The daughter of former Australian prime minister Paul Keating has provided a detailed account of her relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, stating she was compelled to cut off contact after what she described as persistent behaviour that "bordered on harassment." Katherine Keating characterised their association as "unfortunate" following the release of a substantial cache of emails by the US Department of Justice.
Extensive Email Correspondence Revealed
Ms Keating's name appears in more than 1,600 emails within the latest document release, which sheds new light on the nature of their connection during the early 2010s. The correspondence indicates that Epstein, who was convicted of child sex offences in Florida in 2008, became something of a mentor figure to Keating as she pursued a career in American television.
The pair first met in late 2010 at an afternoon gathering hosted by Epstein, to which she had been invited by former British royal Andrew Mountbatten. Their subsequent email exchanges spanned several years, with Epstein frequently offering career guidance, introducing her to business contacts, and extending invitations to various social events including film premieres.
Family Involvement and Social Connections
The newly publicised emails suggest Ms Keating involved her younger sister Alexandra in her interactions with Epstein. In one particularly revealing exchange from April 2011, Epstein invited the then 29-year-old Keating to a dinner with filmmaker Woody Allen and his wife Soon-Yi Previn, remarking that the director appreciated "pretty women."
Ms Keating responded by proposing she bring her 25-year-old sister Alexandra, describing her as "very cool and sharp as a tack." This revelation adds another dimension to the understanding of how Epstein cultivated relationships within social and professional circles.
Career Guidance and Professional Support
The correspondence reveals Epstein provided substantial career advice to Ms Keating as she navigated the competitive New York media landscape. In one email, he offered motivational guidance when she expressed difficulties finding work, advising her to maintain focus and persistence: "Pull the trigger, and if it doesn't work, move to the next."
This mentorship dynamic formed a significant part of their relationship, with Epstein regularly connecting Keating with prominent business figures and offering professional support during her early career stages in television.
Escalation to Harassment and Severed Ties
Ms Keating explained to the Sydney Morning Herald that what began as professional networking gradually escalated into uncomfortable persistence. "What followed however was a period of what could be termed as persistence bordering on harassment," she stated. "Especially by his staff. And I reached a point of severing all contact."
She emphasised that their correspondence primarily centred on Epstein's extensive network of business connections rather than personal matters, describing his email habits as demonstrating a "manic interest in following up any person whom he met or crossed paths with."
Clear Denials of Inappropriate Involvement
Ms Keating issued unequivocal statements regarding her limited involvement with Epstein and his associates. "To be unequivocal: I never visited Epstein's island, never flew on his plane, never had any inappropriate interaction with him or anyone he introduced me to, never witnessed inappropriate behaviour, and had absolutely no knowledge of the criminal conduct that has since come to light," she declared.
These denials come amidst the release of documents that also suggest Ms Keating was enlisted by Epstein to present Andrew Mountbatten positively to a Vanity Fair journalist in 2011, with publicist Peggy Siegal noting she would say "great things about Andrew" during the meeting.
Family Connections and Further Revelations
The email release contains additional references to the Keating family, including messages indicating that Katherine shared her banker brother Patrick's contact details with Epstein in May 2011. In one email, Epstein told his associate Jes Staley, then CEO of Barclays Bank, that "the son of the former prime minister will take you for fun," followed hours later by Katherine forwarding her brother's UBS email address.
When approached about these communications, Patrick Keating strongly denied any connection to Epstein or Staley, stating: "I have never had any dealings with Jeffrey Epstein or the other person mentioned, Jes Staley. I have never met or communicated with either Epstein or Staley, either directly or indirectly."
The extensive email correspondence forms part of the ongoing release of documents related to Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. The revelations provide further insight into how the convicted financier maintained relationships across international social, political, and business circles.
