#EpsteinFiles #DPWorld #SultanBinSulayem #JusticeDepartment #CorporateAccountability #DubaiBusiness #WallStreet #PowerfulConnections #TortureVideoEmail #GlobalTrade #UNWomen #PensionFunds #BusinessEthics #PoliticalFallout #JeffreyEpstein
The Revelation
U.S. lawmakers have unmasked one of the most powerful figures in global trade as the alleged recipient of a disturbing 2009 email from Jeffrey Epstein referencing a “torture video.” Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group CEO and Chairman of DP World—the Dubai-based logistics empire handling 10% of world container trade—has been thrust into the center of the ongoing Epstein files scandal.
The disclosure came Monday after Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) reviewed unredacted Justice Department documents. Massie posted a screenshot to X showing Epstein’s message: “where are you? Are you ok, I loved the torture video.” The reply indicated the sender was “in china” and would return to the U.S. in May.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed the redaction protected an email address, but noted bin Sulayem’s name appeared unredacted elsewhere in released files—effectively confirming his identity as the correspondent.
A Web of Power and Influence
The email represents merely one thread in a complex tapestry spanning 2007-2019. DOJ records reveal thousands of exchanges between bin Sulayem and Epstein covering business deals, political introductions, and explicit sexual content. Epstein described the Dubai magnate as a “close personal friend” of eight years and “one of his most trusted friends.”
Their correspondence included arrangements with masseuses, discussions of sexual encounters, prostitution services, and references to Little St. James—Epstein’s private island where prosecutors allege sex trafficking occurred.
More strikingly, Epstein operated as a global superconnector for bin Sulayem. Documents show the financier attempting to place former UK Labour minister Peter Mandelson on bin Sulayem’s board, introducing him to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and connecting him with Hyatt Hotels executive chairman Thomas Pritzker, retail billionaire Les Wexner, and JPMorgan’s Jes Staley.
The files also reveal bin Sulayem’s access to American political power. Thomas Barrack—now U.S. ambassador to Turkey—invited him to Trump’s 2017 inauguration. Epstein introduced him to Steve Bannon in 2018, assuring bin Sulayem: “We have become friends you will like him.”
Immediate Consequences
The fallout has been swift. Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), Canada’s second-largest pension fund managing over $300 billion, announced Wednesday it would halt all future deals with DP World. The fund stated it had “made it clear to the company that we expect it to shed light on the situation and take the necessary actions.”
This represents the first major institutional response to the bin Sulayem revelations and signals potential broader financial isolation.
Institutional Hypocrisy Exposed
The scandal has exposed glaring contradictions in bin Sulayem’s public positioning. In March 2022, DP World became a “Champion” of UN Women HeForShe Alliance, with bin Sulayem declaring it “a great honor” to accelerate “gender equality” and build “an equitable and fair” global ecosystem.
UN Women has since confirmed the initiative ended December 2024 and stated: “UN Women has no current partnership or collaboration with Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem or DPWorld.”
He remains listed as an agenda contributor at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he has regularly appeared alongside world leaders.
What Remains Unknown
Critical questions persist. The nature of the “torture video” remains unexplained—whether it was actually sent, its content, and its provenance are unclear. Bin Sulayem has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing, and authorities emphasize that Epstein file mentions do not constitute evidence of illegal activity.
DP World has not responded to requests for comment regarding bin Sulayem’s continued leadership. The company’s strategic importance to global trade—operating 82 marine and inland terminals across 40 countries—creates significant geopolitical complexity around any potential accountability measures.
The Bigger Picture
The bin Sulayem case illustrates a recurring Epstein pattern: the weaponization of wealth and connections to penetrate highest levels of business and government. While Epstein died in 2019, the documentation of his network continues reshaping institutions and reputations worldwide.
For global finance and trade, the CDPQ decision may presage wider institutional distancing. For Dubai’s reputation as a transparent business hub, the revelations present an unprecedented challenge. And for survivors of Epstein’s crimes, each disclosure adds another name to the roster of powerful individuals who maintained relationships with a convicted sex offender long after his 2008 prosecution.
The story continues to unfold as investigators and journalists parse thousands of remaining documents—and as the institutions that elevated figures like bin Sulayem confront their own complicity in legitimizing power regardless of association.
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