Former President Mohamed Waheed, who resigned as President Mohamed Muizzu's Special Envoy on February 3, has lied about his meetings with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
In a statement after submitting his resignation, Waheed said he had only met Esptein twice. They were on September 23, 2012, and May 18, 2014, at Epstein's home in New York.
However, documents released by the US Justice Department show that Waheed met Epstein more than twice.
Before becoming President in 2012 after the coup against former President Mohamed Nasheed, Waheed met with Epstein at his home on September 21, 2011. Waheed's messages to Epstein on the following day prove that his wife has also attended the meeting.
Epstein's home in New York. -- Photo: US Justice Department
Waheed also met Epstein at his apartment in Paris before becoming President, according to the documents. But the date of the meeting is unknown.
In Paris, Waheed met Epstein with Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO of DP World, a UAE businessman. This is proved from Epstein’s congratulatory email to Waheed on the day of the coup against Nasheed. Epstein said the three had met in Paris and that Waheed had invited Epstein to visit the Maldives.
The reminders and alerts with Waheed's name on Epstein's phone or laptop indicate that more meetings took place. However, these details have not been confirmed.
Waheed sought political and financial advice from Epstein when he was President. He maintained the relationship after the presidency ended and tried to get funds and build a luxury island in the Maldives.
In the statement from the former President's office, Waheed said he regretted his relationship with Epstein, but insisted that he had not participated in any crime. Waheed said he only had a formal relationship with Epstein.
"President Waheed and his family have not attended any social [informal] meetings or parties with Epstein," the statement said.
It added that Waheed met Epstein to pave the way for financial assistance to the Maldives, but actual financial transactions did not take place.
Epstein was convicted and jailed in 2008 for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old. Waheed said he was unaware of Epstein's conviction and would not have had any contact if he had known that Epstein was "such a disgusting man."
