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Sports Moguls Linked too Disgraced Financier Jeffrey Epstein
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New documents reveal connections between prominent sports team owners and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, raising questions about due diligence and associations.
- Files show Crystal Palace investor Josh Harris maintained contact wiht Epstein for years after his conviction.
- Todd Boehly, co-owner of Chelsea, reportedly met with Epstein twice in 2011.
- Celtic shareholder Dermot Desmond was mentioned in emails regarding potential golf course investments linked to Epstein.
The murky world of high finance and professional sports collided this week with the release of documents detailing connections between several prominent sports figures and the late Jeffrey Epstein. The records reveal continued contact between Crystal palace investor Josh Harris and Epstein long after Epstein’s 2008 conviction,prompting scrutiny of the relationships and raising questions about vetting processes within the sports industry. The revelations are notably sensitive given Epstein’s history and the ongoing efforts to hold those associated with him accountable.
Harris Maintained Contact After Conviction
The files demonstrate that Josh Harris, whose Apollo Global Management owns the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), New Jersey Devils (NHL), and Washington commanders (NFL), remained in communication with Epstein through email and phone calls for several years following his conviction. In 2013, Harris attended a breakfast meeting with Epstein and subsequently sent an email stating, “thank you for inviting me.” Further contact occurred in 2016, with Harris expressing a willingness to “catch up” at a later date.
A spokesperson for Harris asserted that Harris “never had an self-reliant relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” and actively sought to prevent Epstein from establishing a corporate relationship with Apollo.The spokesperson stated that the emails show Harris attempting to avoid meetings with Epstein, cancelling engagements and directing others to handle his communications.
Boehly’s Meetings with Epstein Revealed
The documents also indicate that Todd Boehly,now co-owner and chairman of Chelsea Football Club,met with Epstein on two occasions in 2011,three years after Epstein’s conviction. The emails suggest Epstein actively sought an introduction to Boehly, who was at the time a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and a managing partner at Guggenheim Partners.
Neither Boehly nor Chelsea have publicly commented on the matter.
Desmond’s Name Surfaces in Investment Discussions
Celtic major shareholder Dermot Desmond was mentioned twice in emails sent to Epstein in 2010 by golf resort developer Gerald G. barton. The messages relayed that desmond, an Irish billionaire and golf resort owner, was potentially willing to contribute millions of dollars to co-fund golf developments.
Representatives for Desmond vehemently denied any direct contact with Epstein. They stated, “As is patently clear from the two emails referenced in the documents released by the US Department of Justice, Mr Desmond had no contact of any kind with Mr Epstein.” They emphasized that any mention of Desmond was “entirely incidental and without his involvement or knowledge,” and that any dealings were exclusively with Barton regarding a business transaction where Epstein played no role, and which ultimately did not proceed.
The emergence of thes connections underscores the challenges faced by sports organizations in vetting potential investors and partners, and the potential for reputational damage when associations with controversial figures come to light. The ongoing scrutiny of these relationships is likely to continue as more details emerge from the released documents.