The F1, football and NFL figures who kept Epstein links after conviction

Senior executives in Formula 1, football and American football maintained their links with Jeffrey Epstein after his conviction for a sex offence, documents included in the latest Epstein files release show.

Millions of new files relating to the notorious American financier were released last Friday.

They included emails and text messages between Epstein and some public figures who – before the files were released – claimed they had distanced themselves from him following his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The files also include documents that show discussions about potential business deals involving Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, and high-level sports executives.

According to emails between Epstein and Jean Todt – the former president of motorsport governing body the FIA and team boss of Ferrari during the early 2000s – Todt visited Epstein at the latter’s New York home in 2017.

In May of that year, Epstein emailed Todt to say “jean, sorry it was so short and Terje did not give me any notice in advance to help with the fun”.

‘Terje’ appears to be Norwegian diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen, who the files show was also in contact with Epstein, and sent a text message to the American saying: “Think it could be useful for you to meet Jean Todt. Sent you his contact info. Call him and invite him for coffee.”

Replying to Epstein, Todt wrote: “It was nice to get to know you through our common friend Terje. Let me know if you come to Paris or Geneva. I will be back in New York in mid-July.”

The following day, Epstein sent an email to Eduardo Teodorani – now chairman and vice-president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the UK – saying: “i had jean todt to my house ? odd guy.”

Teodorani replied: “Very. But why?” No further replies are visible in the documents.

Todt’s name was first mentioned to Epstein in 2013, when another contact – French diplomat Olivier Colom – emailed him to say: “Going out at Jean Todt tonight. Do you know him? I introduced Terje to him lately. Good man.”

Flavio Briatore – now executive adviser and de-facto team principal of the Alpine F1 team – also maintained contact with Epstein, according to the files.

One email from 2010, sent by a person whose identity is redacted, said: “Flavio Briatore would like to speak with you. He can be reached at his office in London.”

Later the same year, Epstein referred to Briatore as “my Italian friend” in an email chain discussing the potential purchase of an aircraft by Mohamed Al Fayed – the late businessman who has been accused of multiple alleged rapes and attempted rapes.

Briatore was also mentioned in a conversation between Epstein and Lord Mandelson – the former business secretary and US ambassador, who is facing an investigation into alleged misconduct in public office. The subject was a property in Chelsea, which Epstein was told Briatore wanted to sell.

The files show Crystal Palace investor Josh Harris remained in contact with Epstein via email and phone calls for many years after his conviction, including joining him for a breakfast meeting in 2013 after which he sent an email saying “thank you for inviting me”.

Harris – whose private equity firm Apollo Global Management also owns NBA team the Philadelphia 76ers, NHL team New Jersey Devils, and the NFL team Washington Commanders – also contacted Epstein in 2016, saying he was “happy to catch up” at some point in the future.

A spokesperson for Harris said: “Josh Harris never had an independent relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Harris sought to prevent Epstein’s attempts to develop a corporate relationship with Apollo. As these emails indicate, Harris sought to avoid meeting with Epstein, cancelling meetings and having others return his calls.”

Emails sent to Epstein also appear to show he conducted two meetings with Todd Boehly – now co-owner and chairman of Chelsea – in 2011, three years after Epstein’s conviction.

The emails suggest Epstein wanted to be introduced to Boehly, who at the time was co-owner of baseball team the Los Angeles Dodgers, and a managing partner at global asset management firm Guggenheim Partners.

Neither Boehly nor Chelsea have made a public comment.

Celtic owner Dermot Desmond was mentioned twice in emails sent to Epstein in 2010 on behalf of golf resort developer Gerald G Barton.

In the messages, Epstein was told by somebody writing on behalf of Barton that Irish billionaire Desmond – a golf resort owner – was willing to provide millions of dollars to help co-fund golf developments.

New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch repeatedly sent complimentary emails to Epstein in the early 2010s, and Epstein appeared to be attempting to arrange meetings between Tisch and women.

In one, in 2013, he told Tisch, “I can bring the Russian if you like”.

In a statement, Tisch said: “We had a brief association where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition we discussed movies, philanthropy and investments.

“I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.”

The NFL says it is deliberating whether to conduct a formal investigation into Tisch.

“We are going to look at all the facts,” said commissioner Roger Goodell when asked at a news conference about Tisch’s conduct.

“We’re going to look at the context of those [messages]. We’re going to try to understand that and we’ll look at how that falls under the policy,” Goodell said.

In 2016, the billionaire property developer Andrew Farkas apologised on behalf of himself and Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross for the condition of the mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, that Epstein visited, and a year later Farkas told Epstein that Ross would be willing to provide up to $100m of funding for a project also part-funded by Epstein.

The files also include contact between sports figures and Ghislaine Maxwell – serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for her role in Epstein’s crimes – that took place before her former partner’s conviction.

Casey Wasserman – chairman of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and founder of marketing agency Wasserman – exchanged sexually charged emails with Maxwell in 2003.

Wasserman told her “I miss you”, asked “can I book that massage now?” and requested to see Maxwell in “a tight leather outfit”.

Wasserman’s agency represents some of the most high-profile athletes in the world.

“I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light,” Wasserman said.

David Wassong, who – according to an online profile – advises entrepreneurs and businesses, sent a message to Maxwell in 2003 asking “are you going to send me names and numbers of people to play with in Ireland?”

Maxwell replied with the phone number of former F1 driver Eddie Irvine. She also introduced Irvine to other acquaintances in the same year, according to emails.

Irvine has previously admitted attending parties organised by Epstein and Maxwell in New York and Miami, and says he saw Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s accuser Virginia Giuffre at one event, but presumed she was about 20.

“I knew Ghislaine reasonably well,” Irvine said in 2020. “I spoke to her from time to time and I spoke to [Epstein] from time to time. Ghislaine was always super-sweet and a super-nice lady.