Newly released correspondence indicates the disgraced financier helped curate a guest list, including a Russian model, for the South African leader during a state visit.
Former South African President Jacob Zuma features in the latest release of documents concerning Jeffrey Epstein, with emails detailing the late sex offender’s involvement in organizing a dinner for Zuma in the United Kingdom. The correspondence dates back to March 2010, coinciding with Zuma’s official state visit to London.
The email chains suggest Epstein was instrumental in arranging a gathering at the Ritz Hotel. In one exchange, an associate of Epstein writes to a prospective guest—a Russian model—stating that Epstein suggested the invitation to ensure the event had “real glamour.”
The “Glamour” Invitation
The correspondence reveals a specific effort to tailor the guest list. “I am a friend of Jeffrey Epstein and I have been asked to help arrange a small dinner tomorrow night for President Jacob Zuma,” the email reads. The recipient, represented by a London agency, accepted the invitation, inquiring whether the dress code required a “sleeveless cocktail dress.”
In a separate message to British peer Lord Peter Mandelson, Epstein noted that he had “invited a beautiful Russian” to the dinner being held for Zuma. A follow-up email from an attendee the next day praised the model’s “elegance and natural charm” and remarked that President Zuma was “much more impressive and engaging” than anticipated.
Foundation Issues Strong Denial
There is no evidence of wrongdoing by Zuma in the files, and presence in the Epstein documents does not imply illegal conduct. The Jacob Zuma Foundation vehemently rejected any implication of impropriety, categorizing the reports as a smear campaign.
In a statement regarding the leaks, the Foundation condemned the coverage as “agenda-driven journalism built on innuendo.” They emphasized that the documents do not allege any unlawful behavior by the former president, describing attempts to link him to Epstein’s crimes as “intellectually dishonest” and “guilt by association.”
SOURCES: The Jacob Zuma Foundation, Leaked Epstein Documents, BBC, Daily Maverick.
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