The Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize charity has been linked to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal through Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (right). Photo / Getty Images
The Prince of Wales’ Earthshot Prize charity has been linked to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal through Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem (right). Photo / Getty Images
The Prince of Wales’ charity has been dragged into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
The billionaire founding partner of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize charity has departed from his company over his links to Epstein.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, 71, left his post as chairman and chief executive of logistics giant DPWorld after it was revealed he had received emails from the sex offender, which included references to torture.
Emails published by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) had revealed a close relationship between the pair, who traded lists to escort and massage services and discussed sexual encounters.
DP World is a partner of the Earthshot Prize. In a statement on DP World’s website in October 2020, Bin Sulayem said the company was “proud to be a Global Alliance Founding Partner of The Earthshot Prize”.
Bin Sulayem was photographed with Prince William in February 2022 at the Earthshot Prize Innovation Showcase at Expo2020 in Dubai, during the royal’s tour of the United Arab Emirates.
The charity was started by Prince William in 2020 and awarded its first global environmental prize the following year. Bin Sulayem’s former company has donated at least £1 million ($2.3m) to the Earthshot Prize.
DP World, an Earthshot founding partner, has given at least $2.3 million to the prize over recent years. Photo / Getty Images
DP World is also the owner of P&O Ferries, with Prince William urged to intervene in 2022 after the company sacked 800 crew members.
The Epstein files have revealed how Bin Sulayem, who led the ferry group’s owner, DP World, exchanged emails with Epstein for more than a decade after the paedophile was jailed.
In 2009, while still serving an 18-month jail sentence, Epstein emailed Bin Sulayem saying: “Where are you? are you ok , I loved the torture video.”
The Dubai Government said on Friday it had appointed a new chairman and chief executive of DP World, without mentioning Bin Sulayem.
Bin Sulayem’s relationship with Epstein was initially covered up as the DOJ redacted his name and those of five other wealthy individuals when it released three million files last month.
Democrat Ro Khanna later named him in the US Congress where members are legally protected from the threat of defamation.
In a letter included in the DOJ files, Epstein suggested he had known Bin Sulayem since 2002 and described him as a “close personal friend”.
Britain’s Charity Commission has already said it was assessing concerns about sources of funding to the Earthshot Prize after Republic, an anti-monarchy campaign group, lodged a formal complaint.
A Charity Commission spokesman said: “We are aware of concerns about sources of funding to the Earthshot Prize. We are assessing this information to determine any next steps and if there is a role for the commission.”
In addition to P&O, which prompted criticism in 2022 after firing 800 seafarers by text message and replacing them with cheaper agency staff, DP World owns two of Britain’s three biggest container ports at London Gateway and Southampton.
DP World partners, including Canada’s La Caisse pension fund, and the UK’s development finance arm British International Investment, had said they would halt future deals with the group after the email exchanges were disclosed.
Born into an influential Emirati family, Bin Sulayem’s father was an adviser to Dubai’s royal family and his brother is the president of the governing body of Formula One.
The Telegraph has contacted DP World for comment.
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