Epstein And Uae Businessman Pictured With Fragment Resembling Kaaba Cloth

An image from newly released files shows Jeffrey Epstein and a prominent Emirati businessman looking at what appears to resemble a sacred cloth from Mecca in Saudi Arabia laid out on a floor.

The financier and convicted sex offender is pictured alongside Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chief executive of DP World, according to emails released by the US Department of Justice.

Both men have their hands in their pockets at the bottom of a staircase, and are looking down at an object which appears to be very similar to the Kiswa, the black, gold-embroidered cloth that covers the Kaaba at the centre of Islam’s holiest site in Saudi Arabia. 

The image was sent as an attachment from a redacted email address to Epstein and another redacted email address on 8 May 2014.

In the body of the message, the sender says: “Be careful what you think is a giant wallet in someone's trouser,” in what appears to be a lewd joke. It’s not clear if the comment is related to the picture with the cloth. 

Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the matter. 

Last week it was revealed from emails in the Epstein files that pieces of the sacred cloth were delivered to the sex offender through a number of intermediaries. 

Correspondence dated February and March 2017 showed UAE-based businesswoman Aziza al-Ahmadi working with a man named Abdullah al-Maari to organise the shipment of three pieces connected to the Kiswa.

Emails in the Epstein files show the items shipped by air freight from Saudi Arabia to Florida via British Airways, with coordination spanning invoices, customs arrangements and delivery inside the United States.

The shipment arrived at Epstein’s home in March 2017, long after he had served jail time and was registered as a sex offender. 

'Touched by millions'

Ahmadi, who is reportedly Saudi Arabian, explained the significance of the cloth to Epstein in one email. 

“The black piece was touched by minimum 10 million Muslims of different denominations, Sunni, Shia and others,” she said.

“They walk around the Kaaba seven rounds then every one tries as much as they can to touch it and they kept their prayers, wishes, tears and hopes on this piece. Hoping after that all their prayers to be accepted.”

The cloth is removed from the Kaaba and redraped each year on the ninth day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah, during the annual Hajj pilgrimage. 

The old Kiswa is then cut into small pieces and treated as a valuable artefact. Parts of it have been displayed in museums around the world, and gifted to individuals and institutions by the Saudi government. 

It is not clear where the image of Epstein with Ahmed bin Sulayem in 2014 was taken.

Given the deep religious significance, it would not be deemed respectful for the Kiswa to be placed on the floor. 

Ahmed bin Sulayem had a long-standing relationship with Epstein, years after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Several emails between the two discuss sexual experiences, and talk about women using degrading language. 

In one email, after discussing religion, Sulayem tells Epstein: “I am off the [sic] sample a fresh 100% female Russian at my yacht.”

'Big disappointment the Moldavian is not as attractive as the picture while the Ukrainian is very beautiful'

- Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO of DP World

In another email, Sulayem says to Epstein: “By the way the Ukrainian and the Moldavian arrived. Big disappointment the Moldavian is not as attractive as the picture while the Ukrainian is very beautiful.”

Other emails show Epstein sending Sulayem a link to escort services in Italy, to which the Emirati responds “Wow.”

Separately, in another email from Sulayem to Epstein, he makes a joke about Muslim worshippers being terrorists. 

“A friend of mine went to the mosque in saudi,” the Emirati wrote. “He said with all these terrorists Frankly you can't tell wether [sic] the guy standing next to you is just scratching his balls or fiddling with the detonator button !!!”

Sulayem is one of the most prominent business figures in the UAE, and has been the chief executive of DP World - which has investments in ports and infrastructure around the world - since 2016.

He has been the company’s chair since 2007.