Resort deals, campaign help, financial advice: Epstein's deep ties to ex-Maldives president

The documents published by the US Justice Department on January 30 reveal a far deeper and more prolonged connection than previously known. The relationship was first exposed in November from files released by the US House Oversight Committee, which showed Waheed calling Epstein "my saviour" and attending a private dinner.

The correspondence in the newly released files spans 2012 to 2015. In-person meetings in New York occurred years after Epstein's widely reported conviction for soliciting prostitution from an underaged girl. Details of the controversial plea agreement that allowed him to only serve 13 months and avoid more serious charges had been public knowledge by then and numerous civil lawsuits from Epstein's alleged victims were proceeding through American courts.

In September 2012, when arranging the dinner at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse during Waheed's UN General Assembly visit to the US, Epstein's assistant Lesley Groff asked whether First Lady Ilham Hussein would attend.

"Your wife is very welcome to come! May I have her name? Does she have any allergies or dislikes we should know about?" Groff wrote.

Waheed confirmed his wife would join: "Her name is Elham. We eat and drink everything."

Two years later, Waheed arranged another dinner at Epstein's residence. An April 2014 email shows Waheed accepting an invitation for May 19, 2014, with his son Jeffrey Salim Waheed copied on the correspondence. Jeffrey Waheed was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Maldives embassy in New York at the time.

The day before that scheduled dinner at "Jeffrey's home" at 9 East 71st Street, Waheed and his son met Epstein in person. Waheed thanked Epstein for the meeting and noted that his son, would be available for follow-up contact: "Jeff lives here in Manhattan, so please call him if you like and he will be happy to come and see you."

Both the May 18 appointment for 5pm and May 19 dinner for 7pm were on Epstein itineraries released by the Justice Department, along with a phone call in January 2013 and a reminder during a visit to Paris in March 2013.

Waheed is currently serving as President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's special envoy. He was appointed in May 2025 “to utilise his extensive experience to advance the Maldives’ diplomatic interests.”

Waheed did not respond to a previous request for comment. The Maldives Independent was awaiting a response from his son Jeffrey Salim Waheed at the time of publication.

After the meeting in May 2014, Waheed pitched luxury resort investment deals worth US$ 425 million to Epstein.

"Thanks for the meeting today. I am always impressed by how much you find out about Maldives before we meet and how many questions you have. Both Jeff and I enjoyed our meeting," Waheed wrote on May 18, 2014. 

The email was sent from "President Waheed's iPad" eight months after he lost the presidential election with just five percent of the vote. It outlined two projects Waheed was developing with his business partner "Didi," a likely reference to Ibrahim Mohamed Didi, chairman of Simdi Group, a prominent Maldivian businessman who developed resorts including One&Only Kanuhura. Didi's wife Mariyam Shakeela served in Waheed's cabinet from May 2012 to November 2013. 

"Project 1: Fuggiri" was a private island retreat for VVIPs with a US$ 25 million budget. "You will have a small stunningly beautiful island with about 10 villas, each with three or four bedrooms. Retreat will be fully contained with its own electricity, water and F and B services," Waheed wrote in an earlier email. He said the project would target "Middle Eastern royal families and our rich Russian clients."

Waheed explained: "The little island is more like a personal project and I would like to be involved in it. The island is too beautiful to be 'sold' to just anyone. Appreciate your thoughts on what can be done with it." He attached aerial photographs of the island and followed up later with more photos in a separate email.

The second proposal, "Project 2: Innareha Cluster," involved developing five islands for an estimated US$ 400 million. "The cluster Innareha project will be the next big thing in tourism in Maldives. My friend Didi and I are working on this," Waheed wrote. "We have done a financial feasibility study which I can send to you."

He indicated there was a competing investor for the project, but the terms were unfavourable. "Singaporian party currently talking but offer is only 10 percent for local party, and 10 million for acquisition costs," Waheed wrote. "Our side asking for just 40 percent equity for local party and no acquisition costs for the investor."

He also flagged an upcoming policy change that would benefit foreign investors: "Good news. Shortly all islands can be extended to 99 years."

Waheed signed off by saying: "Best regards to you and your beautiful students." Epstein was known to surround himself with young women he described as assistants or students, a practice later revealed to be part of his sex trafficking operation.

Waheed invited Epstein to visit the Maldives to view the projects. "When you come you will be hosted by Didi and me," he wrote. "You will enjoy meeting him and to be entertained. Oh! schedule some time for Maldives. You will not regret."

