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•Epstein’s partner proposed Okonjo-Iweala, Emir Sanusi, others for private dinner with Epstein

•The emails were released on Friday as part of about 3.5 million files related to Mr Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019.

An email correspondence reveals that two prominent Nigerians, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, were proposed as key guests for an “out of the box” dinner gathering with Jeffrey Epstein in 2018.

The email is dated 21 May 2018, a year before Mr Epstein’s arrest and death.

The emails were released on Friday as part of about 3.5 million files related to Mr Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019.

The heavily redacted documents reignited public debate, particularly because they reference interactions with prominent individuals.

The documents, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, also raise questions about selective redactions and the disparity between the number of files released and the total volume held by the US Department of Justice.

The US Department of Justice admitted to collecting about 6 million pages but released only 3.5 million.

Among the released records is an email thread between Mr Epstein and Nigerian-American business executive and investor, Jide Zeitlin.

Mr Zeitlin is an influential business executive who was Chairman and CEO of Tapestry, Inc., the New York-listed parent company of luxury brands Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman.

In the thread simply titled “Re:” Mr Epstein had requested a list of “two or three people that think out of the box” to gather for a “fun dinner” in June of that year.

To this, Mr Zeitlin placed two prominent Nigerian figures at the centre of what seemed to be a global power-broker circle.

Names of suggested guests

Mr Zeitlin, in his list, suggested Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former finance minister and current Director-General of the World Trade Organisation and Mr Sanusi, also a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (2009-2014).

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala only resumed as head of the WTO in 2021 and had left office as Nigeria’s finance minister in 2015. She, however, held several international positions in 2018, including Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Mr Sanusi was Emir of Kano in May 2018.

Mr Zeitlin also suggested Steve Bannon, the former White House chief strategist and a controversial figure in global right-wing politics; Tony Blair, former UK prime minister; and Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the younger brother of the Qatari Emir, who also served as the secretary to the emir for Investment Affairs.

He further mentioned Tony Marx, the president and CEO of the New York Public Library (NYPL) and former president of Amherst College, alongside Niall Ferguson, a prominent and often controversial British-American historian and author.

Mr Zeitlin described Mr Marx as an “independent thinker, brilliant, fun,” and characterised Mr Ferguson as a “broad and well-informed thinker.”

He noted that the names represented “different levels of originality,” and added that he considered Mr Sanusi a particularly interesting choice for the gathering.

He referred to Mr Sanusi as “probably the most out of the box name” on the list.

Mr Zeitlin also suggested adding creatives to the mix, but did not name specific persons in this category.

However, it remains unclear what ultimately became of the party, as the correspondence does not confirm that invitations were formally extended to the dignitaries or that the proposed dinner took place.

Paul Nwabuikwu, media adviser to Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, stated that the WTO Director-General never had any interaction with Mr Epstein, either in relation to the proposed dinner or on any other matter.

He told PREMIUM TIMES that Mrs Okonjo-Iweala was unaware of, and did not receive, any invitation to attend Mr Epstein’s dinners or social gatherings.

“She was definitely not aware of it. She didn’t know him and had no contact with him. Epstein was a high-level influence peddler, and names were always floating around him,” Mr Nwabuikwu said.

Bashir Jentile, the spokesperson of the Kano emir, also said that he was unaware of any invitation to the emir to attend Mr Epstein’s dinner events.

Epstein’s Parties

The troves of documents detailing Mr Epstein’s activities showed that he organised numerous high-profile social events and gatherings, often involving influential figures from politics, business, and academia.

These gatherings were reported to have been attended by a rotating circle of influential and well-known figures, including Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Mr Bannon, Howard Lutnick, and others.

Key African figures also attended some of his gatherings.

The BBC reported that the newly released tranche of the document revealed that former South African President Jacob Zuma attended a dinner organised for him by Mr Epstein in London in 2010.

The emails also suggest that a “beautiful” Russian model attended the event.

A history of legal cases

While presence in these gatherings does not imply knowledge of or involvement in Mr Epstein’s crimes, his ability to convene such high-profile guests despite his conviction has been at the centre of public scrutiny.

Documents also show that even after Mr Epstein served time for procuring underage girls for prostitution in 2009, he hosted and received invitations to exclusive dinners with Silicon Valley’s most famous billionaires.

In 2005, police in Palm Beach, Florida, opened an investigation into Mr Epstein after a parent reported that he had sexually abused her 14-year-old daughter.

