Epstein sent £10,000 to Mandelson’s husband after his release from prison, files reveal
Jeffrey Epstein sent £10,000 to Lord Mandelson’s husband just two months after he was released from prison, newly released documents reveal.
An email exchange released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) reveals that Mandelson’s husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva, asked Epstein for money to fund an osteopathy course and other related expenses in September 2009.
Epstein was serving an 18-month prison sentence from 2008 to July 2009 after pleading guilty to charges of soliciting prostitution.
The email was among three million documents related to the convicted sex offender released by the Justice Department on Friday.
After the request for money, Epstein replied: “I will transfer your loan amount immediately.” [sic].”
A few days later, Mr. da Silva replied, “thank you for the money that came into my account this morning,” according to the files.
Lord Mandelson, who married Mr da Silva in 2023 after a relationship dating back three decades, was Gordon Brown’s business secretary and deputy prime minister at the time of the alleged payments. He was sacked as the UK ambassador to the US by Sir Keir Starmer after details of his relationship with Epstein emerged in September.
The emails also show that Mr. da Silva messaged Epstein again in April 2010 to share his banking information.
The emails show Epstein asking his accountant to send “$13,000” to Mr. da Silva, then asking him to send “$2,000 a month to Reinaldo.”
He then replies: “After rethinking [sic] Just send $4000”.
In September last year, a source close to Lord Mandelson said any claim that any payments had been made was “inconceivable”.
The emails raised new questions about the friendship between Epstein and the former British ambassador to Washington.
In a statement on Friday evening, Lord Mandelson “absolutely” apologized to Epstein’s victims for continuing his friendship with the pedophile financier after his conviction.
She insisted she was unaware of Epstein’s crimes and said she “learned the real truth about him after his death.”
Lord Mandelson said: “It was a mistake to believe and subsequently maintain a relationship with Epstein following his conviction. I expressly apologize for doing so to the women and girls who suffered.
“I was never guilty or complicit in his crimes. Like everyone else, I learned the truth about him after his death. But his victims knew what he had done. Their voices were not heard, and I am sorry that I was among those who believed him instead.”
Lord Mandelson told the BBC earlier this month that Epstein was “on the sidelines” of his life, in his first major broadcast interview since being fired from the government.
But emails released in an earlier part of the Epstein files showed Lord Mandelson told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
He also reportedly told Epstein, “I think it’s your world,” the day before the disgraced financier began his prison sentence.