He offered to connect Epstein with prominent figures in the luxury hospitality world: "We are good friends of both Sol and Sultan, so you may discuss with them if you think its useful."

"Sol" was likely Sol Kerzner, a legendary South African hotelier who played a key role in developing luxury tourism in the Maldives with high-end properties such as the One&Only Reethi Rah. He passed away in 2020. 

"Sultan" appears to be Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman and CEO of DP World, who features heavily in other Epstein correspondence. He pioneered major Dubai developments including Jebel Ali Free Zone and worked with Nakheel on projects like the Palm Islands. According to reporting on the newly released files, Epstein arranged meetings between Sulayem and Jes Staley, the former JP Morgan banker, and discussed deals involving Dubai World Ports.

Sulayem's DP World is now at the centre of a political controversy in the Maldives. In early January, former presidents Abdulla Yameen and Mohamed Nasheed raised concerns about alleged plans to hand over the envisioned Thilafushi commercial port to DP World. Finance Minister Zameer confirmed receipt of a proposal but denied any planned sale.

The new files confirm Sulayem's connection to both Epstein and the Maldives. On July 1, 2014, Sulayem emailed Epstein with the subject line "At Maldives," reporting that he had met President Yameen. "We will invest in their port and logistic park the Chinese are financing the project," Sulayem wrote. "The president is very smart he knows what he wants he asked my advice and help to develop a finance center to attract Indian businessmen, very interesting."

A previous DP World deal was explored during Yameen's presidency but abandoned in 2015. That deal was negotiated by then-Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb, who signed an MOU with DP World in March 2015. But the government's investment board later determined the proposal would not be beneficial to the Maldives.

A forwarded email from three years prior showed the three-way connection between Waheed, Epstein, and the DP World chief executive. On November 18, 2012, Ibrahim Mohamed Didi – Waheed's "partner" on the resort investment deals – wrote to Sulayem requesting follow-up on campaign assistance from Epstein.

"HE President told me that your friend Jeffrey told him that he would be sending a Campaign Strategist. Waheed said that its now time to get his assistance," Didi wrote.

The email, which Sulayem forwarded to Epstein, also referenced a reclamation project near Malé that the former's engineer was expected to assess. Didi noted that "a special dredger is expected to arrive Maldives very soon."

After Waheed's investment proposal, Epstein expressed interest and asked about the budget for each project, confirming that he "would like to viist [sic]." But the deal appears to have fallen through. 

In September 2015, the island was leased without tender for US$ 1.55 million to a Dubai-based company called Classic Citi Island Holdings Ltd. Fuggiri was among dozens of islands and lagoons leased through the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, an unprecedented corruption scandal in which at least US$ 90 million was stolen during Yameen's administration.

Yameen is currently on trial on charges related to the Fuggiri resort deal. He is accused of accepting a bribe of US$ 1.1 million in exchange for arranging the no-bid lease. The alleged bribe was paid by a British Virgin Islands company, A&A Holdings Group Ltd, to an associate of the former president, then redirected to him. According to an OCCRP investigation based on the Pandora Papers, the true owners of A&A Holdings were Indian businessmen Amit Kumar Gandhi and his brother Avinash Kumar Gandhi, who were in a partnership with influential Indian developer Avinash Bhosale in Classic Citi.

The Criminal Court concluded witness testimony in Yameen's bribery and money laundering trial in late September. In June 2023, Yameen's former Vice President Adeeb – the self-confessed architect of the MMPRC embezzlement scheme as then-tourism minister and Yameen's right-hand man – testified about meeting with Indian businessmen running a Dubai company to lease Fuggiri on Yameen's orders. Adeeb told the court the government only signed the lease after Yameen received confirmation that his "commission" would be paid. 

Fuggiri is currently listed as under development by Aria Hotel Partners.

On July 28, 2012, Epstein forwarded an email from Waheed to Jes Staley, then a senior JP Morgan banker. "Hi I talked to our finance minister. He is looking around to borrow upto 500 million dollars to be repaid over a ten year period preferably with a grace period of one year. Would be very helpful to know what can be expected under the current market conditions," Waheed wrote.

Two months later, in September 2012, Waheed visited China and met Premier Wen Jiabao. The Waheed administration subsequently secured a US$ 500 million loan from China for housing projects.

It is unclear whether Epstein or his banking contacts played any role in advising on the eventual Chinese financing, or whether the approaches were connected.