Police later received additional allegations from underage girls who said he sexually abused them at his mansion, with encounters often beginning as massages. Federal officials identified 36 girls whom Mr Epstein had allegedly sexually abused.
In 2008, Mr Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from girls as young as 14 and received an 18-month sentence.

Over the years, many allegedly exploited underage girls have accused him of abusing them at his homes in Manhattan, Palm Beach, Florida, and on a famous private island near St Thomas.

The island, called Little St James, is a 72-acre property located about two miles off the coast of St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, in 2015, British socialite and Mr Epstein’s longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was found guilty of facilitating the abuse of underage girls at the hands of Mr Epstein.

Mr Epstein, in the 1990s, posed as a friendly older sister and won their trust before forcing them into engaging in sexual acts.

Ms Maxwell was also accused of being present and even participating in some of the encounters.

In 2019, Mr Epstein was arrested again. He was then charged in the Southern District Court of New York with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors.

Mr Epstein committed suicide in his prison cell while awaiting trial.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/854322-epsteins-partner-proposed-okonjo-iweala-emir-sanusi-others-for-private-dinner-with-epstein.html

NOI doesn't do those kind of parties.

What is Epstein didn't die from suicide?

He was too exposed to the men of power, may his Soul RIP can't judge the dead

175 people died in Kwara see what you are posting?

This Epstein case.. very murky..

Just imagine only one person so much controversies

This is serious and sensitive, but it must be handled with caution.

This guy was just trying to hobnob with important people everywhere

Dalohad:
Epstein did not die of suicide. HE was taken out.

The guy was also a blackmailer and he met his waterloo

That guy is just a sick rich man

jericco1:
Just imagine only one person so much controversies

And when is it a crime to have dinner with someone? A bunch of useless hypocrites with inconsequential stuff to post around.

No news here.

Coz Diddy hosts freaky parties doesn't mean every dinner with dignified guest is a freak off.

E fit be for donation for polio vaccines.




E


Fit


B

mrvitalis:
175 people died in Kwara see what you are posting?

You are so happy for their death,so much that you want all the topic on nairaland to be about them

That is very bad!

How is this information profitable to Nigeria or Africa?

We should be talking about Obasanjo or Aso Rock files.

Politicians in Nigeria are pedophiles, fornicators and adulterers but we are expected to concentrate on one Esptein that is better than Islamic regimes in matter of chastity.

Nigerians will always invest in discussions that have zero benefits to them

They should’ve mentioned obi instead, so that Yarimo will jer-k off as usual

Epstein and his Zionists Mossad sponsors are very evil. They badly wanted to control the most powerful and influential people in the world

NOI no go even look him face if he had sent her an IV. She doesnt roll that way.

mrvitalis:
175 people died in Kwara see what you are posting?

over sabi and emergency lover of Nigeria... Please go get your own blog and run it the way you want...

mrvitalis:
175 people died in Kwara see what you are posting?

Eh ......go and post about it nah.... If it means so much tou. Or does it mean that much

Epstein was a mossad special spy... He was been bankrolled by Israeli government... He has the information of all USA former presidents and present president except Biden and the reason why Israeli government found it difficult to control Sleepy Biden...

There are a lot of Nigerian girls that will not mind being at these parties as long as money go flow

Kobicove:
The guy was also a blackmailer and he met his waterloo

nah he is/was Israel’s Mossad agent, they used him to honey trap people of power and control the US. He didn’t meet his “Waterloo”, listening to Nigerians discuss international politics can cause one brain aneurysm.

Too much ado about nonsense

When you really understand how the world works, you bother less. Just play your part and leave

mrvitalis:
175 people died in Kwara see what you are posting?

Blaming ...because it is not Chinedu'name...?!
Everyone who has been high in this country and has had his/her name in corruption should be brought to book.
You see that those the Down hail and look up to are the true villian.
BAT is just a poster child if tou ask.me

lordm:
That guy is just a sick rich man

He was a power broker, a necessary job if you want to enter influential circles or meet important people.

His privates actions was what he used to keep jaded rich people entertained.

mrvitalis:
175 people died in Kwara see what you are posting?

Why...because our madam's name came up

YanshOfAfrica:
Eh ......go and post about it nah.... If it means so much tou. Or does it mean that much

Does death of 175 people killed in one villagw mean that much?

Jesus