David Stern

David Stern is a German businessman who acted as a key intermediary between Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew (formerly Duke of York) from at least 2009 until 2019. According to Wikipedia, Stern founded Asia Gateway Limited in 2002, a China-focused advisory firm with offices in Beijing and London, which was later renamed Witan Group. The Epstein archive contains 8,147 emails involving Stern, making him one of Epstein's most frequent correspondents. The BBC described Stern as a "go-between" for Epstein and Prince Andrew after Epstein's 2008 conviction, while The Guardian characterized him as Epstein's "man in the palace."

The archive documents extensive business dealings, frequent meetings across multiple countries, and Stern's role facilitating access between Epstein and the British royal family. Stern served as a director of Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace entrepreneurial initiative and was a director of the St George's House Trust at Windsor Castle from 2016 to 2022, according to Wikipedia. He resigned from Pitch@Palace in December 2019 following Epstein's death and Andrew's disastrous BBC Newsnight interview. In 2026, following the release of the Epstein files, Stern resigned from Cambridge Judge Business School's advisory board.

Critical context: All of Stern's documented activities in the archive occurred after Epstein's June 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. The archive's email corpus begins in 2009 and extends through 2019, meaning the entire relationship documented here took place during a period when Epstein was a registered sex offender. Evidence shows Stern was fully aware of Epstein's criminal status yet continued facilitating the relationship between Epstein and Prince Andrew.

According to public reporting by The Independent and The Mirror, Stern took eight flights on Epstein's private jet between 2010 and 2014, traveling between New York, Paris, and the Caribbean. The archive contains extensive flight logs for Epstein's Gulfstream GIIB (N909JE, operated by Hyperion Air Inc.) and helicopter S76C++ (N722JE, operated by Shmitka Air, Inc.) covering the 2010-2013 period, though many passenger manifest fields in these logs are left blank or incomplete. Pilots David Rogers and Larry Visoski maintained these flight records, and Rogers was interviewed by the FBI multiple times regarding Epstein's aircraft operations.

Background#

David Stern is a German national who attended the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), where he studied Law and Chinese Law, and Shi-Da University in Taiwan to study Chinese language, according to his 2010 biography in the archive. He spent 1996-1997 living in China and Taiwan. In the late 1990s, during his studies, he worked at Deutsche Bank in Shanghai and Siemens in Beijing, where he negotiated "industrial Joint Ventures with Chinese State Owned enterprises," according to Yahoo Finance.

From 2000 to 2002, Stern worked at Ermgassen & Co in London, a mergers and acquisitions boutique where he focused on the Chinese market, according to his biography. In 2002, he founded Asia Gateway Limited, a China-focused strategy advisory business with offices in Beijing and London. In 2006, he founded Asia Gateway China, a Beijing-based healthcare IT business. According to his biography, in 2010 he sold a majority stake in the healthcare business to a UK FTSE 100 company and remained Chairman.

According to Wikipedia, Stern also served as chairman of China Millennium Capital, the Chinese arm of Millennium Capital Partners. In February 2011, Stern changed the name of his UK company from "Asia Gateway Ltd" to "Witan Group Ltd," a name he chose because it referred to the "council of the Anglo Saxon kings in England," and because Prince Andrew did not recognize the term, according to emails with Epstein. Stern told Epstein: "PA likes it and since he did not know what it was when I told him it should be safe".

According to public reporting by The Mirror and Wikipedia, Ghislaine Maxwell introduced Stern to Prince Andrew at a 2005 book launch party for Popbitch. The archive does not contain correspondence from before 2009 and thus cannot confirm this introduction, but it represents Stern's reported entry point into the Epstein-Andrew network.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, stated in a February 2010 email that "I was introduced to David Stern by Jeffrey. He came to Royal lodge for dinner. He has been helping me a great deal with an ear and advice to my way ahead. He has a great rolodex for China."

Correspondence with Epstein#

The archive documents extensive correspondence between Stern and Epstein spanning from 2009 to 2019, with Stern as sender in over 5,000 emails. The correspondence focused heavily on business deals in China, reports on Prince Andrew's activities, and coordination of meetings and visits.

Business Development and Investment Pitches

Stern pitched numerous investment opportunities to Epstein across multiple sectors. In 2009-2010, he proposed creating what he called "JEDS" (combining their initials) or "Serpentine Group," a "small investment highly private office in London with outpost in Beijing, for high net worth individuals" that would "very discreetly make [Mountbatten-Windsor] part of it and use his 'aura and access'". Prince Andrew suggested that Stern could be "a Ghost for me in the up side of things", according to Wikipedia. In June 2010, Stern informed Epstein: "Informed PA that you are thinking about the company set up," showing that the proposed business venture involving Prince Andrew was being actively discussed post-conviction.