Nearly two years after Waheed left office, Epstein reached out to ask if Waheed would be in New York for the UN General Assembly in September 2015. Waheed said he would not attend "because the new president has gained enough confidence to go there this time" but asked Epstein for help with another business venture: "Do you know anyone who might want to partner with me in a yacht charter business in Maldives?"

Epstein responded: "details??"

A month later, Waheed asked Epstein to connect him with American or European construction companies interested in bidding for projects in Kuwait worth more than US$ 300 million each.

"My close friend in Kuwait has inside contacts and chances are good winning bid because there are about ten projects for building new townships. First one comes out for bidding in February," Waheed wrote.

Epstein immediately forwarded the request to an associate, David Stern, who responded with contacts at top management of four European construction firms: Balfour Beatty (UK), Implenia (Switzerland), Strabag (Austria), and Bilfinger (Germany).

Epstein then introduced Waheed to Stern: "mohamed is former presidnet of maldives, you can deal directly."

According to media reports, Stern was a former JP Morgan banker who was copied on emails alongside Jes Staley, the former JP Morgan and Barclays CEO who resigned in 2021 over his close relationship with Epstein. 

In July 2015, Waheed visited New York and sought Epstein's counsel on his career. "I would like to seek advice from you on a new posting with the UN," Waheed wrote. Epstein offered to fly in earlier to meet him, but when their schedules did not align, they arranged a phone call instead.

Less than two months after the contested transfer of power from Nasheed to his Vice President Waheed in February 2012, Epstein outlined his travel plans to what appears to be a private jet coordinator: "current plans... may 20 trip around the world maldives, turkey kazak, singapore, san fran, ranch, new york, lsj, ranch, for july."

The email was dated April 4, 2012 and copied to Epstein's assistant Lesley Groff. 

Documents from May 2013 provide stronger evidence of a planned trip. On May 9, 2013, Epstein emailed his pilot and assistant requesting they "prepare a flight time plan" for an international itinerary that included the Maldives.

Two days later, Larry Visoski – Epstein's longtime personal pilot who flew his private jet for over two decades – responded with calculated flight times, including legs from Kazakhstan to the Maldives (five hours 25 minutes) and from the Maldives to Minsk (five hours five minutes with a fuel stop needed in Kiev).

Both trips would have occurred during Waheed's presidency, but it is not clear whether Epstein made either one.

The documents suggest Epstein was poised to support Waheed from the moment he took power. On February 7, 2012, the same day that Nasheed resigned and Waheed assumed the presidency, Epstein sent an email congratulating the new leader and referred to a previous meeting in France.

"Dr wahid, I am thrilled that the maldives are now in your hands," Epstein wrote. "when you and sultan met in my paris apt, we contemplated a visit to your islands.. it is now more of a privledge." 

Two months later, Waheed thanked Epstein for mobilising support. "Thank you for the excellent support provided. Rory Gill provided much needed advice to deal with international press," Waheed wrote on April 28, 2012. "We are still struggling with demands being made by a Commonwealth ministerial committee CMAG."

Waheed noted his government was facing scrutiny from foreign ministers in Canada and Australia who "suspected illegal transfer of power" and threatened sanctions. Former President Nasheed "is supported by [then-UK Prime Minister] David Cameron's government and we are finding it difficult to convince them to be more even handed," he wrote.

"I am looking forward to your visit to the Maldives. Sultan has been talking about possibility of some investments here," he added.

A separate email to Ian Osborne, a British entrepreneur whose name appears multiple times in the Epstein files, distinguished the operation with the Epstein-connected figures with support from a publicly known PR contract. "Our tourism ministry has hired Ruder Finn to promote Maldives Tourism," Waheed wrote to Osborne. "The moment Nasheed's friends found out about Ruder Finn there was a reaction trying to discredit the efforts. Fortunately no one knew about your support, so I hope that there has not been any attacks on you in the media."

Ruder Finn was hired through MMPRC and billed US$ 221,826 for three months of work in 2012, according to emails previously obtained by the Maldives Independent. In contrast, the Osborne operation appears to have been kept entirely off the books.

Text messages between Waheed and Epstein show the campaign assistance was promised earlier than the email trail suggested. On October 3, 2012, Waheed texted Epstein from Catalina Island in California: "I am excited that you found a person to help me out in my campaign. When can I talk to this person." He requested the consultant visit the Maldives in November "to assess the situation and have a first round of discussions and advice."

