Epstein considered buying record label for access to women

Convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein was interested in investing in music label EMI after a friend suggested it would provide access to women, new files have revealed.

The US Department of Justice published millions of Epstein’s emails and files in February, releasing over 2,000 videos, 18,000 images and 1.4 million emails, which suggest the existence of a “global criminal enterprise”, according to the UN Human Rights Council.

Now, a released email chain between Epstein and an associate, businessman David Stern, appears to suggest that the financier was considering investing in EMI as the music industry is “related to P” – a way that Epstein would often refer to women that appears to be an abbreviation for the vulgar slang “p***y”.

In an email sent in February 2010, Mr Stern told Epstein: “Troubled industry but related to P: EMI (music) needs approx US$190m (£140m) to survive or may be taken over by Citigroup.

“Terra Firma own EMI, my friend is in charge of this investment. Should I talk to them?”

Epstein responded by saying that he was “interested” and asked whether they needed help from Peter Mandelson, who was first secretary of state and business secretary for the UK at the time.

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Mr Stern tells him that the friend is a “right-hand man” of the boss of Terra Firma and that he has meetings scheduled to discuss the opportunity. “In my view it is too early to get Mandelson involved before I know more,” he added.

“It seems that the debt mountain is too big, covenant breach is imminent and citigroup want to take control.” Mr Stern was an aide of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and a director of his Pitch@Palace initiative before resigning in 2019.

Epstein appears to have contacted Lord Mandelson a few days later, asking for “bens contact info” and to “havehim cal me re emi [sic]”. It is not clear who “ben” is, however Lord Mandelson replies: “Gave to [redacted]. Email is [redacted]. Talk re EMI ??”

A spokesperson for Lord Mandelson told The Independent that Lord Mandelson has no recollection of Epstein’s wish to invest in EMI and had no knowledge or suspicion of his criminal conduct towards young women and girls, nor was he in any way involved, complicit or facilitated the conduct.

They said: "Lord Mandelson regrets, and will regret until his dying day, that he believed Epstein's lies about his criminality. Lord Mandelson did not discover the truth about Epstein until after his death in 2019. He is profoundly sorry that powerless and vulnerable women and girls were not given the protection they deserved."

Epstein contacted Mr Stern again, saying that he would bring his friend, US businessman and former Sony Music company CEO Tony Mottola, in to “fix” EMI if he did invest. The music industry executive appears in approximately 600 documents within the Epstein files, however appearing in the Epstein files does not alone indicate wrongdoing. The Independent has contacted Mr Mottola’s representatives for comment.

In subsequent emails, Mr Stern uses the letter “P” once again while referring to women, asking Epstein in September 2011 if he wants tickets to a “special Chinese catwalk” at London Fashion Week to “review Chinese P”. He also attempts to convince Epstein to acquire EMI again that year, telling him: “EMI may now come up for sale. Could actually be of interest to Chinese if structured properly. Also, most certainly great asset to have for P!”

In January 2016, he sent Epstein a birthday message, writing: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY and blessings of health and lots of P.”

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While Epstein’s investment deal with EMI did not go ahead as the company’s main lender Citigroup took control, Epstein’s associates discussed a bid for EMI again in 2011. Connecticut businessman Kevin Law wrote to Epstein: “Tell your buddy Andrew from the UK if he’s interested in EMI as we discussed I can put him in the syndicate w KKR.” It is unclear whether Mr Law is referring to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in the email.

Mr Law told BBC News he “never bid on EMI with any group” or did “a business deal with Epstein”. He also said that he did not know Mr Mountbatten-Windsor.

KKR is a private equity firm that had a large stake in EMI’s rival BMG at the time. The Independent has contacted KKR for comment.

EMI is now defunct, having been acquired by Universal Music in 2012. It was one of the largest record companies, with labels including EMI Records, Parlophone, Virgin Records and Capitol Records.

Epstein was in custody for federal charges of sex trafficking minors when he died by suicide aged 66 in August 2019. He served 18 months in prison in 2008 for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute in Florida.