Kiir referenced in 2010 email to Jeffrey Epstein

WASHINGTON — A 2010 email sent to late American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by an unidentified sender referenced South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, according to U.S. Department of Justice records.

The document, part of a broader release of materials tied to Epstein’s legal proceedings, shows no evidence of a direct relationship, meeting, or communication between the South Sudanese leader and Epstein.

The email, dated Sept. 25, 2010, was sent under the subject line “Economist this week.” In the message, the redacted sender discusses various articles in The Economist magazine, at one point writing: “See picture of Salva Kiir P.58. My hero.”

At the time of the email, Kiir was serving as the president of the then-autonomous region of Southern Sudan, months before the territory gained full independence from Sudan in July 2011.

The correspondence appears to be a commentary by the sender on international figures mentioned in the magazine. Along with the reference to Kiir, the email included remarks about other high-profile individuals, including former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers.

There is no indication in the records that Kiir was aware of the email or had any interaction with Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Legal analysts note that the presence of a public figure’s name in Epstein’s records does not constitute evidence of wrongdoing or personal association, particularly when the reference is made by a third party without further context.

The South Sudanese government has not officially commented on the document. No evidence has emerged from the Justice Department or independent investigators suggesting any financial or personal links between the presidency in Juba and the disgraced financier.

The release comes as U.S. authorities continue to process and disclose thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein’s associates and correspondence following years of litigation.