Epstein called Imran Khan “really bad news” after PTI’s 2018 election win

Newly disclosed email records from the US House Oversight Committee show that disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein described former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan as a significant “threat to peace” shortly after the PTI’s victory in the 2018 general elections.

The emails, dated July 31, 2018, capture an early-morning exchange between Epstein and an unidentified correspondent in which the financier made sweeping geopolitical remarks.

Referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Epstein wrote that the Kremlin leader had been “kind so far,” before commenting on how the United States involves itself in foreign elections.

Shifting topics within the same thread, Epstein went on to group Imran Khan with several global leaders, claiming that the PTI chief posed a greater danger to peace than Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini, China’s President Xi Jinping and Putin.

The comments appear to reflect Epstein’s personal views rather than any documented intelligence assessment.

His correspondent responded with surprise, asking, “The populist in Pakistan???” Epstein replied by calling Imran “really bad news.” When the other individual pressed further, describing Imran as “the cricket player,” Epstein elaborated with a series of unverified claims, alleging that Imran was “incapable of truth,” a “devout Islamist,” and suggesting he had forced a former spouse to convert.

He also referred to Imran’s past relationships, wealth and influence, adding that Pakistan’s nuclear capability heightened his concerns.

The exchange then drifted to other topics about 40 minutes later, according to the released material.

Imran, an Oxford graduate and celebrated former cricket captain, had long been a high-profile figure in the UK’s social scene before turning to politics.

As reports of his mention in Epstein’s emails gained traction online, social media users circulated an old photograph of Imran alongside Ghislaine Maxwell at a 1990 London event. Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for aiding his abuse of underage girls.

The latest batch of documents released by congressional Democrats highlights the breadth of Epstein’s connections, which spanned prominent political, business and royal circles.

Some emails suggest that former US president Donald Trump was aware of Epstein’s misconduct, a claim Trump has denied.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote next week on whether to compel the release of a wider set of evidence collected over years of investigations into Epstein, including the identities of men suspected of involvement in his alleged trafficking network.