In the vast trove of emails and photographs relating to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein released on Friday, one image stands out: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on all fours over a woman lying on the floor. The photograph emblazoned across newspapers and news websites this weekend is one of the odder images in the archive documenting Epstein’s life, his victims and the famous people he socialised with.
It is not clear who took the photograph of Mountbatten-Windsor, but Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted associate and former girlfriend, has played a pivotal role in amassing this vivid, often devastating collection.
“She was a good photographer and had a fantastic setup,” said Juan Alessi, a former Epstein employee, in evidence at Maxwell’s 2021 trial in New York. “She took pictures of everything.”
Maxwell would use a commercial printer at her home to make thumbprints of the thousands of photographs, which were then saved digitally and kept at her New York residence. The collection of more than 180,000 images and 2,000 videos released last week – many of which Maxwell took – is now potentially toxic for those once in Epstein’s circle.
According to an intelligence file compiled by the FBI based on witness testimony, Maxwell “frequently took nude or alluring photographs of the girls around Epstein”. These were often “artistic pornographic photographs”. One of the files released by the US Department of Justice, which was probably compiled by Maxwell is labelled “Thais, Moscow girls, Nudes, Yoga girls”.
It was Maxwell who also compiled a 238-page book for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, filled with crude drawings, photographs and messages using sexual innuendo. The book contained submissions from about 50 friends and associates, including apparent congratulatory notes from Bill Clinton, Lord Mandelson and the billionaire Les Wexner. The book included an image of Lord Mandelson in a white dressing gown laughing with Epstein, which he had shared for his contribution. A bawdy message with a drawing of a woman was purportedly contributed by Donald Trump. He has branded it a hoax.
The Observer understands that many of the photos recording the high-profile figures Epstein was mixing with were also taken by Maxwell. In her interview from jail last August with deputy attorney general Todd Blanche, Maxwell was challenged on whether “having video or photographs of somebody famous or powerful in a compromising position would be good blackmail”.
Maxwell said she had never seen pictures of Epstein’s victims with any of his associates. She had never seen him blackmail a friend, acquaintance or client.
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A memo filed by the FBI the month before Maxwell’s interview supported her position. It said there were more than 10,000 images and videos of child abuse and other pornography in the Epstein files, but no incriminating “client” list. It stated: “There was no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.”
Photographs in the Epstein files may not have been taken for blackmail purposes but can still be damaging for some of those involved because of what it says about their judgment in deciding to socialise with the financier, who committed suicide in August 2019. Those drawn into Epstein’s world soon discovered that relaxed, jovial or misjudged moments were recorded on camera by Maxwell or others.
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Epstein had connections across the worlds of business, politics and entertainment. Inclusion in these files does not imply any wrong-doing and some of the high-profile people pictured may have only briefly met Epstein.
The photos released to date include Lord Mandelson with Epstein on a yacht and Bill Clinton in a hot tub with an unidentifiable woman. Mandelson said he had no knowledge of the sexual side of Epstein’s life. A spokesperson for Clinton in 2019 said he knew nothing about Epstein’s crimes.
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2022 for her role in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse multiple minor girls with Epstein.
Photographs courtesy of US Department of Justice/PA Wire