Newly released U.S. Justice Department records in the growing cache of “Epstein files” include the name of former South African president Jacob Zuma and reference a dinner organized during a 2010 state visit, according to court documents made public this week.
The tranche of documents contains emails mentioning a dinner at the Ritz Hotel in London on March 5, 2010, while Zuma was on an official visit to the U.K. The emails, the Justice Department release shows, identify a man who described himself as a friend of Jeffrey Epstein — Mark Lloyd — as the person who arranged the meeting. A model identified only as “Vera” was listed among invitees to the dinner hosted for then-President Zuma.
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The Jacob Zuma Foundation did not deny that the meeting occurred but said the former president was not involved in any unlawful conduct. Mzwanele Manyi, a spokesperson for the MK Party, said reports about the dinner were aimed at smearing Zuma.
The documents arrive amid ongoing scrutiny of Epstein’s network and corroborating survivor testimony. Juliette Bryant, a South African who says she was recruited into Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network in Cape Town between 2002 and 2004, described in interviews her time at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in New Mexico as tightly controlled and intimidating. Bryant said she felt watched, was subject to intimidation, and experienced gaps in memory during her stays there.
The U.S. Justice Department has periodically released batches of materials tied to Epstein as part of litigation and public records processes. The latest release joins previously published documents that have continued to surface months after Epstein’s death and have involved a range of named individuals and locations connected to his movements and associates.
Key takeaways from the latest tranche:
- Records identify a March 5, 2010, dinner at London’s Ritz Hotel tied to Jacob Zuma’s state visit to the U.K.
- Emails name Mark Lloyd as the organizer and list a model referred to as “Vera” among invitees.
- The Jacob Zuma Foundation acknowledged the meeting but rejected any suggestion of unlawful conduct by Zuma.
- Survivor Juliette Bryant — recruited in Cape Town between 2002 and 2004 — described Zorro Ranch as a highly controlled environment where she felt watched and intimidated.
Journalists and legal observers say the documents add context to known movements and contacts associated with Epstein and may prompt further inquiries as civil and criminal matters related to his network remain under review in multiple jurisdictions.
By News-room
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