US documents detail Jeffrey Epstein’s financial and political ties with powerful figures in Senegal and Ivory Coast, including presidential relatives

PARIS: Jeffrey Epstein cultivated close ties with powerful figures in Senegal and Ivory Coast, according to files released by the US government last month.

The documents detail the late financier’s influence network across Africa, revealing emails, scheduled meetings, investment projects, and loans.

They attest to his close relationship with Karim Wade, son of former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade, and his ties to Nina Keita, niece of Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara.

Wade and Epstein met in 2010 through Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.

The pair quickly struck up a rapport, with Epstein writing to Wade after their first meeting in Paris, “Thanks for coming. I think there are many things to consider… I feel confident that we will have fun.”

While their exchanges show no link to sex trafficking crimes, they reveal conversations on potential business ventures in finance and energy.

Epstein saw Wade as “one of the most important players in africa” and introduced him to contacts like Ehud Barak, then Israel’s defence minister.

He also connected Wade with Chinese businessman Desmond Shum to discuss “offshore banking,” with US Department of Justice documents showing they met in Beijing in May 2011.

That same month, Wade planned an African tour through Senegal, Mali, and Gabon for Epstein.

Their relationship deepened after Wade’s father left office in 2012 and Wade came under scrutiny.

Epstein proposed that his “friend” use his house in Florida, writing, “You and your family are welcome to use my house in palm beach, staff is there, pool etc. you will not suffer.”

Numerous files suggest Epstein became financially involved after Wade’s 2013 arrest and 2015 sentencing to six years for corruption.

Karim Wade’s lawyer, Mohamed Seydou Diagne, sent two invoices of USD 500,000 to one of Epstein’s companies in 2014 and 2015.

Other archives suggest Epstein covered at least USD 50,000 in fees for a US lobbying firm hired by Wade’s entourage to secure his release.

Epstein regularly exchanged emails with Robert Crowe, a partner at the firm, who kept him informed of their efforts.

In a June 2016 email, Crowe discussed whether then Senegalese president Macky Sall would pardon Wade, writing, “He has told my friends high up at State that he was going to do it.”

Wade was released from prison eight days later and went into exile in Qatar.

The documents also show Nina Keita was close to both Epstein and Karim Wade, acting as a regular intermediary while Wade was in prison.

Keita helped put Epstein in contact with her uncle, president of Ivory Coast, and his team.

After Epstein’s visit to Abidjan, she wrote, “He thought you were a very interesting person! … they were all very happy to have you here.”

Ahead of the visit, Epstein had said he hoped to see “very pretty girls there, as well as interesting places,” to which Keita replied, “You will!”

Emails show Keita, a former model, at least once sent photos and the phone number of a young woman to Epstein, who met her at the Ritz hotel in Paris.

After the meeting, Epstein wrote to Keita, “ask sadia to send pictures of her sister. i prefer under 25.”

Keita also appears in a February 2019 will in which Epstein requested that debts owed to him by a number of people be cancelled upon his death.

AFP received no response to its requests for comment from Keita, the Ivorian presidency, or Karim Wade.

The mere mention of a person’s name in the Epstein files does not in itself imply wrongdoing.

 The Sun Malaysia