[ad_1]
A GLAMOROUS German countess who knew Jeffrey Epstein for 20 years and called him “Mr Wonderful” tried to connect him with Westminster politicians, emails show.
Last week Nicole Junkermann, 50, stepped down as a trustee of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity after her relationship with the convicted sex offender was exposed.
Now emails show how she forged relationships with senior members of the UK government, sparking fears she may have facilitated high-up connections for Epstein.
The London based technology investor, who is also known as Countess Nicole Brachetti Peretti, is named hundreds of times in the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice.
She exchanged intimate emails with the paedo financier for years after he was jailed for sexually abusing girls – up until the weeks before his arrest in 2019.
The pair seemed to joke about their relationship, with Epstein referring to “our sex 15 years ago” in one email.
ANDY’S GUARDS
Andrew’s Met cops ‘were instructed to guard Epstein’s NYC dinner party’
OVER TO YOU
Fergie passed contact info of her 22-year-old goddaughter to evil Epstein
During this time, Junkermann invested in dozens of technology companies including Owkin, an AI healthcare firm that has struck deals with a number of NHS trusts.
She also worked as an adviser to the NHS.
And in 2018, Junkermann was appointed to the government’s influential Healthtech Advisory Board by Matt Hancock, then health secretary.
The board was tasked with “assisting in policy creation, challenging decision making and acting as a sounding board for new ideas”.
Junkermann told German paper Handelsblatt she met Hancock in Spring 2018 and was “honoured” by his “interest”.
That same year, emails show how Junkermann tried to set up a meeting between Epstein and former PM David Cameron.
She wrote: “I am hosting a lunch on the west coast in March for David Cameron would you like to join or anyone else who I should invite?”
She also appeared to meet Epstein after having lunch with Lord Kenneth Baker at Westminster’s House of Lords.
In an email to Epstein from March 2012, she wrote: “Had just lunch with lord baker (education minister) under Thatcher.”
The subject line reads, “I do not find you”, and Epstein responds: “Cafe.”
Lord Baker, former education minister under Margaret Thatcher, served as a member of the House Committee in the House of Lords until May 21, 2012.
Junkermann also expressed her interest in meeting former Prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
In a 2013 email under the subject line, “Enjoying Paris?”, Epstein asked the reason behind Junkermann’s visit to the French capital.
She responded: “Wanted to meet Prince Andrew Hahaha!”
The disgraced former Duke of York was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
He was quizzed by detectives over his relationship with Epstein before being released under investigation.
Emails appear to show Junkermann’s infatuation with Epstein, referring to the convicted criminal as “baby” and saying “you are in my heart”.
In one email while he was still in prison, she referred to Epstein as “Mr Wonderful”.
Throughout the emails they frequently discussed sharing connections and introductions with senior figures.
In one 2012 email, Epstein raged that he had “spent time trying to give you my best advice”, but was seeing no “small sign of a two-way street – not one interesting person, gesture.”
A year later, Epstein asks Junkermann to find him a “girl”.
He wrote: “If you come across a young decorator. or any girl with great taste to shop for me id really appreciate it.”
Junkermann writes back: “:) I need one too… Shopping for your different houses? Specific style?”
They also appeared to work together, offering financial advice to their murky network of powerful contacts.
In July 2017, Epstein included Junkermann on an email to former Israeli PM Ehud Barak, in which he argued that using Cyprus to avoid tax was “silly, antiquated and dangerous”.
Junkermann agreed, saying that Cyprus was “raising eyebrows” and that she “would propose Luxembourg” as an alternative.
That same year she married Italian Count Ferdinando Brachetti Peretti, 66, part of a wealthy dynasty that controls the Italian energy giant API.
A spokesman for the countess said: “The scale of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes is appalling.”
They added that Junkermann “deeply regrets” her conversations with the paedophile who “completely deceived and misled” her.
“Her thoughts are completely with his victims, and she looks forward to the day the real predators face justice”, they added.
[ad_2]
Source link
