Sir Richard Branson said ‘bring your harem’ in email reply to Jeffrey Epstein
According to Sir Richard’s team, Epstein referred to three adult women on his team as his “harem” and, “regrettably”, Sir Richard used Epstein’s language in a follow up email.
Sir Richard Branson told Jeffrey Epstein to “bring your harem” and offered public relations advice in response to an email from the disgraced paedophile financier, documents show.
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The Virgin Group founder’s name is mentioned hundreds of times in more than three million documents relating to Epstein published by the US Department of Justice on Friday.
In emails sent after a business meeting on Necker Island in 2013, Epstein wrote to Sir Richard “nice seeing you , thanks for your hospitality”, adding: “I appreciate your public relations thoughts.”
Replying to the email on September 11 2013, Sir Richard replied: “Dear Jeffrey, It was really nice seeing you yesterday. The boys in Watersports can’t stop speaking about it! Any time you’re in the area would love to see you. As long as you bring your harem!”
Sir Richard added: “I think if Bill Gates was willing to say that you’ve been a brilliant advisor to him, that you slipped up many years ago by sleeping with a 17 1/2 year old woman and were punished for it, that you’ve more than learnt your lesson and have done nothing that’s against the law since and, yes, as a single man you seem to have a penchant for women. But there’s nothing wrong with that. Anyway something along those lines.”
Read more: Epstein ‘wanted Sarah Ferguson to release statement' insisting he was 'not a pedo’
According to Sir Richard’s team, Epstein referred to three adult women on his team as his “harem” and, “regrettably”, Sir Richard used Epstein’s language in a follow up email but would never have used the term or contacted the American if he had known “the full facts”.
The businessman’s team said a comment about “moving on” after serving a sentence was a “general” comment after Epstein mentioned in passing that he had previously served a prison sentence, having framed the situation as a consensual encounter with an individual “one day shy of 18”.
Necker Island is said to host thousands of guests each year, including large conferences, charity events and business meetings.
Being pictured or named in the Epstein Files does not automatically suggest any wrongdoing or illegal activity.
A spokeswoman for Virgin Group said: “Any contact Richard and Joan Branson had with Epstein took place on only a few occasions more than 12 years ago, and was limited to group or business settings, such as a charity tennis event.
“When Epstein offered a charity donation, the Bransons asked their team to carry out due diligence before accepting the donation, which uncovered serious allegations.
“As a result of what the due diligence uncovered, Virgin Unite did not take the donation and Richard and Joan decided not to meet or speak with Epstein again.
“Had they had the full picture and information, there would have been no contact whatsoever – Richard believes that Epstein’s actions were abhorrent and supports the right to justice for his many victims.”
Virgin Unite is the independent non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group.