An Emirati billionaire who generously contributed £1 million to Prince William’s Earthshot Prize has been dismissed by DP World. This decision follows the emergence of unsettling email and text exchanges with the notorious Jeffrey Epstein, which discussed topics such as sex, escorts, and a disturbing video involving torture.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was identified as one of the “six wealthy, powerful men” whose names were initially kept confidential in documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The involvement of Prince William’s Earthshot Prize with Sulayem has led to a report being filed with the UK’s Charity Commission. As a ‘Global Alliance Founding Partner’ of the Earthshot Prize through his professional role, Sulayem contributed at least £1 million to the environmental charity.
However, it has been disclosed that the 71-year-old has now vacated his position as chairman and CEO of DP World. During his tenure, he significantly boosted the prosperity of the Dubai-based company, amassing a personal fortune estimated at $7 billion.
The recently revealed Epstein Files indicate that Sulayem and Epstein maintained regular communication via email and text messages over several years, frequently discussing their personal lives.
In one particular correspondence, Epstein casually inquired about Sulayem’s well-being before commenting, “I loved the torture video.”
In another lewd note Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem told the financier: ‘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 P*SSYNESS!’
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was named as one of the ‘six wealthy, powerful men’ whose identities were initially redacted in the documents but later unmasked. He is pictured here in the Epstein Files with the paedophile
Prince William’s Earthshot Prize has been reported to the Charities Commission after ‘founding partner’ Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem had sent a ‘torture video’ to Jeffrey Epstein
Six years after Epstein had been released from jail for child prostitution offences, Sulayem had reached out to Epstein suggesting a family visit and sent him links to various pornographic and fetish websites, according to documents released in the US.
DP World did not mention him in their statement today, despite him being arguably the most powerful businessman in the Middle East and Gulf.
The statement, issues by the Dubai government, said Essa Kazim is the new chair of its board and Yuvraj Narayan is the chief executive officer.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, was the chairman and chief executive of DP World for almost 20 years.
DP World, a global logistics firm based in the UAE and owner of P&O Ferries as well as a sponsor of the Europan golf tour, is listed as a founding partner on the Earthshot Prize website.
The company is said to have donated at least £1million to the charity.
In one email, discovered within the latest tranche of documents released within the Epstein files, the convicted paedophile financier wrote to Mr Sulayem: ‘Where are you? are you ok, I loved the torture video.’
Although names have been redacted, Republican Representative Thomas Massie this week named Mr Sulayem as the recipient of the email. Lawmakers have been able to access the unredacted files.
It was sent in April 2009 while Epstein was still serving an 18-month sentence for soliciting underage sex, but was on work release from his Palm Beach prison.
Other emails released by the US Department of Justice show Mr Sulayem and Epstein frequently discussing their sexual experiences and sending images of women to each other, Financial Times reported.
In one email sent in June 2013, the Emirati businessman detailed an individual’s age, weight, height and bra size.
The email reads: ‘Dear Jeffrey This is the one I went with in Paris do you think she is a he??’
Epstein replied: ‘the hands do look like mine’.
In another email from September 2015, Sulayem told Epstein about a ‘girl’ he was seeing and reported it was ‘the best sex I ever had amazing body’.
Two years later, Epstein sent the businessman a link to a website providing escorts in Italy. Sulayem responded to the email with ‘Wow’.
Prince William and Mr Sulayem have been seen in public together on more than one occasion, including in 2022 when the Earthshot Prize Innovation Showcase was held in Dubai.
Anti-monarchy pressure group Republic said the emails had raised questions over the relationship between Mr Sulayem and Epstein, as well as the Emirati businessman’s involvement in The Earthshot Prize, and urged the Charity Commission to investigate.
CEO Graham Smith said ‘the seriousness of this matter requires a full and comprehensive investigation’.
He added: ‘It is not credible to believe the Foreign Office, security services or other advisors were not aware of Sulayem’s character and would have been able to advise accordingly.
‘These files have been in the hands of US authorities for years. It’s not believable that such intelligence would not have been shared.’
‘Earthshot has a duty to do due diligence, to ask questions about donors and where money is coming from. In the context of this widening scandal we need answers.’
A Charity Commission spokesman said: ‘We are aware of concerns about sources of funding to The Earthshot Prize. We are assessing this information to determine any next steps and if there is a role for the Commission.’
The Earthshot Prize was set up by Prince William in 2020, alongside natural historian David Attenborough to recognise ground-breaking solutions to ‘repair’ and regenerate the planet.
