Canadian, UK finance groups freeze new DP World deals over CEO’s Epstein emails

February 13, 2026 - 04:05

Major financial institutions in Canada and the United Kingdom have suspended plans for any new business dealings with global port operator DP World. This decisive action follows the release of U.S. Justice Department documents revealing extensive email correspondence between DP World's Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, part of a recent court filing unsealed in New York, show the communication spanned several years. While the exact nature of the emails remains partially redacted, their existence has prompted immediate reputational risk assessments by the finance groups. The firms, which have not been formally named, are understood to have existing financial relationships with DP World but will not engage in any new transactions or projects for the foreseeable future.

A spokesperson for one of the involved groups stated that the pause allows for a thorough internal review of the situation. DP World, a Dubai-based logistics giant critical to global supply chains, has yet to issue a detailed public statement regarding the correspondence or the subsequent freezing of new deals. The move underscores the severe commercial consequences companies now face when senior executives are linked to controversial figures, as financial partners prioritize governance and ethical scrutiny.