The latest collection of U.S. government investigative files released on Jeffrey Epstein include emails from Philip Levine, the former Miami Beach mayor and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate, to the millionaire financier and his one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The exchange of emails released by the U.S. Justice Department date back over two decades and include Levine referring to Epstein as "my friend" and "a great guy."
The documents were disclosed as mandated by a law passed requiring the government to open its files on Epstein and his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Maxwell.
In 2008 and 2009, Epstein served jail time in Florida after pleading guilty to soliciting prostitution from someone under the age of 18. At the time, investigators had gathered evidence that Epstein had sexually abused underage girls at his Palm Beach home. The U.S. attorney’s office agreed not to prosecute him in exchange for his guilty plea to lesser state charges.
He killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after being indicted on federal sex-trafficking charges.
In 2021, Maxwell was convicted on five counts of sex trafficking and abuse of minors. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
READ MORE: Top political leaders react to DOJ's release of millions of Jeffrey Epstein documents
The email messages were first reported by Miami New Times.
In a statement to WLRN, Levine said he only met Epstein a few times and was not close with him.
"As I have stated previously, my only connection to Jeffrey Epstein arose solely through my former friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell. I met Epstein only a few times. I never conducted business with him, never visited his island and never flew on his aircraft. I regret ever meeting him," Levine said.
In a 2003 email to former LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton executive Antonio Belloni, Levine attempted to set up a meeting between the executive and Epstein.
"Toni, I have been asked to possibly set up an appointment between you and my friend Jeffrey Epstein. Jeffrey would like to meet you in Paris regarding Sephora," Levine wrote, according to documents released by the DOJ.
When asked specifically about his email to Belloni, Levine did not respond.
Numerous emails from as far back as 2013 show an intimate relationship between Levine and Maxwell, including flirtatious and sexually-explicit messages.
In 2013, Epstein reached out via email to Levine's mayoral campaign team and asked how he could contribute to Levine's bid.
"I would like to contribute to the campaign„ [sic] how do i do it?" Epstein wrote on May 22, 2013.
Levine served as mayor of Miami Beach from 2013 to 2017.
'You are a great guy'
Many email exchanges occurred after the sex trafficker's 2008 conviction for soliciting a child prostitute.
On July 14, 2010, Levine wrote to Epstein saying he was "happy" that everything came to a "positive ending" after he served his time.
"You are a great guy and I know all good things will come to you going forward. In Europe for a while and hope we can catch up soon. Your friend, Philip," he wrote.
A few months later, on Sept. 21, 2010, Epstein's personal assistant, Lesley Groff, wrote to the financier about a visit from Levine.
"Philip Levine will be at the house tomorrow at 11:00 for a visit," Groff emailed Epstein.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