Stern provided regular updates on Chinese business opportunities. In July 2010, he reported to Epstein on meetings with Prince Andrew regarding Sheffield Forgemasters and Aston Martin, noting "no action re Sheffield Forgemasters and Aston Martin without your go-ahead." This critical statement reveals that Epstein effectively held veto power over business decisions involving Prince Andrew, with Stern serving as the operational intermediary managing this arrangement. He sent Epstein an Aston Martin investment case in June 2023 at a "very high valuation (GBP 900m)."

In April 2009, Stern reported from Kiev: "Ukraine is in real trouble... Every type of finance deal (real estate, PE, instruments) at every corner on offer... Would not surprise me if Ukraine goes bankrupt and Russia 'buys' it." He rated the "P factor in the right places 7/10" but characterized the opportunities as "all rubbish and high risk."

In 2013-2014, Stern was involved in negotiations with Adam Goldston and Richard Merkin regarding investment in his Asia Gateway Healthcare business. The negotiations collapsed spectacularly in January 2014, with Stern writing that he was "shocked beyond words" when the closing fell through at what he called the "25th hour." Epstein responded coldly and distanced himself from the failure: "as i was not involved in these negotiations, I have little to add, however I am certain that if dick decided at the last minute to pull out he must have had good reason". This pattern—Stern pitching deals with Epstein's connections while Epstein maintained deniability about direct involvement—recurs throughout the correspondence.

In March 2019, Stern pitched Epstein on Canoo, a Los Angeles-based electric vehicle company, describing it as "purpose built smart electric vehicles for subscription" with "a highly experienced team of engineers, designers, marketing and technology professionals." Epstein criticized Stern's initial description harshly, writing: "not good at all. i want the speech you gave me". Epstein asked Stern to "Give me the one paragraph to send to reid", referring to Reid Hoffman. Stern also sent Epstein a link about Warren Buffett's interest in electric cars, asking "How do we get him ??". This March 2019 exchange represents the last documented business pitch from Stern to Epstein in the archive, approximately four months before Epstein's arrest in July 2019.

Despite over ten years of documented correspondence and numerous investment pitches across multiple sectors and geographies, no successfully completed major transaction is documented in the archive. In June 2016, Stern celebrated sending "our first official Expression of Interest... My first with more than 1 billion" to Keith Breslauer, suggesting that substantive deals took many years to materialize, if at all.

JPMorgan Employment Proposal

In March 2011, Stern proposed to Epstein a formal employment structure with JPMorgan through Epstein's close relationship with Jes Staley. Stern's detailed proposal outlined: (1) "Witan Group private co with JPM people on board," (2) "DS employed by JPM either 'CEO Special Situations Group' or 'Special Advisor' to Jes," and (3) "DS reports to Jes, and close contact with both Emilio + Gaby. For JPM political reasons: DS officially based in two offices: London + Hong Kong." This shows Stern sought a formal position at JPMorgan leveraging Epstein's relationship with Staley, with Stern directly reporting to Staley while maintaining close contact with other JPMorgan executives.

Prince Andrew Liaison and Royal Affairs

Stern frequently communicated with Epstein about Prince Andrew, consistently referring to him as "PA" in emails. In November 2010, Stern wrote to Epstein: "PA will call me tomorrow. Anything to pass on to him?" In the same email thread, when discussing a potential joint venture with Harry Keogh, Stern wrote: "i hope not. if i want action i come to LSJ - my friend J will have plenty of P for me...(so i hope!)", with "LSJ" referring to Little St. James, Epstein's private island, "J" referring to Jeffrey Epstein, and "P" likely referring to projects or the Prince.

Monitoring Post-Conviction Royal-Epstein Contact

In December 2010, Stern forwarded a New York Post article to Epstein with the subject line "NY Post !" documenting a dinner party at Epstein's Upper East Side townhouse attended by Prince Andrew, Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos, Charlie Rose, Woody Allen, and Chelsea Handler. The article explicitly identified Epstein as someone "who recently finished a jail term for soliciting prostitutes" and noted that "Epstein, who recently finished a jail term for soliciting prostitutes, and Prince Andrew have been close friends for years." By forwarding this article to Epstein, Stern demonstrated he was actively monitoring media coverage of the Andrew-Epstein post-conviction relationship and was clearly aware of Epstein's criminal status. The dinner itself took place at Epstein's residence post-conviction, and the article mentioned Prince Andrew discussing Prince William's upcoming wedding.

Sarah Ferguson's Financial Crisis and "Dirty Secrets"

Stern tracked and reported on Sarah Ferguson's financial troubles to Epstein with detailed intelligence about potential vulnerabilities. In November 2010, he forwarded news articles about the Duchess's debt crisis, noting that Prince Andrew had bailed her out with £1.5 million and that she faced bankruptcy with creditors being offered 25 pence in the pound. When Epstein asked "who talks?" about the media leak, Stern replied: "No idea! Details in the article seem very accurate." Epstein responded: "I know. she called me yesterday.. johnny blah blha", confirming direct contact between Epstein and Ferguson about her debt situation with Johnny O'Sullivan. In a follow-up, Stern wrote: "She is terrified about johnny. He must know some dirty stuff," referring to Johnny O'Sullivan, Sarah Ferguson's former personal assistant who was owed over £70,000. This comment reveals Stern positioned himself as someone with intelligence about the royal family's vulnerabilities and potential compromising information—knowledge he shared directly with Epstein.

