A massive trove of documents made public this week has provided new insight into the connections between the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and various high-profile individuals in politics and public life worldwide.

Among the documents, released by the US Department of Justice, are references to individuals with ties to Northern Ireland, including those who have held prominent positions in the region.

It is essential to note that being mentioned in these documents does not imply any wrongdoing, as many individuals previously named in similar releases have denied any involvement in Epstein's activities.

Behind the headlines and documents are the victims of Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.

The following are the connections to Northern Ireland that have been identified in the documents released so far.

A former US Senator, who played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process, had previously stated that he ceased contact with Epstein after learning of his conviction in 2008.

However, emails recently made public appear to contradict this claim, suggesting that the senator maintained contact with Epstein beyond the stated cutoff point.

Additionally, the documents include references to an earlier allegation that the senator had a sexual encounter with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims, which the senator has consistently denied.

Queen's University Belfast has severed ties with the senator, who served as the university's chancellor from 1999 to 2009, although no wrongdoing has been established; meanwhile, Belfast City Council is considering revoking his Freedom of the City honor due to concerns over his links to Epstein.

The senator has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and expressed regret for his association with Epstein, stating that he was unaware of Epstein's "illegal or inappropriate conduct with underage women".

Former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern expressed uncertainty about the nature of the allegations against the senator, citing the redactions in the FBI files, which make it unclear whether the senator and Epstein indeed maintained contact after 2008.

Ahern added, "If they did, it was inappropriate, but the situation is not entirely clear."

The latest revelations about Lord Mandelson's relationship with Epstein have put pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, threatening to impact his tenure.

Lord Mandelson, who served as Northern Ireland Secretary from 2000 to 2001, was appointed as a US ambassador by the prime minister just over a year ago but has since been removed from the position, with Sir Keir accusing him of withholding information about his relationship with Epstein during the vetting process.

The newly released documents have shed more light on the interactions between Lord Mandelson and Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

The documents include an exchange about strippers on the day Epstein was released from prison in 2009, a joke about Lord Mandelson's personal life, and emails suggesting that he shared sensitive market information with Epstein in 2009 while serving as Business Secretary.

A criminal investigation has been launched into Lord Mandelson regarding allegations of misconduct in public office.

Although Lord Mandelson has not commented on the matter, it is understood that he maintains he has not acted criminally and was not motivated by financial gain, having previously expressed regret for continuing his relationship with Epstein after his conviction and apologized to Epstein's victims.

Shaun Woodward, a former Labour MP and Northern Ireland Secretary from 2009 to 2010, is mentioned in the emails.

In a 2009 email exchange, Ghislaine Maxwell informs Epstein that she plans to have dinner with Woodward.

In September 2010, Epstein's personal assistant, Lesley Groff, asks him if it would be interesting to invite Woodward to an event, mistakenly referring to him as the former Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, a position that has not existed since 1972.

Woodward stated that he has never spoken to, met, or wanted to meet Jeffrey Epstein and was not invited to do so.

Woodward acknowledged knowing Ghislaine Maxwell, saying, "Everyone in government knew her because she was Bob Maxwell's daughter, and it was impossible not to know Robert Maxwell if you were involved in politics."

Woodward emphasized that the focus should be on the victims of Epstein's abuse, saying that people are being "distracted" by the involvement of high-profile individuals.

Another email in the released documents, between Epstein and Prince Andrew, mentions Lord Swire, a Minister of State for Northern Ireland from 2010 to 2012.

According to the email, Lord Swire asked a direct question about Prince Andrew's continued friendship with Epstein.

The email, from May 2010, states that Lord Swire inquired about the nature of Prince Andrew's relationship with Epstein, who had already served time for soliciting and procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and was a registered sex offender.

The email also touches on Lord Mandelson, indicating an instance where Prince Andrew appeared to be sharing information from ministerial conversations with Epstein.

At the time, Epstein had already been convicted and was a registered sex offender.

A notable sports figure from Northern Ireland mentioned in the documents is former Formula One driver Eddie Irvine.

Irvine had previously spoken about his friendship with Ghislaine Maxwell and, in 2020, stated that he "wouldn't be surprised" if he was in Epstein's contact book, adding that he was unaware of their criminal activities.

In 2003, prior to Epstein or Maxwell's convictions, a man named David Wassong emailed Maxwell, asking if she would provide him with "names and numbers of people to play with in Ireland".

Maxwell responded by sharing Irvine's contact information and introduced the former Ferrari driver to other acquaintances the same year, according to the emails.

In September 2003, Maxwell wrote to Jonathan Keidan, asking if he could help secure Irvine a ticket to a Dave Matthews concert.

Keidan replied that the tickets were difficult to obtain but that he would make some phone calls to try to secure one.

In a 2020 interview, Irvine discussed attending parties organized by Epstein and Maxwell in New York and Miami, where he met Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's accuser, Virginia Giuffre, although he believed she was around 20 years old at the time.

Irvine described Maxwell as "super sweet and a super nice lady" and stated that he spoke to her and Epstein from time to time.

He said, "When I was around, it was just a normal dinner or party; there would be people turning up, and some wouldn't, but I had no idea about the other stuff."

Irvine emphasized that he had never visited Epstein's island, home, or been on his plane.

He maintained that his interactions with Epstein and Maxwell were limited to social events and that he was unaware of their illicit activities.

According to information provided to Talkback, Paul Tweed, a solicitor based in Belfast, represented Jeffrey Epstein in 2011.

Email correspondence reveals that Tweed, Epstein, and Epstein's publicist, Mike Sitrick, engaged in detailed discussions about media coverage in the UK, including Epstein's efforts to dispute being labeled a "paedophile" and his hope that Sarah Ferguson, then the Duchess of York, would issue a statement to counter this description.

Tweed provided guidance on the potential content of such a statement, offering his legal expertise.

This email exchange appears to have been prompted by a message from Sarah Ferguson.

In a separate email, Paul Tweed is quoted as proposing a strategy for addressing comments allegedly made by Sarah Ferguson regarding Epstein.

It is worth noting that Paul Tweed has also acted as a lawyer for Sarah Ferguson and has maintained a personal friendship with both her and Prince Andrew.

In a statement to BBC News NI, Paul Tweed explained, "In 2011, I provided limited advice to Jeffrey Epstein, exchanging emails and phone calls with him, although we never met in person."

Tweed further stated, "Our professional relationship ended after several months due to various factors, including Epstein's disagreement with the advice I offered."

In a related development, DUP MP Carla Lockhart called for a comprehensive review after alleging that Jeffrey Epstein had visited Hillsborough Castle at least once, making this statement during a House of Commons session on Wednesday.