The government is hesitant to dismiss President Mohamed Muizzu's Special Envoy, former President Mohamed Waheed, despite his close relationship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

When contacted by Adhadhu, President's Office Spokesperson Heena Waleed confirmed that Waheed was still the Special Envoy to Muizzu.

Files released by the US Justice Department revealed that Waheed, who came to power in 2012 after the coup against former President Mohamed Nasheed, planned to develop a luxury private island with Epstein.

Waheed also sought political advice from Esptein for his 2013 presidential bid. He lost the election with just five percent of the vote.

The files revealed that Waheed and his son, Jeffrey Salim Waheed, met with Epstein in his New York home in 2014 and on other occasions, years after the allegations against him first surfaced.

Waheed did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.

Epstein was also accused of running a "vast network" of underage girls for sex. He pleaded not guilty. He reportedly took the girls to his private island, Little St. James, in the US Virgin Islands.

But he died by suicide in a New York prison cell on 10 August 2019 as he awaited his trial on sex trafficking charges.