The Senegal Banking Project: Epstein, Sultan, Gates, and Karim Wade

The pitch started the night they met. November 15, 2010. Epstein typed out ideas for Senegal: "making senegal a banking center / intemet server , base," internet gambling, mobile phone as bank account, nuclear power. He had already "spoke to gates group regarding nuclear power" (vol00009-efta00899072-pdf-1).

By May 2011 it had moved past ideas. Epstein told Wade he had spoken to JPMorgan: "I spoke to JPM , they think we should add high frequency sophisticated trading to the bank" (EFTA01804948-0). Wade replied: "Who is JPM. Is JP Morgan" (EFTA01863920-0). Then: "I agree and this will be a huge competitive advantage. Can u send me more tech details" (EFTA01804948-1). Epstein pointed him toward Infinium, a Chicago trading firm: "do you think i could see INFINIUM on saturday" (EFTA01865135-0). Epstein offered to arrange an investor meeting in Paris: "if you want we can try for your investor meeting in paris next weekend or new york , on the 20th sultan will come friday night to stay, it will be fun" (EFTA01865356-0). Wade's man on the ground was an intermediary named Rasseck (EFTA01864665-1).

On June 12, Epstein wrote Wade: "I really appreciate our new friendship. There is so much to do." The next day he followed up: "Gates now wants to send a team to you to organize municipal finance for poor related projects" (EFTA01863799-0). Epstein had known Wade seven months.

On August 25, Epstein checked in: "question re african bank, ( if you have changed your mind , its ok, but it would be helpful if i knew)" (EFTA01857629-0). The identity of the Washington contacts in the same email isn't confirmed in the documents.

Sultan came to New Mexico in July. Epstein told Wade: "sultan will be here tomorrow and wed. we are in new mexico" (EFTA01776670-0). Wade replied: "Miss u guys" (EFTA01776385-1).

The Senegal bank never materialised. What the emails document is the year before Wade's political fall: Gates for the development angle, Sultan as the Gulf anchor, Wade as the political vehicle. Epstein in the middle, building something that didn't survive.