Meet the high-profile Emirati business leader lawmakers are linking to Epstein ‘torture’ email

US officials unveiled new files from Epstein’s files on Monday, identifying who they believe is the recipient behind a disturbing email sent by deceased financier and sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, in which he referenced a supposed “torture video.”

That name is Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, one of the most powerful businessmen in the Emirates, who for years maintained a relationship with Epstein, in which communications often included explicit content, according to documents recently published by the US Department of Justice.

The latest revelation comes after Representative Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky. and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. The unredacted documents were reviewed by the Justice Department on Monday.

Massey posted a screenshot of the email on the social media platform “I am in China and will be in the US in the second week of May,” the response read.

Alongside the screenshot, Massey wrote that “it appears that the Sultan has sent this message,” and called on the Department of Justice to release this information to the public.

This caught the attention of Deputy District Attorney Todd Blanche, who responded to Massey on X, saying the redaction protects personally identifiable information in the email address. He added that Slim’s name appeared unredacted elsewhere in the files that were released Linked to a document containing his name.

Massey later said that Blanche “tacitly admitted that Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was the sender of the torture video.”

CNBC requested comment from Slim through DP World, where he serves as chairman and CEO, but did not receive a response. Slim has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing. It is also unclear exactly what the “torture video” referred to is, and whether it was actually sent from Slim to Epstein.

Authorities stressed that the reference in Epstein’s files does not indicate evidence of wrongdoing and does not prove that the name was part of an alleged client list or extortion scheme.

However, the email adds another thread to the tapestry of years of communications between Slim and Epstein, which referred to everything from business deals and politics to sex.

His prominent leadership roles made him Important actor For Dubai’s economy between the leadership in the United Arab Emirates and the international community. Slim appeared regularly at international forums, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, often meeting politicians and giving speeches.

However, emails released by the Justice Department suggest that Epstein saw a very different side of Sultan — a friend and confidant, trusted enough to engage in high-stakes discussions about business and sex.

A search for the name “Slim” in the Justice Department’s Epstein Library returns thousands of results, many of which appear to be emails exchanged between the two from around 2007 through 2019, long after the financier was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.

The Justice Department filing shows that Epstein once referred to Slim as “”A close personal friend“He had known for 8 years. He also described Slim as One of his most trusted friends In other writings.

In Epstein’s world, being a trusted friend seems to require intimate communications regarding topics including but not limited to: arrangements With masseuses; Sexual encounters with women; escort and Prostitution services; Lewd comments and Jokes; and Pornography.

The two often seemed to argue Personal meetings. on Several occasionsSlim corresponded with Epstein about Little St. James, Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which prosecutors allege was used as a sex trafficking base.

In one Email 2014Epstein appeared to invite former Labor minister Peter Mandelson to join Slim’s board, writing: “Sultan.” [sic] He asked me to encourage you to join his board.”

The files also appear to show Epstein link Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Slim via email in 2015. This comes after A a report From Drop Site News in January, he noted that Epstein mediated several meetings between Ehud Barak and Slim, citing previously released emails.

Ehud Barak did this before He defended his works with Epstein, explaining that at the time, he believed the businessman had paid his debt to society, and that he himself had not been accused of any wrongdoing.

according to Bloomberg By showing public and other files obtained by the newspaper last summer, Epstein also tried to help connect Slim to figures such as former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s aide; Les Wexner, the retail billionaire and Epstein’s longtime Victoria’s Secret patron; and Jes Staley, who in the late 2000s was a senior executive at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Sarkozy has not spoken publicly about the alleged ties to Epstein. Wexner said in 2019 that he had previously employed Epstein but was unaware of the illegal conduct Epstein was later accused of. In June, Staley Failed to roll over A decision from the UK Financial Conduct Authority found that it did Misleading “recklessly.” regulators in 2019 about the nature of his relationship with Epstein.

CNBC also confirmed that the latest Justice Department filings include a Email 2010 From Epstein to Slim, he asked him if he wanted to meet Thomas Pritzker, CEO of Hyatt Hotels. A representative for Pritzker declined to comment.

In the wake of the global financial crisis in 2009, Epstein sent a message Email Contacting an anonymous “Sultan” regarding an apparent investment deal and payment to Epstein. “Your employees should talk to Pritzker,” Epstein wrote, adding that “Hayat is the ideal answer for MGM, not Barack.”

Epstein may have been referring to the casino operator MGM Mirage, which Epstein and Slim had Exchanged articles on. In 2009, Slim’s company, Dubai World, acquired… It is said MGM Mirage was sued for massive cost overruns.

Epstein also appears to refer “the Sultan” to the Hyatt Pritzker rather than “Barack.” It is unclear who he was referring to, but private equity real estate investor Thomas Barrack back In Epstein’s other emails with Slim.

In a December 2009 email, Epstein sent two emails to Staley regarding Investments And a Possible meetingAnd also with an unspecified “sultan”.

Epstein and Suleiman also shared details of their separate meetings with other prominent figures, most notably US President Donald Trump and people within his circle.

The Epstein files indicate that Slim was invited to Trump’s first presidential inauguration by Thomas Barrack, an American diplomat who currently serves as the US ambassador to Turkey and a special envoy to Syria. “Should I accept the invitation,” Slim asked Epstein in a… January 2017 email.

According to the files, Epstein was also linked to Steve Bannon, Trump’s former senior adviser and the main architect of his 2016 election victory.

“We became friends,” Epstein said of Bannon to Slim in an interview. “You’re going to love him.” Email In February 2018. “Trump doesn’t like him,” Slim replied. “Don’t believe the press,” Epstein replied.

Bannon has said little publicly about his relationship with Epstein, although he has called for the release of the Epstein files.