Newly released documents show an email correspondence between Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, and a certain David Stern about a potential business deal to trade in Nigerian oil.
The document, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, forms a part of a large tranche of material released by the US FBI under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In the email correspondence dated 20 September 2010, Mr Stern told Mr Epstein about an opportunity to make a significant profit by brokering or flipping Nigeria’s crude oil.
He referenced a person “PA,” who suggested he meet with individuals with both access to buy and resell the oil to China, with an estimated profit of $6 million.
“PA has asked me to see a guy who has access to Nigerian oil, and when selling it to China (or somebody else), F. can make around $6m.”
However, there was scepticism about the deal.
“This seems very fishy (as my boss JEE would say),” he wrote.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, also has a very shady oil industry that sees its oil routinely traded illegally on the black market. Efforts by different administrations to ensure full transparency in the sector have had little success. The state oil firm, NNPC Limited, only recently started publishing its audited accounts.
The email exchange between Messrs Epstein and Stern is one of the many conversations that Mr Epstein had with several of his ultra-rich and powerful circle before his death in July 2019.
It is also one of the many interactions in which Nigeria was mentioned. Some of the exchanges reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES revolved around business, investment opportunities, and visits to Nigeria.
Also, in 2010, Mr Epstein received an email from George Reenstra, founder of Aircraft Service Group, an American firm specialised in aircraft servicing, notifying him of a visit to Nigeria to meet with then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Mr Reenstra declared in the email that the meeting was mandatory. He said that although the trip was unexpected, he could not postpone it.
“I unexpectedly must leave this evening for Nigeria. I have tried hard to delay this trip but it is with the the country President and I have no alternative,” the businessman wrote on the 27th of September 2010, four months after Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as Nigeria’s president. There are no indications that the meeting with the Nigerian leader eventually held.
“I have passed all the documentation to my partner, Jon Parker, and he will be able to assist you in completing the transaction. I will have email access but not the ability to open attachments. Hopefully we can resolve the contract issues and get the funds into deposit early this week per our telephone and e-mail exchanges of last week,” Mr Reenstra wrote to Mr Epstein.
Several email exchanges with powerful names
Mr Epstein was awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges, to which he pleaded not guilty, before his death. He was found dead in his prison cell after committing suicide in 2019.
Since then, calls for the release of the Epstein files, which are supposed to contain detailed records of his alleged activities, associates, and investigations, persisted.
Many believed the public had a right to know the full extent of the case and potential connections to others involved.
The demand intensified after President Donald Trump assumed office.
The new files showed that members of Mr Trump’s inner circle had been interacting with the disgraced financier for years.
The newly released documents include numerous emails between Mr Epstein and people in his small, ultra-circle. Some of these are also members of Mr Trump’s inner circle.
Mr Trump himself had a relationship with Mr Epstein but maintains that he cut ties long ago.
The documents also include powerful names such as Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, and the British Prince, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Mr Epstein was known for his connections with the wealthy.
Among the correspondence with Mr Mountbatten-Windsor is an invitation for Mr Epstein to dine at Buckingham Palace.
Mr Epstein also offered to introduce the prince to a 26-year-old Russian woman. Some photos appear to show Mr Mountbatten-Windsor kneeling over an unidentified woman lying on the floor.
The prince had earlier claimed he had not seen or spoken to Mr Epstein after visiting his house in New York in December 2010, but the documents show emails were sent in February 2011.
Elon Musk’s name also appeared several times in the document, including email exchanges from 2012 to 2013, in which Mr Musk discussed visiting Mr Epstein’s infamous Caribbean island compound.
In 2019, Mr Musk had distanced himself from Mr Epstein, describing him as “obviously a creep” who “tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island.” He claimed he “declined” the invitation.
The file also showed that the current US Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, arranged to visit Mr Epstein’s island in 2012.
The document also includes friendly exchanges between Mr Trump’s former advisor, Steve Bannon, and Mr Epstein.
In a January 2019 email, Mr Epstein asked whether Mr Bannon received the Apple Watch he sent him for Christmas.
A few days later, he invited Mr Bannon to “come join” him in New York.
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