Epstein sent £10,000 to Mandelson's partner, released emails show

Convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein sent £10,000 to Peter Mandelson's partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva in 2009, according to documents released by the US Department of Justice.

In an email to Epstein, da Silva sets out the costs of an osteopathy course, provides his bank details and thanks the financier for "anything you can help me with".

Epstein replies a few hours later saying: "I will wire your loan amount immediately" and the following day da Silva writes: "Just a brief note to thank you for the money which arrived in my account this morning."

Asked for a response, Lord Mandelson said he had been "very clear" about his relationship with Epstein in interviews with the BBC.

"I have nothing more to add," said the Labour peer.

On 11 January, Mandelson told Laura Kuennsberg his friendship with Epstein had been a "most terrible mistake".

Two days later, he gave a statement to Newsnight offering a personal apology to the victims of Epstein.

The exchanges between da Silva and Epstein appear as part of a huge document release from the US justice department running to three million pages relating to Epstein.

The emails, first reported in the Financial Times, were sent in September 2009, one year after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

At the time Lord Mandelson was serving as business secretary and de-facto prime minister for Gordon Brown.

Mandelson told the BBC: "I was wrong to believe Epstein following his conviction and to continue my association with him afterwards. I apologise unequivocally for doing so to the women and girls who suffered.

"I was never culpable or complicit in his crimes. Like everyone else I learned the actual truth about him after his death.

"But his victims did know what he was doing, their voices were not heard and I am sorry I was amongst those who believed him over them."

There is no suggestion Da Silva was involved in any wrongdoing.

In December 2024, Lord Mandelson was appointed as the UK's ambassador to the US but was sacked less than a year later, when it emerged he had sent supportive messages to Epstein following the conviction.

No 10 had known about Lord Mandelson's friendship with Epstein when the ambassadorial appointment was made but said new information revealed the "depth and extent" of the relationship leading to his dismissal.

The files further document the close ties between the British politician and Epstein including an email from June 2009 in which Lord Mandelson asks Epstein if he can "stay at yours Friday-Sunday this weekend".

Epstein asks "press issues?" before saying: "Your call I'm thrilled to host and sad I'm not there."

Mandelson replies that it should be OK adding: "Better 'facilities' at yours."

At this point, Epstein replied to someone else and copied Mandelson in, asking them to "implement" the arrangements.

A previously released report by the JP Morgan bank suggested that Mandelson had stayed at Epstein's apartment in New York in 2009.

In 2019, Epstein died in a New York prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.