The convicted sex offender's intimate relationship with the head of the UAE's DP World helped lay the groundwork for the Abraham Accords
News Desk - The Cradle
The relationship between the two men was revealed through an analysis of Epstein’s private emails to Sulayem. The emails originated from Epstein’s leaked Yahoo account and cover a period between 2006 and 2019, the year he allegedly committed suicide.
Drop Site explains that Epstein, who was convicted of child sex crimes and worked closely with the Mossad and the CIA during his long career, used his intimate friendship with Sultan Sulayem, the chairman of DP World, to serve as an informal diplomatic bridge between Israel and the UAE.
DP World is one of the world’s largest container terminal operators, which controls the Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) in Dubai, an essential logistics hub for trade transiting through the Persian Gulf, including for the US Navy.
After his release from prison following a conviction for child prostitution in 2009, Epstein bragged about his relationship with Sulyamen, “the owner of the deep-water port of Djibouti on the horn of Africa, a smuggler’s paradise.”
Epstein claimed he was “basically in charge” of the port due to his close relationship with Sulaymen.
In early 2006, the UAE turned to Epstein after its bid to acquire six major US seaports was blocked by US lawmakers on national security grounds.
After the effort ended in embarrassment and failure, Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (MbZ), then-crown prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, sought to expand the UAE’s lobbying efforts in Washington.
In the aftermath of the scandal, Sulayem emailed Epstein to arrange a meeting in New York in November 2006, which Epstein eagerly accepted.
The following year, Sulayem was appointed chairman of DP World.
Drop Site writes that the two soon enjoyed a close personal relationship that transcended business.
In November 2007, Epstein emailed Sulayem to tell him of a “funny story” from a mutual female acquaintance.
Sulayem replied, “Yes after several attemps (sic) for several months we managed to meet in NY. There is a missunderstanding (sic) she she wanted some BUSINESS! while i only wanted some PUSSYNESS!” Epstein replied, “praise Allah , there are still people like you.”
Sulayem also vacationed with Epstein at his private island, Little St. James, which Epstein allegedly used to abuse and traffic children.
After one vacation together in 2007, Epstein wrote to Sulayem, “hope you had fun,, I am glad to have you as my friend,, you are the only person I have met who is as crazy as me.”
Epstein’s neighboring island, Great St. James, was purchased in Sulayem’s name in 2016.
After Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in prison in June 2008, Epstein told Sulayem, “Unfortunately ,, it looks like i am going on a forced vacation for a year. I look forward to getting this behind me, and then spending time with you.”
But after Epstein’s release in 2010, he arranged multiple meetings between former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and Sulayem, helping broker closer security and business ties between the UAE and Israel.
Epstein worked to facilitate a deal for Sulayem to invest in Israeli firms, including Carbyne, an Israeli cybersecurity company that Epstein had funded and Barak headed as chairman. This led to massive Emirati investments in Carbyne.
Sulayem helped Epstein in the 1980s to smuggle drugs, diamonds, and weapons, which became a large source of the Epstein’s wealth.
Since that time, the UAE has been a major transit hub for gems, minerals, metals, and contraband from around the world.
In 1985, Sulayem was named chairman of the Jebel Ali Free Zone Association (JAFZA), which is part of Dubai’s major sea-air port, where illicit goods could be imported, stored, and re-exported quickly by boat or plane without going through customs.
Sulayem also founded the Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC), where rough diamonds are inspected and certified for export. By 2007, Sulayem’s son was named executive chairman of DMCC, which became the key broker for the trade of diamonds and precious metals from Africa to the rest of the world.
Epstein later bragged that he had made his fortune from “arms, drugs, and diamonds.”
Epstein also helped develop relationships between the UAE and the US investment bank, JPMorgan.
In 2009, Epstein connected Sulayem with his friend, Jes Staley, then-CEO of JPMorgan Investment Bank, in an effort to make the UAE a financial hub rivaling Switzerland.
In December of that year, Epstein arranged a meeting with Staley and Sulayem to discuss various projects involving JPMorgan.
Drop Site notes that correspondence and friendship between Epstein and Sulayem continued right until Epstein’s second arrest on sex trafficking charges in July 2019, and his death in jail one month later.
The Abraham Accords were signed between the UAE and Israel shortly thereafter, in September 2020.
Two months later, Sulayem signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for DP World to “assess the prospects of developing Israeli ports and free zones and establishing a maritime service between Eilat in Israel and Jebel Ali in Dubai.”
The UAE has continued its close ties with Israel amid its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
In December 2025, the UAE signed a $2.3-billion defense deal with Elbit Systems, one of the largest arms sales in Israeli history.
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