early release and be philosophical about it as much as you can." Mandelson has acknowledged carrying on an association with Epstein "for far longer than I should have done" and has repeatedly expressed regret in a recent interview, but his public timeline differs from timestamps in the newly revealed records.
The correspondence and related filings suggest Mandelson remained in contact with Epstein for several years after the 2008 conviction. Court papers and email chains cited in reporting indicate contacts and visits through at least 2012 or 2013, including an email from Epstein in May 2012 noting Mandelson "here at 5 — staying a couple of days." That exchange was addressed to Jes Staley, the former Barclays executive whose communications with Epstein have also been examined in litigation.
A 2003 entry in a birthday book compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell — later convicted of recruiting young women for Epstein and sentenced to prison — features a 10-page message from Mandelson that calls Epstein "my best pal," according to the materials made public by U.S. lawmakers. The records also include further messages in which Mandelson praised Epstein and sought to reassure him after his conviction.
The newly disclosed material has prompted scrutiny of Mandelson's ties to Epstein and of whether those ties influenced or overlapped with his public duties. Court filings and emails cited in reporting suggest Epstein played a behind-the-scenes role in a February 2010 sale of the energy trading firm Sempra Commodities, an asset then owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, and that Epstein made introductions between Mandelson and senior banking figures, including Staley. The communications include references to arranging meetings and to Epstein's view on the asset's strategic importance.
Mandelson has denied any business or financial relationship with Epstein and said he never sought or offered introductions to women on Epstein's behalf. In the interview, he said he "never saw any evidence of criminal activity" during the time he associated with Epstein and suggested some aspects of their relationship were social rather than professional.
The revelations emerged as Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly backed Mandelson remaining in his post. Downing Street has said the ambassadorial appointment followed established vetting and background checks and that Mr. Starmer had been fully briefed. Officials noted that Mandelson's prior association with Epstein was a matter of public record when he was appointed in February.
Despite that defense, the disclosures have drawn criticism from victims and campaigners. Some former accusers and advocacy groups said the ambassadorial role was untenable given the newly disclosed exchanges. Former accuser Sarah Ransome was quoted in coverage urging Mandelson's dismissal and saying his continued association with Epstein made him unsuitable to represent Britain in Washington.
Mandelson, a former business secretary and European trade commissioner, has faced intense questioning from lawmakers and the media about the timing and nature of his contacts with Epstein. He told interviewers he regretted being "taken in" by Epstein and repeatedly expressed sympathy for Epstein's victims. He also acknowledged staying at some of Epstein's properties "in the early years," while disputing suggestions that he was involved in or aware of criminal acts.
The disclosures also underscore the broader network of high-profile figures who associated with Epstein. U.S. prosecutors charged Epstein with sex trafficking in 2019; he was found dead in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial. Maxwell, who maintained social ties with Epstein, was convicted in 2021 for her role in recruiting and facilitating abuse and remains imprisoned.
As scrutiny continues, officials in London have faced calls from some quarters to publish vetting documents related to Mandelson's appointment and to provide fuller details about what was known before he was named ambassador. Downing Street and the Foreign Office have said that standard security and suitability checks were carried out and that the appointment was not made without consideration of the ambassador's background.
The new disclosures add to a series of document releases and media reports tracing Epstein's contacts with prominent businesspeople, politicians and social figures over several decades. Mandelson's office has said he will cooperate with inquiries and that he regrets his association with Epstein. The government has so far declined to remove him from the ambassadorial post while briefing and review continue.