Newly released documents from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have drawn attention after referencing possible financial discussions involving Zimbabwe’s former President Robert Mugabe. Among the materials is a 2015 email exchange between Epstein and Japanese entrepreneur Joichi “Joi” Ito, in which Epstein reportedly suggested that they consider approaching Mugabe regarding assistance in providing Zimbabwe with a new currency following the collapse of the Zimbabwean dollar amid severe hyperinflation. Separate FBI documents from 2017 also include unverified testimony from a “human confidential source” alleging that Epstein may have acted as a wealth manager for prominent global political figures, including Mugabe and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Authorities have emphasized that inclusion in the files is not evidence of wrongdoing.
The references to Mugabe appear in correspondence that occurred years after Zimbabwe abandoned its local currency in 2009 due to one of the worst hyperinflation crises in modern history. At its peak, Zimbabwe’s inflation rate was estimated in the billions of percent, rendering the Zimbabwean dollar virtually worthless and forcing the government to adopt foreign currencies such as the U.S. dollar and South African rand. In this context, Epstein’s suggestion in the email to Ito was framed around the idea of engaging Mugabe in discussions about monetary reform, though there is no indication that any such engagement ever took place.
The FBI material released as part of the DOJ files includes statements from a confidential source claiming that Epstein provided wealth management services for powerful figures around the world. The documents clearly note that these claims were unverified at the time they were recorded. No formal accusations have been made against Mugabe in connection with the claims, and the BBC has contacted the Mugabe family seeking comment on the revelations contained in the files.
Robert Mugabe, who died in September 2019 at the age of 95, remains one of Africa’s most consequential and controversial leaders. A liberation hero who led Zimbabwe to independence from white minority rule in 1980, Mugabe governed the country for 37 years before being removed from power in a military intervention in 2017. His early years in office were marked by investments in education and healthcare, but his later rule was characterized by economic mismanagement, political repression, and international sanctions that contributed to Zimbabwe’s economic collapse.
The hyperinflation crisis that devastated Zimbabwe’s economy in the 2000s forms an important backdrop to the email exchange cited in the Epstein files. As the value of the Zimbabwean dollar plummeted, citizens resorted to bartering and using foreign currencies for daily transactions. The eventual abandonment of the national currency in 2009 was seen as a desperate but necessary step to stabilize the economy. It is within this historical context that Epstein’s reference to currency discussions with Mugabe appears, though no evidence suggests any practical outcome from the idea.
Jeffrey Epstein’s name continues to surface in public discourse years after his death because of his extensive network of associations with influential individuals across politics, academia, finance, and entertainment. Epstein was convicted in 2008 in Florida for soliciting sex from a minor and served a controversial plea deal sentence before being arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. He died in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial, in a death ruled a suicide, prompting widespread scrutiny and conspiracy theories that have fueled ongoing interest in his connections.
Joichi Ito, the recipient of the 2015 email, is a well-known technology entrepreneur and former director of the MIT Media Lab. Ito resigned from his position in 2019 after revelations about his financial ties to Epstein sparked controversy within the academic and technology communities. His correspondence with Epstein is therefore seen as part of a broader pattern of associations that have come under renewed examination as more Epstein-related documents are made public.
The continued release of Epstein files by U.S. authorities stems from legal and public demands for transparency regarding investigative materials linked to his activities and associations. Lawmakers and advocacy groups have argued that full disclosure is necessary to understand the scope of Epstein’s network and any influence he may have wielded. As a result, each new tranche of documents often generates fresh headlines, even when the references are tangential or based on unverified testimony.