Dubai CEO Resigns After Email Reveals Epstein Thanked Him for ‘Torture Video’
Billionaire executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has stepped down as CEO of global ports giant DP World after newly released emails in the Jeffrey Epstein files revealed a close personal relationship between the two men.
DP World announced Friday that Essa Kazim will assume the role of chairman, while Yuvraj Narayan has been appointed chief executive officer.
The resignation follows renewed scrutiny after Rep. Thomas Massie identified bin Sulayem as the recipient of a redacted email in which convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein wrote that he “loved the torture video.”
Decades-Long Relationship Revealed
Documents released as part of the broader Epstein files suggest the two men exchanged emails between 2007 and 2019. In one 2013 message, Epstein described bin Sulayem as “one of my most trusted friends in (every) sense of the word.” The correspondence reportedly included personal discussions and references to visits, travel arrangements, and social gatherings.
Bin Sulayem, who has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein, referred to Epstein in emails as a “very dear friend and a business associate of mine.” In another message, he thanked Epstein for hospitality during a visit to his private island and mentioned allowing Epstein to use his plane.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Corporate Fallout
The controversy quickly rippled through DP World’s global partnerships.
Quebec’s public pension fund, La Caisse, said earlier this week it paused its partnership with DP World, calling on the company to “shed full light on the situation and take the necessary actions,” according to reports in Canada. British International Investment, which co-invests with DP World in several African ports, also announced it had suspended collaboration, saying it was “shocked by the allegations emerging in the Epstein files.”
A Major Figure in Dubai’s Economy
Bin Sulayem, 71, has long been one of the Middle East’s most influential business leaders. Under his leadership, DP World reported $18.3 billion in revenue in 2023 and assets totaling more than $44 billion. The company is widely regarded as a pillar of Dubai’s economy, contributing significantly to both the emirate’s GDP and the wider United Arab Emirates trade sector.
His departure marks one of the highest-profile corporate consequences stemming from the latest wave of Epstein document disclosures – a scandal that continues to reverberate across politics, finance and global business.
