Following his 2008 release from prison, Jeffrey Epstein became acquainted with Byker Grove singer and actress Donna Air, even arranging several meetings with her. According to U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) documents, Epstein referenced the 46-year-old actress 224 times in emails sent between 2011 and 2012.
A mutual friend reportedly connected the two after Epstein had served time for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Tancredi Marchiolo, an Italian hedge fund manager, contacted Epstein to inform him that he and his “good friend” Air would be in New York. Marchiolo inquired, “Let me know if you want to meet her?” and mentioned three other women whose names were redacted in the correspondence. Marchiolo added, “Donna is on the internet. She’s more institutional than these 3. Know her very well,” to which Epstein responded, “Yes to Donna.”
According to The Sun, the two appeared to have met multiple times after Donna Air was given Epstein’s contact information. Marchiolo noted that the actress was “expecting” a call from the disgraced financier later that week, though he told Epstein to “feel free to call her before then.”
On July 21, 2011, Epstein’s assistant made a diary note to contact Air, who had separated four years prior from businessman Damian Aspinall, with whom she shares a child. Before her subsequent relationship with James Middleton—brother to Catherine, Princess of Wales—Air corresponded with Epstein via email to coordinate meetings in Paris and New York.
Following Epstein’s 13-month prison sentence and a year of house arrest for child sex offenses in Florida, the two finally had a brief encounter on April 18, 2012. After Epstein messaged her stating their time together was “too short,” the Charlie Charlton actress replied, “No worries. It was nice to meet you. Enjoy your week!”
Later that same day, Epstein messaged her again, claiming he was “unexpectedly” free that evening and inviting her over for “a cuppa” before a scheduled dinner. Donna Air agreed that their meeting had been “short but sweet” and advised him to “take care & good luck with it all,” while Epstein reiterated that the meeting was “much, much too short.” It remains unclear whether the actress accepted a further invitation from Epstein to attend a party at the “US ambassador’s house” in Paris.