Mandelson offered to help Epstein get Russian visa, documents suggest

Lord Mandelson offered to help Jeffrey Epstein obtain a Russian visa, which the paedophile financier planned to use to meet young women in Moscow, documents released by the US government suggest.

There is no indication that the politician knew why Epstein wanted the visa, and further emails suggest the trip was cancelled because it couldn't be obtained.

Epstein was awaiting charges of trafficking minors from around the world for sex when he died in his prison cell in 2019.

Lord Mandelson, a senior minister in the Tony Blair and Gordon Brown governments, resigned from the House of Lords this week after newly released files on Epstein revealed the extent of their relationship.

It is not known what the primary reason was for Epstein's planned trip to Moscow in 2010, but emails suggested he was going to meet women while there.

On 9 November 2010, Epstein emailed Jean-Luc Brunel, a close associate and modelling agent, to let him know he was thinking of travelling to Moscow the following week.

Brunel, who killed himself in 2022 while being investigated for the trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation, appeared to reply and said: "I am getting my visa".

Emails from the same day show that Epstein asked Mandelson, who had left government six months before, if he could help in acquiring a Russian visa.

Epstein, who was in France, emailed Mandelson and said: "I do not have a visa for Russia, it is a bank holiday in paris today... any ideas how i can get one."

The documents released by the US Department of Justice suggest that Lord Mandelson replied hours later indicating that he was willing to help.

At this point, Epstein had already served a prison sentence for soliciting prostitution with a minor.

BBC News has seen no evidence to suggest that Mandelson asked why Epstein needed a visa to visit Russia at short notice.

The following day, Mandelson emailed Epstein again and said that an associate of his was "helping on visas".

The days that Epstein wanted to travel to Moscow match up with email exchanges regarding obtaining a visa.

On the same day that Epstein asked Mandelson for help, the financier sent an email to a woman in Russia asking if they had any "news?".

She replied later that day and said: "I really want to have someone very nice soon for you, working on it!"

She added: "I have around 10 friends I'm working on now".

She also discussed a woman who they said would be "back in Moscow in a few days".

Three days later Epstein said to the woman he would be "back next week// any luck".

She replied and referred to what appears to be a 22-year-old woman who Epstein had previously indicated he had no interest in.

She said: "I know you didn't like photo of [redacted] 22, however if you change your mind let me know, she is a very very nice and sweet girl, just from Moscow. I'm 90 percent sure she will be interested."

She went on to describe another "gorgeous" woman who was "really interested". They said they had "told her everything and she is completely fine".

Later that day she was sending a picture of another woman who "wants to be an actress, study design, was a gymnast".

She added that she had "interviewed" this woman, who she said was "really nice and interesting" and said they were "getting friendly with her and will have a talk soon!".

She also referenced a planned brunch with another person, who it appears Epstein had already received a photograph of.

The email said: "she is bringing her girlfriend along, hopefully a good looking one! Will make photos."

She asked Epstein to "let us know what day you arrive so I'll come with [redacted]."

The email ended: "I am very excited about your guests, going to the gym now to be prepared!!!".

Epstein replied to say there was "no picture attached" and received a response: "sorry...here's the picture! not the best one, so I also found some others on her facebook page."

Multiple emails suggest that Epstein planned to fly from Paris to Moscow in the days following this exchange.

Emails also indicate that Mandelson visited Epstein in Paris on the day this exchange was sent.

On 11 November, Epstein emailed his close friend Jes Staley to say that "petie [Mandelson], and others in paris this weekend".

On 12 November, Mandelson received an email with the subject "Paris" which read: "Hi peter, Valdson, Jeffrey's driver, will be picking you up today from the train station... see you this evening!"

There is no suggestion that Mandelson knew the reason Epstein wanted to visit Russia.

The documents also show that the Moscow trip was ultimately cancelled because of delays in obtaining the necessary visas.

On 15 November, an associate of Mandelson's, who had been advising Epstein's assistant on Russian visas, emailed to ask if they had obtained them yet.

Epstein's assistant replied and said the Moscow trip was no longer going ahead because it was "going to take too long to get visas in paris".

They added: "Thank you very much for all your help in this matter and sorry that it didn't work out in the end!"

Lord Mandelson has been approached for comment. He has previously said he was not complicit or culpable in Epstein's crimes and has apologised to the women and girls who suffered.

Jean-Luc Brunel always denied any wrongdoing.

Being named in the Epstein files is not an indication wrongdoing.