TheBadPlaceyahoo news | Jeffrey Epstein’s connection with Gulf royals: From Mecca’s sacred drape to roya...
Jeffrey Epstein’s ambition to sit beside power extended far beyond the United States, reaching deep into the royal courts of the Middle East. Newly released “Epstein files” reveal that, even as legal troubles mounted, he cultivated relationships with Saudi, Qatari, Emirati and other Gulf elites, positioning himself as an adviser, fixer and “financial confidant.” In Saudi Arabia he met Raafat Al‑Sabbagh, an aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and openly critiqued the Vision 2030 plan, warning that a public listing of Saudi Aramco could expose the kingdom to U.S. legal risks. He even proposed living in a small palace while tutoring the Crown Prince on global finance, offering his services free of charge in exchange for regular meetings and access to sovereign‑wealth data.
The files also document unprecedented gifts that blurred the line between diplomacy and personal intrigue. Epstein arranged for pieces of the Kaaba’s kiswa—silk cloth that covers Islam’s holiest shrine—to be shipped to his Caribbean island, classifying them as “artwork” to clear U.S. customs. Alongside the sacred fabric arrived a Bedouin tent, traditional carpets and other Middle‑Eastern décor, creating a stylized enclave on Little Saint James. In Qatar, Epstein corresponded with members of the Al‑Thani family, offering a four‑point strategy to mend the nation’s image after its 2017 blockade, and he attempted to broker talks between Saudi and Qatari leaders during periods of heightened tension.
Even while serving an 18‑month work‑release sentence in 2009, Epstein continued to act as an intermediary, linking Emirati businessmen with British officials and editing diplomatic correspondence. Contacts sometimes addressed him with titles such as “Sheikh Jeffrey” or “habibi,” underscoring his desire for acceptance within elite circles. Although there is little evidence that his outreach translated into concrete policy influence, the revelations illustrate how a disgraced financier managed to embed himself—through advice, extravagant gifts, and personal charm—within the periphery of Gulf power structures, gaining access and attention that many would consider unsettling.
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