Newly unsealed court documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case have revealed former South African President Jacob Zuma’s connection to a 2010 London dinner arranged by the convicted sex offender. The emails, released as part of ongoing legal proceedings, detail Epstein’s personal involvement in organizing a gathering for Zuma during his official state visit to the United Kingdom in March 2010.
According to the correspondence, Epstein coordinated through an associate to extend invitations for a “small dinner” at the Ritz Hotel honoring President Zuma. One particularly revealing email exchange shows the invitation of a Russian model, described in subsequent messages as having “enchanted all those she met” with her “elegance and natural charm.” The model specifically inquired about dress code appropriateness for the presidential event.
In separate communications, Epstein directly contacted British politician Lord Peter Mandelson, explicitly mentioning his invitation of a “beautiful Russian” model to accompany Zuma’s dinner. While Mandelson’s response remains undocumented, follow-up correspondence between Epstein and another attendee praised Zuma as “much more impressive and engaging than I thought he would be.”
The Jacob Zuma Foundation has vehemently denounced media coverage of these revelations, characterizing them as “agenda-driven journalism built on innuendo” and “retrospective guilt by association.” In an official statement, the foundation emphasized that no allegations of unlawful or improper conduct by Zuma have been substantiated, dismissing the reports as “intellectually dishonest” attempts to smear the former president through proximity to Epstein’s crimes.
Historical context confirms Zuma was indeed on an official state visit to the UK from March 3-5, 2010, corresponding with the dinner date referenced in the emails. Epstein, the convicted sex offender and financier at the center of the scandal, died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.