Epstein emails allege Anil Ambani sought to “arrange” meeting with “Swedish blonde”

Jeffrey Epstein’s network of business, political and academic connections extended to India, according to documents released by the US Justice Department that detail his interactions with Indian businessman Anil Ambani.

The records show exchanges between Epstein and Ambani from early 2017 through 2019, months before Epstein was charged by federal prosecutors with sex trafficking of minors. The messages reflect conversations about global affairs, business, travel and social arrangements, as well as efforts to meet in person.

In one exchange dated March 9, 2017, Ambani asked Epstein for a recommendation ahead of a visit. Epstein replied by suggesting the company of “a tall Swedish blonde woman.” Ambani responded shortly afterward: “Arrange that,” according to the documents.

Text messages between Ambani and a phone number associated with Epstein also show discussions about meeting in Paris later in 2017, though the plans did not materialise, and commentary on reactions to Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2018.

When Ambani said he planned to travel to New York in May 2019, Epstein invited him to visit and offered to facilitate discreet introductions. Assistants later confirmed a meeting between the two men at Epstein’s Upper East Side residence in Manhattan, the documents show. Epstein subsequently messaged Ambani saying the meeting had been “a treat.”

A representative for Ambani declined to comment.

The disclosures shed further light on the extensive social and business ties Epstein maintained even after pleading guilty in Florida in 2008 to charges related to procuring minors for prostitution. Despite that conviction, Epstein continued to associate with wealthy and influential figures until his arrest in 2019. He died by apparent suicide while in federal custody later that year.

The documents also indicate Epstein sought background information on the Ambani family, ordering digital books in March 2017 that chronicled the family’s business history and internal disputes.

Anil Ambani, 66, and his elder brother Mukesh Ambani, 68, divided the family’s business empire following the death of their father, Dhirubhai Ambani, in 2002. Anil chairs Reliance Group, which has interests in infrastructure and power, while Mukesh controls Reliance Industries Ltd., a conglomerate spanning energy, telecommunications, retail and media. Mukesh Ambani is Asia’s richest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The brothers’ financial trajectories have diverged sharply in recent years. Anil Ambani, once a billionaire, has seen his wealth erode significantly. In 2019, he avoided a potential jail sentence after Mukesh Ambani made a last-minute payment to settle court-mandated dues linked to Anil’s telecom business.

Anil Ambani continues to face scrutiny in India. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court asked federal investigative agencies to expedite a probe into alleged bank-loan fraud amounting to 400 billion rupees ($4.4 billion) involving his companies.

Other messages cited in the documents show Epstein discussing Ambani with prominent figures in the US, including spiritual author Deepak Chopra, businessman Tom Pritzker and venture capitalist Peter Thiel, as part of what appears to be an effort to expand his circle of elite contacts.

After their meeting in May 2019, Epstein sent Ambani a brief message: “today was a treat, nice seeing you.”