Waheed resigns as Maldives president's envoy over Epstein links
In a separate statement issued on Tuesday, Waheed’s office said he met Epstein on two occasions, both described as official engagements.
Former Maldivian president Mohamed Waheed has resigned as President Mohamed Muizzu’s special envoy following the release of documents by the United States Department of Justice that include correspondence linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the President’s Office said Waheed submitted his letter of resignation on Wednesday morning.
The US Department of Justice recently released files containing emails associated with Epstein. Some emails attributed to Waheed have since circulated on social media, prompting calls for his resignation.
The emails include references to tourism development projects in the Maldives. In one email, Waheed referred to a project identified as Innahera and said he wished to discuss potential involvement. Another email includes information relating to the Fuggiri and Innahera projects.
The correspondence refers to plans to develop Fuggiri for a specific market segment, with references to management involving local companies and contacts in the Middle East and Russia. The emails also mention a proposal from a Singapore-based company for the Innahera project, offering a minority stake to a local firm, and suggest further discussions during a visit to the Maldives.
In addition, Waheed is quoted in the emails as seeking assistance in publishing a book covering his five years as vice-president and president, including help in securing financing or identifying a publisher in the United States.
In a separate statement issued on Tuesday, Waheed’s office said he met Epstein on two occasions, both described as official engagements. The first meeting took place on 23 September 2012 and was a dinner attended by government officials.
The second meeting was held on 18 May 2014 and was attended by Waheed and his son, Jeffrey Salem Waheed. According to the statement, the meeting involved discussions on economic matters at a time when the Maldives faced financial challenges. The statement said Waheed had been advised by an individual based in New York to seek Epstein’s views.
Waheed’s office said he did not engage in any financial transactions with Epstein, either officially or otherwise. The statement added that Waheed was not aware of criminal charges against Epstein dating back to 2008 and said that, had he known, he would not have engaged in further meetings or communication after the initial encounter.
