Jeffrey Epstein’s $50,000 Donation to WildAid Highlighted in Newly Released Emails

London: Newly released Department of Justice (DoJ) documents show that Jeffrey Epstein offered a $50,000 donation to the animal conservation charity WildAid in November 2013. The donation came via Epstein’s Enhanced Education Foundation in the US Virgin Islands after a request from Jean Oelwang, CEO of Virgin Group’s non-profit foundation, Virgin Unite.

The emails reveal that Epstein’s executive assistant, Lesley Groff, asked Oelwang which charity Sir Richard Branson preferred Epstein support. Branson’s team carried out due diligence on Epstein, who had been jailed in Florida in 2008 for soliciting a minor. Virgin Unite ultimately declined to accept the donation.

Oelwang then directed Epstein to WildAid, which has longstanding connections with Virgin and Branson. The charity’s ambassadors include the Prince of Wales, David Beckham, and Jackie Chan. WildAid later confirmed it received the donation as a single, unsolicited gift for general support, publicly disclosed in its 2013 Annual Report. No WildAid staff or leadership ever met Epstein or his representatives.

The documents also show friendly correspondence between Branson and Epstein. Branson invited Epstein to his Caribbean island, Necker, three times in 2013, and offered public relations advice in emails. Branson later expressed regret over language used in the emails, clarifying that terms like “harem” were misinterpreted, and stating he would not have met Epstein had he known the full facts.

Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex-trafficking minors, pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Despite the donations he offered to charities, Virgin Unite and Branson confirmed they never accepted funds from him and had minimal contact more than 12 years ago in group or business settings, such as charity tennis events.

Virgin Group emphasized that Branson and Virgin Unite had no influence over WildAid’s decisions to accept donations. They stated that after conducting due diligence, they chose not to meet or speak with Epstein again. Branson condemned Epstein’s actions and expressed support for justice for his victims.

Note; WildAid has said that the donations were used for general operations and broader campaigns against wildlife trafficking, and that William’s participation in the charity was not funded by Epstein’s contribution. The organization confirmed that no meetings ever took place between its staff and Epstein or his representatives.