Mugabe Mentioned in Epstein Files
The late former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has been referenced in the most recent batch of unsealed documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced American financier and convicted sex offender who died in 2019.
According to reports from the BBC and other sources, the newly released files from the US Department of Justice do not accuse Mugabe of any criminal activity or wrongdoing. Being named in these Epstein-related documents does not imply guilt or direct involvement in Epstein's crimes.
Key details from the files include:
A 2015 email exchange between Epstein and Japanese entrepreneur Joichi "Joi" Ito, in which Epstein proposed reaching out to then-President Mugabe. The idea was to involve him in introducing a new currency for Zimbabwe, following the collapse of the local dollar amid severe hyperinflation. This appears to have been a business or economic suggestion rather than evidence of an established relationship.
Separate 2017 FBI records containing unverified testimony from an anonymous "confidential human source." The source alleged that Epstein acted as a wealth manager for high-profile figures, specifically claiming he provided similar services to Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. These claims remain unsubstantiated and were not corroborated in the documents.
Mugabe, who led Zimbabwe to independence in 1980, served as its president for nearly four decades until his ousting in a 2017 coup, and passed away in September 2019 at age 95. The mentions appear to stem from Epstein's wide network of international contacts and speculative financial dealings.
The BBC has sought a response from the Mugabe family regarding these references, but no comment has been reported yet.
This is part of ongoing releases of Epstein-related materials, which continue to reveal the extent of his connections to global figures—though many such mentions are tangential, unproven, or unrelated to his sex-trafficking offenses. No evidence in the files suggests Mugabe had any personal or illicit ties beyond these financial or economic speculations.
