Newly unsealed court documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case have revealed a startling transaction involving sacred religious artifacts from Islam’s holiest site. The records detail how pieces of the Kiswa—the elaborately embroidered black cloth that covers the Kaaba in Makkah—were systematically shipped to the convicted sex offender’s Florida residence in early 2017.
The correspondence, dating from February to March 2017, exposes a coordinated effort between Emirati businesswoman Aziza Al-Ahmadi and an associate named Abdullah Al-Maari to transport three distinct pieces connected to the sacred covering. The shipment included one fragment from inside the Kaaba, another from the previously used outer covering, and a third piece crafted from identical materials but never actually deployed on the structure.
Notably, the emails reveal strategic classification of these religious artifacts as ‘artworks’ to facilitate customs clearance and international transport. The items traveled via air freight from Saudi Arabia to Florida through British Airways, with meticulous attention given to logistical details including invoices and delivery arrangements.
The spiritual significance of these objects was explicitly acknowledged in communications, with Al-Ahmadi directly informing Epstein that the black cloth fragment ‘was touched by minimum 10 million Muslims of different denominations.’ She elaborated on its profound religious meaning, noting how pilgrims embed ‘their prayers, wishes, tears and hopes on this piece’ during circumambulation of the Kaaba.
The documents further reveal an ongoing relationship between Al-Ahmadi and Epstein, evidenced by her concerned communications following Hurricane Irma’s devastation of his Caribbean island in September 2017. Despite repeated attempts to ascertain his wellbeing through his secretary, the correspondence provides no clarity on how their association originated or why these specifically Islamic relics were directed to Epstein.
In a separate development, an FBI memorandum included in the release suggests intelligence connections, stating Epstein ‘trained as a spy’ under former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and maintained operational ties with both U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies.