Peter Mandelson, the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States, said he felt a "tremendous sense of regret" over his past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and expressed "a tremendous sense of sympathy" for Epstein's victims.
Speaking to the YouTube channel Harry Cole Saves the West, Mandelson described his association with Epstein as "an albatross around my neck," saying he was "profoundly upset that I was taken in" by what he called a "charismatic criminal liar." He acknowledged embarrassment at the publication of old correspondence in which he had referred to Epstein as his "best pal," and said the messages dated from more than two decades ago.
On Tuesday, U.S. lawmakers released a tranche of documents that included material said to be from an alleged "birthday book" given to Epstein for his 50th birthday. The book reportedly contained messages, cards and photos from acquaintances, including a letter carrying a signature resembling that of former U.S. President Donald Trump; Trump has denied writing the note. Mandelson said it was "very embarrassing" to see the words published and suggested that additional letters and emails might also become public.
Mandelson, a former Labour cabinet minister who served as a European commissioner and later as the UK's international trade secretary, said he had accepted Epstein's assurances about the financier's earlier legal troubles. "I fell for his lies," he said, adding that he accepted at face value Epstein's explanations about his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a person under the age of 18. Mandelson said he never saw wrongdoing while in Epstein's company and that Epstein did not offer to introduce him to women, "perhaps because I am a gay man." He said he could not "rewrite history" but could express sympathy for those who were harmed.
Epstein, a wealthy financier with a circle of high-profile acquaintances, was convicted in 2008 and was awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges when he died in a New York jail in August 2019. His case and the release of related documents have prompted renewed scrutiny of his connections to politicians, business leaders and other public figures.
A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister continued to have confidence in Mandelson, noting that the ambassador "has played a key part" in strengthening trade and investment ties with the United States and that those efforts had secured jobs in the UK. The spokesperson did not elaborate on whether further inquiries or reviews into Mandelson's past associations would be undertaken.
Mandelson's comments add to a series of public reckonings by public figures whose past links to Epstein have been exposed through court filings and newly released documents. He emphasized that his statements of friendship were written decades ago and expressed regret and sympathy for victims while declining to speculate on undisclosed materials that may yet emerge.