Alberta Connections Emerge in Epstein Document Release
Recently unsealed court documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have revealed several previously undisclosed connections to Alberta, including a significant business transaction and communications with a provincial journalist. The massive document release, comprising millions of pages with nearly 200,000 images, provides new details about Epstein's dealings in Western Canada.
Calgary Helicopter Purchase in 2012
One of the most substantial revelations involves a 2012 transaction between Epstein's corporate entity and a Calgary-based aviation company. According to the documents, Freedom Air International – a company controlled by Epstein that managed his private jets – purchased a 1999 Bell 407 helicopter from Eagle Copters, an aircraft maintenance firm headquartered in Calgary.
The purchase price was recorded as $1,770,000, and the transaction occurred four years after Epstein's initial conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution in the United States. When contacted for comment, an Eagle Copters employee declined to discuss the transaction with media representatives.
Email Exchanges with Alberta Journalist
The documents also reveal multiple email communications between Epstein and a journalist working for CBC Edmonton in 2009. The most significant exchange occurred in April 2009, nearly a year after Epstein's first conviction, when the journalist – whose name has been redacted in the released documents – reached out to Epstein regarding a charity event.
The journalist wrote to Epstein: "I'm hosting dinner at a really great restaurant here in Edmonton for charity. And I thought, you never know- Bush was just here- maybe you'd need to book a good dinner in Alberta to use whenever you want. I know how much you LOVE restaurants! A special 5 course meal: mmmmmm! Would love to see you bid on it."
This reference to former U.S. president George W. Bush relates to his March 2009 visit to Calgary for an exclusive speaking engagement at the Telus Convention Centre.
Additional Journalist Communications
The file includes another email thread from six months earlier, though it remains unclear whether this involves the same journalist who contacted Epstein in April 2009. The earliest recorded email shows the journalist sharing a newscast they had produced and mentioning their return to Edmonton from the British Virgin Islands, noting that snow had fallen upon their arrival.
Epstein responded on April 16, 2009, stating he had watched the journalist's documentary while in his jail cell, adding the comment "ironic no." The journalist replied three days later, expressing concern for Epstein's wellbeing and surprise that he had email access while incarcerated.
CBC Edmonton has not responded to media inquiries regarding these communications as of February 4th. The broadcaster was contacted via email but has yet to provide comment on the revelations contained within the Epstein document release.
The Alberta connections revealed in these documents add another layer to the complex international network associated with Jeffrey Epstein, demonstrating that his business dealings and communications extended into Western Canada during the period following his initial criminal conviction.