In November 2012, three days after Ibrahim Mohamed Didi wrote to Sulayem requesting follow-up on the offer for help with the 2013 campaign, Epstein sent an email introducing Waheed to a political consultant: "mr president. please have someone contact james mcgee to discuss the campaign strategy, he worked on the virgin islands with great success."

McGee was the president of Newgrange Consulting Group, a Boston-based firm. Three days after Epstein's introduction, McGee offered to "review your current campaign operations as well as the overall organizational development of your campaign to date." Waheed responded on November 24, appointing Ismail Shafeeu as the campaign's point person, noting that "He also has the voter data and other information requested earlier."

Waheed expressed urgency about receiving support on the ground: "It will be very necessary for you to visit Maldives as soon as you schedule will allow."

Two days later, McGee copied Epstein and sent a formal campaign package with four attachments: a preliminary campaign memorandum, a voter file preparation spreadsheet, organisational descriptions, and a campaign structure document.

The documents reveal a comprehensive American-style campaign infrastructure designed specifically for Waheed. A campaign roles document outlined positions including a territory-wide campaign manager, island and atoll "field directors," a database director to manage "Newgrange Campaign Software Applications," and press operations staff who would receive "assistance and advice of designated Newgrange contacts."

By December 2012, the collaboration was underway. On Christmas Day, Epstein texted "News?" and Waheed responded: "My guy here is working with Jim. We are still trying to get our teams organized here. Elections are in September. It's moving a little slowly at the moment but hoping to step up activities after new year."

In the same exchange, Waheed sought additional support from Epstein's network. "I need some more support from Osborne. We are talking to Rory and he's been helping on and off," he wrote. "I need a full time person here in Maldives to work with me on communications. It could just be a clever graduate student who can write stuff for European media."

The messages also reveal Epstein's offer to personally fund policing in the Maldives. On July 4, 2012, Waheed asked Epstein to approach New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for NYPD experts to help develop "a gang and crime reduction strategy." Epstein responded four days later: "I will fund. The virgin islands has a program that might be Better suited."

The campaign collaboration continued through early 2013. In February, McGee circulated a baseline polling memorandum, and Waheed provided detailed government data to inform the questionnaire, including drug abuse statistics, infrastructure spending figures, and sensitive population data about the viability of small island communities.

Epstein participated in strategy discussions. On February 24, 2013, he suggested education policy: "does wireless ipad education work, sending lessons to the smaller island? might be able to interest private industry."

On February 27, McGee emailed Epstein with links to BBC and Maldives Independent coverage of a 15-year-old rape victim who had been sentenced to flogging for "fornication" under Waheed's government. "We should probably discuss before moving forward with anything more," McGee wrote. Epstein forwarded the message to a redacted recipient, assuring them: "I will continue to help of course."

By March, Waheed's son Jeffrey Salim Waheed was copied on campaign strategy emails. Waheed briefed McGee on political developments including his state of the nation address – "another painful exercise but its done after almost 5 hours of repeated attempts" – and Nasheed's terrorism trial, which "began with some street protests."

In a November 2012 email with the subject line "prelim questions," Epstein asked Waheed about voter registration data broken down by population centres, and for "the real story of what went down with the resignation of President Nasheed and the subsequent ascension of President Waheed," as well as the country's direction on Islamic law.

Epstein wrote that he had read the CoNI report – the Commonwealth-backed inquiry into the February 2012 transfer of power – but dismissed it as "a finely crafted state document version of what they want the world to perceive."

On September 1, 2013, as the election approached, Epstein texted Waheed: "Good luck." A month later, Waheed forwarded an information brief prepared by the foreign ministry and complained about the election.

"Elections have turned out to be more difficult than expected. India is interfering in the election. And have helped Nasheed to steal it in the first round," Waheed wrote. "Issue in the Supreme Court. Expect a decision within 48 hours and will know new dates for the election this week."

The Supreme Court subsequently annulled the first round results. Waheed did not contest in the re-run in November and Yameen narrowly defeated Nasheed in a runoff.

Nearly two years later, Waheed asked Epstein to help finance his memoir.

"I am trying to get a writer to assist me with a book on my five years in the presidency in Maldives. I have found a young American lady with communication background who can do it. Can you help raise some funds for this or find a publisher. You must know people," Waheed wrote on January 2, 2015.

He followed up weeks later: "Have spoken to a British writer who is willing to do my book for 100,000 pounds sterling. Please let me know if you can help raise all or part of it. The straight times publisher in Singapore quoted 75,000 to publish 3000 copies."

The email signed off: "Thanks for your help in the past."