'It could be a gold mine' – Malaysian PM mentioned in 2012 Epstein email; Anwar denies any links
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has denied any connection to Jeffrey Epstein or his associates, following DOJ documents showing an email referencing him as a potential “gold mine” for JP Morgan if he became prime minister.
- DOJ documents mention Anwar Ibrahim in a 2012 email discussing potential financial benefits for JP Morgan if he became Malaysian prime minister.
- Anwar denied any connection to Epstein or his associates, calling the email reference “outsider speculation.”
- The documents are part of a broader release of over 3 million pages and thousands of videos related to Epstein’s network.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on 1 February 2026 denied any links to parties involved in the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following the release of US Department of Justice (DOJ) files that mentioned him in a 14-year-old email.
“Just today, I found out that some outsider wanted to meet and even ‘dropped’ my name in an e-mail linked to the Epstein case,” Anwar wrote on Facebook.
“Thank Allah… I have absolutely no connection whatsoever with any of the parties exchanging those e-mails – especially Epstein.”
Email reference raises eyebrows
The email, dated 21 February 2012, showed an unknown Epstein associate asking whether a meeting should be arranged between Anwar and Jes Stanley, then chief executive of JP Morgan’s investment bank.
The email suggested that if Anwar became Malaysian prime minister, he “could be a gold mine for JPM.”
Epstein reportedly replied, proposing a meeting in May 2012 and suggesting incentives such as Hollywood films being made in Malaysia.
He referenced filmmaker Woody Allen in Paris and other countries offering money to attract productions to their territories.
Calls for clarification from opposition
Anwar’s response came after Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) youth wing demanded clarification on whether the prime minister had interacted directly or indirectly with Epstein or his associates.
In his post, Anwar added the hashtag #DoneExplain, and noted he would continue sightseeing in Johor Bahru.
US Justice Department releases millions of pages in Epstein files under new transparency law
The DOJ released these documents on 30 January as part of transparency efforts under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress in late 2025.
The release includes over 3 million pages of records, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images.
An earlier batch in December included flight logs indicating former US President Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s private aircraft in the 1990s.
Past releases have shown Epstein’s interactions with high-profile individuals including Elon Musk, Woody Allen, Steve Bannon, and former Presidents Trump and Bill Clinton.
None of the individuals named or depicted, aside from Ghislaine Maxwell, have been charged in relation to Epstein’s trafficking network.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal sentence for sex trafficking.
Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019; authorities ruled his death a suicide.
At the time, he faced charges of running a sex-trafficking ring involving underage girls, having previously served 13 months in a Florida jail in 2008 following a controversial plea deal.
Among Epstein’s accusers was Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleged she was trafficked to high-profile men, including politicians and business leaders.
She passed away in April 2025. Prince Andrew, one of those named, denied the allegations but settled a civil lawsuit in the United States; King Charles III formally stripped him of all royal titles in October 2025.
The DOJ has stated that redactions and omissions in the documents are necessary to protect victims and ongoing investigations, despite public and political scrutiny.
