Epstein pictured with sacred Kaaba cloth

• Newly released files include an image of Jeffrey Epstein with businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and what appears to be the Kaaba’s Kiswah
• Emails reveal sacred cloth fragments were later shipped to Epstein through UAE- and Saudi-linked contacts

Newly released documents from the US Department of Justice include an image showing Jeffrey Epstein standing alongside prominent Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem while looking at what appears to be the Kiswah, the sacred black-and-gold cloth that covers the Kaaba in Mecca.

According to the files, the image dates back to May 8, 2014, and was sent as an email attachment from a redacted address to Epstein and another redacted recipient. The location where the image was taken remains unclear.

Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, and bin Sulayem, the chief executive of a global ports operator, are pictured standing at the base of a staircase with their hands in their pockets looking down at the cloth laid out on the floor.

Emails detail shipment of sacred cloth

The Kiswa holds profound religious importance in Islam and covers the Kaaba, the holiest site in Islam, located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Due to its sanctity, placing the cloth on the floor would be widely regarded as disrespectful.

People were also outraged upon learning that a person like Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted criminal, was in possession of such a sacred and highly revered item.

The Kiswa is replaced annually on the ninth day of Dhu al-Hijjah during the Hajj pilgrimage. The removed cloth is traditionally cut into small pieces and distributed in limited numbers, often as diplomatic gifts or for charitable and institutional purposes approved by Saudi authorities.

Read more: Documents reveal Jeffrey Epstein received piece of Kaaba’s Kiswah

Separate emails included in the Epstein files reveal that three fragments of the Kiswa were shipped to Epstein in 2017, years after he had served jail time and was registered as a sex offender.

Correspondence dated between February and March 2017 shows Emirati businesswoman Aziza Al-Ahmadi coordinating with a Saudi-based contact, Abdullah Al-Maari, to procure and ship both inner and outer fragments of the Kiswah.

The emails indicate the shipment was labeled as “artwork from Saudi Arabia” to clear customs. Records show the items were transported by air freight, routed through Miami, and ultimately delivered to Epstein’s residence in St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

Logistics on the US side were managed by Epstein associates, with customs clearance and transportation handled through entities linked to him. Invoices, delivery confirmations, and payment details appear in the released files.

In a March 22, 2017 email, Al-Ahmadi explained the religious significance of the cloth to Epstein, writing that it had been touched by “minimum 10 million Muslims” during tawaf rituals.

Public reaction and concerns

The release of the documents has sparked widespread anger and speculation on social media, particularly over the unauthorized handling and potential desecration of items considered among Islam’s most sacred artifacts.

The unsealed files were disclosed under the Epstein Files Transparency Act as part of a broader release of Department of Justice records.