Business
Johann Rupert responds after being named in the Epstein Files
When the Epstein Files resurfaced this month, they sent shockwaves through boardrooms, banks, and billionaire circles across the world. South Africa was not spared. One of the country’s most powerful business figures, Johann Rupert, suddenly found his name mentioned in private emails exchanged between global banker Ariane de Rothschild and the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Rupert has now responded, firmly distancing himself from Epstein and pushing back against any suggestion of a personal or professional link.
How Rupert’s name entered the Epstein Files
The renewed scrutiny follows disclosures showing that Ariane de Rothschild maintained regular correspondence with Epstein for several years. Among the thousands of messages, Rupert’s name appears twice. Neither reference suggests direct contact between Rupert and Epstein, but the optics have been enough to raise questions.
In one brief email from January 2018, De Rothschild casually told Epstein she had recently seen Rupert and received what she jokingly described as a lesson in management and manners. The remark, particularly the phrase expressing surprise at the source of the advice, drew attention once the emails became public.
Another reference dates back to 2015 and relates to a tense internal dispute within the Rothschild banking empire over naming rights. Rupert is mentioned as a messenger who had passed on a request for discussions, a role he now says has been misunderstood.
A long-standing business history between families
Context matters here. The Rupert and Rothschild families have crossed paths in business long before Epstein’s name entered the global conversation. Their relationship dates back to 1997, when Anton Rupert and Baron Edmond de Rothschild partnered to establish Ruperts & Rothschilds Vignerons, a high-end wine venture that still exists today.
Johann Rupert’s brother, Anthonij, later led the business before his death in a car accident in 2001. Ariane de Rothschild is the widow of Anthonij’s business partner, Benjamin de Rothschild, who died in Switzerland in 2021. These ties explain why Rupert and De Rothschild knew each other well, without implying anything more.
The Rothschild name dispute and Rupert’s role
One of the more sensitive issues raised in the emails was a bitter family disagreement over the use of the Rothschild name in banking. When parts of the family moved to rebrand Paris Orléans as Rothschild & Co., it sparked legal tension and emotional exchanges behind closed doors.
Rupert has made it clear that he was not a player in this saga. He says he did not act on behalf of either side and had no involvement in the dispute’s eventual resolution in 2018. His only concern, he maintains, was the reputational damage the public fallout was causing to people and institutions he knew.
Rupert’s direct response
Asked directly whether he had ever met or spoken to Epstein, Rupert’s answer was unequivocal. He says he never had any contact with Epstein and was unaware that De Rothschild had secretly met or exchanged emails with him.
As for the comment about a masterclass in manners, Rupert describes it as a tough private conversation about behaviour, not a joke or an inside reference. In his view, the remark has been stripped of its original context.
Public reaction and why this matters in South Africa
Locally, the story has sparked intense debate online. Many South Africans are wary of guilt by association, especially when names appear in leaked documents without clear evidence of wrongdoing. Others argue that transparency from powerful figures is essential, even when the links are indirect.
What sets this episode apart is Rupert’s swift and direct response. In a global climate where silence often fuels suspicion, his clear denial has been noted across business and media circles.
For now, the available facts show no direct connection between Johann Rupert and Jeffrey Epstein. What they do reveal is how sprawling elite networks can intersect in unexpected ways and how reputations can be tested years later by a few lines in an email.
Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter, TikT
For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com
Source: MyBroadband
Featured Image: South China Morning Post
