Mugabe mentioned in Epstein files

From powerful tech titans and Wall Street power brokers to foreign dignitaries and former heads of state, a who's who of influential men features in a vast cache of documents released by the United States Department of Justice as part of its long-running investigations into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The disclosures, collectively known as the "Epstein files," stem from federal and state probes into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein, a high-profile American financier born in 1953, died by suicide in 2019 while in custody and awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving girls and young women. His case has remained under intense global scrutiny due to his extensive connections with political, business and social elites.

The Department of Justice has now concluded the public release of records related to the case, totalling approximately 3.5 million pages. The unprecedented disclosure was mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law by US President Donald Trump in November 2025.

The final significant tranche of documents was released on January 30, 2026, bringing the process to a close. In total, more than three million pages were made public, including about 180 000 images and roughly 2 000 videos. The material includes investigative reports, emails, photographs and video evidence compiled over years of inquiries.

The files mention numerous prominent figures, including current and former US presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, technology and business leaders such as Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Richard Branson, as well as members of European royalty. All named public figures have denied any involvement in Epstein's criminal activities or the sexual abuse of minors.

However, the records show that some influential individuals maintained close social or professional relationships with Epstein, or developed them anew, even after he was widely reported in the media as an abuser of underage girls.

The documents also contain references with international dimensions. They describe alleged scouting activities linked to Epstein in Cape Town, South Africa, and record a dinner in 2010 attended by former South African president Jacob Zuma. Late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe is mentioned alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin in a claim by a source who alleged that Epstein acted as their "wealth manager" - an assertion that is unverified and not supported by court findings.

In the United Kingdom, Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, appears repeatedly in the files. He is shown in photographs in suggestive poses and is referenced in records detailing visits to various royal estates in the company of Epstein and Maxwell. Prince Andrew has consistently denied wrongdoing and has previously stated that he ended his association with Epstein after becoming aware of his criminal record.

The sweeping disclosures have triggered significant political fallout in the United States, intensifying debates over elite accountability, transparency and the handling of high-profile criminal investigations. Lawmakers from across the political spectrum have called for further inquiries into how Epstein was able to cultivate and maintain relationships with powerful figures for decades, despite earlier convictions and warnings.

While the release of the Epstein files has added new detail to an already notorious case, US authorities have cautioned that the appearance of names in the documents does not in itself imply criminal conduct. Nonetheless, the revelations have renewed global attention on one of the most disturbing and far-reaching scandals involving power, privilege and abuse in recent history.