Epstein sent $75,000 to accounts linked to Mandelson, files suggest

21 minutes agoJohanna ChisholmBBC NewsBBCJeffrey Epstein made $75,000 (£55,000) of payments to accounts connected to Lord Mandelson, bank statements released by the US Department of Justice suggest.Between 2003 and 2004, Epstein appears to have sent three separate $25,000 payments referencing Lord Mandelson.Lord Mandelson said he had no record or recollection of receiving the sums and did not know whether the documents were authentic.He reiterated his regret for "ever having known Epstein" and for continuing his association following the disgraced financier's conviction, apologising "unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered".Images of the former UK ambassador to the US in his underwear have also been uncovered in the latest tranche of Epstein files. In a redacted picture, he is seen standing next to a female, whose face is not visible.He has said he "cannot place the location or the woman and I cannot think what the circumstances were".It is not known when or where the images of Lord Mandelson and the female were taken. Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing.US Department of JusticeLord Mandelson is seen here in a picture from the Epstein files.The recently released bank statements, first reported by the Financial Times, appear to show three separate payments referencing Lord Mandelson, who was Labour MP for Hartlepool at the time, being sent from Epstein's JP Morgan bank accounts.The first, dated 14 May 2003, shows a payment was sent to a Barclays bank account where Reinaldo Avila da Silva - Lord Mandelson's partner at the time - is named as "A/C", typically an abbreviation for account. In that payment, a "Peter Mandelson" is named on the account as "BEN", which is often an abbreviation for beneficiary. The second and third payments of $25,000 were made to HSBC accounts only days apart in June 2004. In both, "Peter Mandelson" is the only person named, again as "BEN". It is unclear if the three payments ever made it into any of the named accounts. Asked for a response to da Silva's loan, Lord Mandelson said he had been "very clear" about his relationship with Epstein in interviews with the BBC."I have nothing more to add," he said.Lord Mandelson was later sent to Washington by Sir Keir Starmer in December 2024 as the UK's ambassador to the US, but was sacked the following September after further revelations emerged about his friendship with Epstein. Emails revealed he had been in contact with Epstein after the US financier's 2008 conviction, sending a string of supportive messages.Asked by Laura Kuenssberg if the government was aware of Mandelson's alleged financial links to Epstein, Housing Secretary Steve Reed confirmed they were not. "You're talking about things that happened more than 20 years ago," he said, stressing "there was no knowledge" about what was going on at that time.Reed added that the reason Mandelson was removed as US ambassador was because "there were things he had not disclosed" to government."I think he should answer questions about his own life, not me."On 11 January, he told Laura Kuenssberg that his relationship with Epstein was a "terrible mistake". Days later, he offered a more direct apology to the victims of the disgraced financier, telling Newsnight he was "wrong" to continue associating with Epstein. Epstein's 2008 conviction was part of a plea bargain he reached in Florida. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to two charges, including soliciting girls as young as 14 for prostitution.Among the many emails exchanged between Epstein and Mandelson, one shows Epstein appearing to suggest to Mandelson that he could remove his peerage if he married Princess Beatrice. In October 2009, Epstein wrote: "or you can marry princess beatrice, the queen would have a queen as a grandson."The earlier correspondence in this chain is not included, but Mandelson replied to Epstein's message by saying: "Remember, I am already her Lord President."Epstein explained in separate email correspondence with a friend that he gave this advice to Mandelson so that he could run for prime minister, which he was unable to do as a member of the House of Lords.