German Countess’s Epstein Ties Spark UK Political Scrutiny
LONDON – A German countess who maintained a two-decade relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein attempted to connect him with prominent figures in British politics, according to emails revealed in recently released court documents. Nicole Junkermann, 50, stepped down last week from her role as a trustee of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, a charity supported by the Prince and Princess of Wales, after her association with Epstein came to light. She has also resigned from a visiting professorship at Lancaster University.
Junkermann, also known as Countess Nicole Brachetti Peretti, is frequently mentioned in the Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice. The emails detail a close relationship with Epstein that continued for years after his 2008 conviction for sex offenses, extending until weeks before his 2019 arrest. In one email, Epstein referenced “our sex 15 years ago,” revealing the intimate nature of their connection.
The correspondence reveals Junkermann leveraged her network to potentially facilitate introductions for Epstein within the UK establishment. Emails show she attempted to arrange a meeting between Epstein and former Prime Minister David Cameron during a lunch she was hosting on the West Coast in March 2018. She also discussed a lunch with Lord Kenneth Baker, a former education minister under Margaret Thatcher, following which she emailed Epstein, writing, “I do not find you,” to which he simply replied, “Cafe.”
Junkermann’s influence extended into the health sector. In 2018, she was appointed to the government’s Healthtech Advisory Board by then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock. The board’s role was to advise on policy and challenge decision-making within the National Health Service (NHS). Junkermann had previously worked as an advisor to the NHS and invested in several technology companies, including Owkin, an AI healthcare firm with contracts with NHS trusts.
The emails also suggest a willingness to offer financial advice to Epstein’s network. In 2017, she joined Epstein in an email to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, criticizing the use of Cyprus for tax avoidance and suggesting Luxembourg as an alternative.
Throughout the exchange, the pair discussed connections and introductions. In one instance, Epstein asked Junkermann to find him a “girl with great taste” for shopping, to which she responded she needed one too.
Junkermann married Italian Count Ferdinando Brachetti Peretti in 2017. A spokesperson for the countess stated she “deeply regrets” her conversations with Epstein, who “completely deceived and misled” her, and expressed sympathy for his victims.
The revelations come as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was recently questioned by police regarding his relationship with Epstein and subsequently released under investigation.
The extent to which Junkermann’s connections may have aided Epstein remains under scrutiny, raising questions about the potential for undue influence within the UK political landscape.
