- Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem resigned as chairman and CEO of DP World, one of the world’s largest logistics companies, after being linked to Epstein correspondence including a reference to a “torture video”
- Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna identified bin Sulayem’s name from unredacted Epstein files on Monday — four days before his resignation
- British and Canadian investment groups had frozen future deals with DP World over the revelations, with British International Investment resuming partnerships after the leadership change
DUBAI (TDR) — Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem resigned Friday as chairman and CEO of DP World, one of the world’s largest port and logistics operators, after recently released Department of Justice documents revealed years of correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — including an email in which Epstein referenced a “torture video.”
The departure makes bin Sulayem one of the most powerful business executives to fall as a direct consequence of the Epstein files release, and comes just four days after bipartisan U.S. lawmakers publicly identified him from unredacted documents at the Justice Department.
Epstein Files Revealed Bin Sulayem Connection
The email at the center of the controversy was sent by Epstein on April 24, 2009, and read:
“Where are you? Are you ok, I loved the torture video.”
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The recipient — whose email address was redacted in the public release — replied a day later:
“I am in china I will be in the US 2nd week of may.”
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), co-sponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, identified bin Sulayem as the person connected to the email after reviewing unredacted files at the Justice Department on Monday alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA).
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On Tuesday, Khanna read bin Sulayem’s name on the House floor as one of six men whose identities had been redacted from the public files — protections the lawmakers argued violated the narrow redaction standards set by the transparency act they authored.
Massie posted on X following Friday’s resignation:
“DOJ redacted information necessary to identify who sent Epstein the ‘torture video email.’ @RepRoKhanna and I first discovered his name and released it Monday. Today he resigns.”
Khanna responded separately, according to Newsweek:
“We will not rest until there is elite accountability for the Epstein class.”
DOJ Defends Redactions as Lawmakers Push Back
The redaction of bin Sulayem’s name became a point of contention between lawmakers and the Justice Department. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back on Massie’s characterization.
“You looked at the document. You know it’s an email address that was redacted. The law requires redactions for personally identifiable information, including if in an email address. And you know that the Sultan’s name is available unredacted in the files.”
Blanche wrote on X, accusing Massie of “grandstanding.”
However, the Epstein Files Transparency Act allows redaction of personally identifiable information only in narrow circumstances — specifically when disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy or jeopardize a federal investigation. Legal analysts have questioned whether an email address in a document referencing potential criminal conduct would meet that threshold.
The broader pattern of redactions has drawn criticism from both parties. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told reporters after viewing the unredacted files that he found names improperly redacted throughout.
“There were lots of examples of people’s names being redacted when they were not victims.”
Raskin told CNN, adding that Trump’s name was also redacted in multiple places that appeared unjustified, including an email exchange between Epstein’s lawyers and Trump’s lawyers regarding Epstein’s visits to Mar-a-Lago. Trump has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Epstein Files Trigger International Investment Freeze
Bin Sulayem’s resignation followed mounting international financial pressure on DP World, which operates more than 60 ports and terminals worldwide and handles roughly 10% of global container trade.
British International Investment, a £9.9 billion ($13.6 billion) development finance institution owned by the U.K. government, suspended all new investments with DP World earlier this week.
“We are shocked by the allegations emerging in the Epstein files regarding Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. In light of the allegations, we will not be making any new investments with DP World until the required actions have been taken by the company.”
A BII spokesperson told Bloomberg.
Canada’s second-largest pension fund, La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, which has invested more than $5 billion alongside DP World over the past decade, including a $2.5 billion stake in Jebel Ali Port, similarly froze new capital deployments.
“We have made it clear to the company that we expect it to shed light on the situation and take the necessary actions.”
La Caisse told CNBC.
Following Friday’s leadership change, BII said it would resume its partnership with DP World.
Epstein Files Show Years of Communication
The relationship between bin Sulayem and Epstein extended well beyond the “torture video” email. DOJ records showed the two men were in contact as early as 2007 and continued corresponding after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
According to CNBC’s review of the files, the exchanges included discussions about business deals, political connections, visits to Epstein’s properties and explicit comments about women. In one exchange, bin Sulayem told Epstein that women who had arrived were disappointing compared to their photos.
The files also showed Epstein acting as a connector for bin Sulayem, appearing to invite former Labour cabinet minister Peter Mandelson to join a board of bin Sulayem’s in 2014, and brokering meetings between bin Sulayem and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in 2015. Neither Mandelson nor Barak has been accused of wrongdoing.
Dubai’s Government Media Office announced Friday that Essa Kazim would replace bin Sulayem as chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as group CEO. The statement, which made no mention of bin Sulayem or the Epstein files, said the changes were “part of strengthening the company’s governance and institutional leadership framework.”
Bin Sulayem has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing. DP World has not responded to multiple requests for comment from international news organizations. The nature of the referenced “torture video” remains unknown.
If two hours of congressional review uncovered six improperly redacted names — and one of those names led to the resignation of a global CEO within days — what else remains hidden in the 3.5 million pages of Epstein files that lawmakers have barely begun to examine?
Sources
This report was compiled using information from CNBC’s reporting on bin Sulayem’s resignation and profile of the Epstein connection, Mediaite’s coverage of the resignation, Newsweek’s reporting on Khanna’s and Massie’s responses and initial identification of bin Sulayem, CNN’s report on the leadership change, Al Jazeera’s coverage of DP World, Bloomberg’s reporting on BII’s investment suspension, France 24’s report on the financial fallout, TIME’s analysis of Epstein file redactions, and congressional statements via The Hill and NBC News.
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