How Edmond de Rothschild ended up working closely with Jeffrey Epstein

Jeffrey Epstein

When Swiss private bank Edmond de Rothschild was facing a US investigation in 2015, Jeffrey Epstein was involved behind the scenes.

At the time, the bank was negotiating a settlement with the US Department of Justice over helping wealthy American clients hide assets. Internal emails now released show that Ariane de Rothschild, who had just stepped into a leadership role, leaned on Epstein during those talks.

In one exchange, she asked him about the likely cost of resolving the case. Epstein outlined potential figures, including fees for lawyers and his own compensation. Days later, the bank announced a USD 45 million settlement with the Justice Department.

That was just one moment in a relationship that lasted about six years, the Financial Times reported.

A closer role than previously described

Ariane de Rothschild has previously said she sought Epstein’s advice only occasionally. The emails suggest he was more regularly involved.

From 2013 until shortly before his 2019 arrest, Epstein appears to have acted as both business advisor and personal sounding board. Their messages covered everything from regulatory issues and senior hires to internal tensions at the bank.

In early 2015, as she formally took control of the bank’s operations, de Rothschild wrote to Epstein about feeling uncertain about the job. He reassured her and offered advice. He also pushed for certain hiring decisions and introduced her to legal contacts.

The bank says Epstein was paid for strategic consulting and business development advice. Representatives for de Rothschild have said she did not know about his criminal conduct at the time and now condemns it.

A bank under strain

The backdrop was a difficult period for the Geneva-based institution. US authorities were investigating Swiss banks over tax evasion cases. Edmond de Rothschild was restructuring internally and dealing with tensions inside the broader Rothschild family over branding and governance.

Emails show Epstein suggesting possible partnerships with other financial groups, including UBS, Julius Baer and Apollo Global Management. Those discussions appear to have gone nowhere, and the bank says they were part of normal business conversations.

Epstein also floated ideas about leadership changes and strategy. There’s no clear sign that he reshaped the bank’s direction, but he had unusual access for someone without a formal executive role.

Business and personal overlap

The correspondence shows the relationship wasn’t purely professional. De Rothschild shared concerns about the pressures she faced running the institution. Epstein often responded as a confidant as well as an adviser.

The exchange continued until shortly before his arrest.

Since Epstein’s death in 2019, scrutiny has grown around the network of prominent figures he cultivated. The newly released emails add Edmond de Rothschild to the list of institutions where his involvement ran deeper than publicly acknowledged.

The bank maintains that it remains independently run and that Epstein’s advisory role did not alter its long-term strategy.

What the emails show most clearly is how Epstein positioned himself during moments of vulnerability — offering help, contacts and reassurance, and gaining influence in return.