Office of Former President Admits to Due Diligence Failure in Epstein Contact

The Office of former President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan has admitted a failure to conduct due diligence prior to meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, stating that Waheed was unaware of the charges against Epstein and denying any connection between Waheed and the sexual abuse allegations.

The Office of Former President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan issued a statement today acknowledging that Waheed and his team failed to conduct due diligence before his first meeting with Jeffrey Epstein, while denying any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activities.

In the statement, Waheed’s office said he was unaware of the charges brought against Epstein in 2008 and his subsequent incarceration, and therefore did not grasp the seriousness of Epstein’s criminal conviction at the time of their initial meeting. The office said that, had Waheed been aware of Epstein’s background, he would have ensured that no relationship continued beyond the first meeting.

The rights and dignity of survivors of sexual exploitation and gender based violence must be our foremost priority. President @DrWaheedH regrets any association with Epstein, refutes any intended wrongdoing, but submits his resignation as Special Envoy of the President. pic.twitter.com/TcfvqqVynm— Office of President Waheed (@DrWaheedOffice) February 3, 2026

The statement stressed that any interactions Waheed or his family had with Epstein were strictly professional and never social in nature. It said these interactions did not involve parties or informal gatherings and took place only in the presence of other individuals of official standing. The office further stated that neither Waheed nor his family were ever aware of or witnessed any criminal conduct.

According to the statement, Waheed met Epstein on two occasions at Epstein’s New York residence. The first meeting took place on 23 September 2012 during a dinner attended by other senior statesmen, while the second occurred on 18 May 2014, when Waheed and Jeffrey Salim Waheed made a brief visit.

The office said the initial meeting was planned in advance and appeared on the official schedule of the President at the time, with coordination involving both the President’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It added that the meetings took place during a period when the Maldives was seeking financial guidance and support, and that Epstein was recommended to Waheed by influential and respected figures as a fund manager and financial adviser in New York.

The statement noted that Epstein was never paid and did not enter into any financial dealings with either Waheed or the Maldivian government. It added that Waheed met Epstein solely to seek information, guidance and potential support at a time when the Maldives required assistance.

While refuting any wrongdoing, either during or after his tenure as President, the statement said Waheed decided to resign from his post as Special Envoy to the President due to what it described as the “toxicity” surrounding any association with Epstein and his inability to continue effectively in the role. The resignation was submitted to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu this morning, which President Muizzu accepted.