Lobbying Company Co-Founded by Mandelson Stops Operations Due to Epstein

LONDON (AP) – Bankruptcy for Lobbying Firm Tied to Jeffrey Epstein

The lobbying firm co-founded by former British ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, entered bankruptcy on Friday amid a scandal connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Global Counsel announced it would stop trading and lay off around 80 employees in the UK after numerous clients distanced themselves from the firm following revelations regarding Mandelson’s close connection to Epstein, who died in a New York prison in 2019. The firm employs about 130 people globally.

Mandelson, who started Global Counsel in 2010 after the Labour Party lost power, plans to step down from the board in 2024 and sold his stake in the company earlier this month to shield it from the fallout of the scandal.

Consulting firm Interpath has been appointed as administrators to evaluate the company’s future and assets. “Global Counsel has developed into one of the UK’s top public relations firms over the past 15 years, but the abrupt loss of clients in recent weeks has seriously affected the business,” stated Will Wright, Interpath’s UK CEO and co-manager.

Documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice, comprising millions of pages related to Epstein, included emails indicating that Mandelson shared sensitive government and possibly market-sensitive information with his so-called “best friend” in 2009 while he was a prominent member of the Labour government.

The files also revealed payments totaling $75,000 from Epstein between 2003 and 2004 made to accounts associated with Mandelson and his husband, Reinaldo Avila da Silva. Mandelson has expressed doubts about the authenticity of these bank statements. In a letter to Labour when departing the party, he mentioned not recalling receiving the funds and promised to investigate.

Following the release of the documents, police conducted searches at Mandelson’s home in London and other locations linked to him.

The British police inquiry into Mandelson focuses on potential misconduct in public office, although he has not faced any charges related to sexual offenses. Recently, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on similar charges tied to his role as British Trade Envoy.

Questions surrounding Mandelson’s appointment nearly cost UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer his position. Mandelson’s lengthy career has been fraught with controversy, including resignations from Tony Blair’s government early in this century.

Starmer dismissed Mandelson in September, just nine months after assuming office, following the emergence of early emails that confirmed Mandelson maintained a friendship with Epstein even after Epstein’s conviction for sex crimes against minors in 2008.