According to public reporting by The Guardian and Sky News, in December 2010—shortly after this email exchange—Epstein made a £15,000 payment through Stern to settle Ferguson's debt to O'Sullivan. While the archive documents the context surrounding this payment and confirms direct Epstein-Ferguson communication about the debt, the actual payment documentation was not found in the available materials.

Reid Hoffman Meeting Coordination

In June 2016, Stern coordinated attendance at a lunch with Reid Hoffman and Prince Andrew. Epstein instructed Stern: "You should meet Reid and tell h you are part of the club," and later specified: "Tell him you are a 'friend of the first circle.' And I loved his gift of the special pen". Epstein explained: "reid has a concept of circles of friends the first circle is the closest. if you say you understand that 'he and you are both part of our mutual friends first circle'. he will laugh." This exchange reveals Epstein's use of coded language to establish hierarchies within his social network, with the "first circle" denoting his closest associates. Stern was being positioned as a trusted intermediary who could invoke this status to facilitate business relationships involving Prince Andrew.

In the same exchange, Stern mentioned having "dinner at Windsor castle" on June 5, 2016, demonstrating his access to royal facilities during his St George's House Trust directorship period (2016-2022).

Deployment into Diplomatic Circles

In February 2010, Epstein actively deployed Stern into diplomatic networks involving China. When an unnamed associate mentioned meeting the new Chinese Ambassador, Epstein wrote: "david stern. i will send him to you." In the same correspondence, Epstein described Stern to the associate as "guy in london, german, speaks fluent chinese. is willing to live in beijing" while "reviewing china options." This shows Epstein was positioning Stern as his representative in high-level diplomatic and business contexts involving China.

Personal Assistance and Social Coordination

In April 2016, Epstein wrote to Stern: "karyna - my girlfriend, and jenn. the tall girl you've met will be in london tues and wed, they have never been there before. if you are around, I d appreciate any help you can be to them." The reference is to Karyna Shuliak, who appears frequently in the archive as Epstein's girlfriend.

In February 2011, JPMorgan executive Jes Staley told Epstein regarding Stern: "The team here likes Stern." Epstein and Staley discussed having Stern work with JPMorgan on China-related deals, with Stern proposing that he be employed as "CEO Special Situations Group" or "Special Advisor" to Staley.

Frequency and Tone

The correspondence reflects a close working relationship with frequent coordination of phone calls. Stern's emails to Epstein often consisted simply of "When can I call you?", a phrase that appears dozens of times throughout the archive. On Stern's birthday in January 2019, he sent Epstein a Wikipedia link about Chinese businessman Liu Qiangdong and asked when to call. Epstein replied: "thx, appreciate it."

In November 2010, when discussing whether Sarah Ferguson's situation might "blow up," Stern wrote to Epstein about the financial troubles, to which Epstein responded matter-of-factly about having spoken to her. The emails reveal Stern positioned himself as Epstein's eyes and ears in London's elite circles, while Epstein provided business advice and connections.

Connections#

Stern's most significant connection in Epstein's network was Prince Andrew, whom Epstein introduced him to, according to Wikipedia. According to public reporting, Ghislaine Maxwell facilitated the initial 2005 introduction at the Popbitch book launch party. Stern became a trusted advisor to the royal family and director of Prince Andrew's Pitch@Palace initiative and St George's House Trust.

Within Epstein's business network, Stern worked closely with several key figures. He had extensive correspondence with Jes Staley, then head of JPMorgan's investment banking division, regarding potential employment and China-related deals. Adam Goldston and Richard Merkin negotiated with Stern over investment in his Asia Gateway Healthcare business in 2013-2014.

Stern coordinated with Epstein's assistants Lesley Groff and Sarah Kellen regarding meeting logistics and scheduling. He had regular contact with Karyna Shuliak, Epstein's girlfriend, whom he assisted during her visits to London.

Stern also intersected with other members of Epstein's network including Deepak Chopra, Tom Pritzker, and Andrew L. Farkas. In 2010, he met with Nicole Junkermann as part of his business development activities, reporting back to Epstein.

Document References#

Stern appears extensively in documents released by the Department of Justice. Multiple emails show coordination of meetings and scheduling between Stern, Epstein, and Prince Andrew from 2010 to 2018. In one alert from August 2016, Epstein's staff was instructed to "email david stern, gromoff, lang and pinto re JE in pairs on 20th," indicating Stern's involvement in coordinating Epstein's Paris travel.

Documents show that in May 2011, Stern informed Lesley Groff that he was scheduled to see Epstein in Paris on May 8, arriving at 11:45am and departing at 7:15pm. Another email from November 2011 shows staff asking what time on Thursday Epstein wanted to meet Stern in Paris, after Stern had rescheduled from an earlier date. In February 2013, Stern's assistant wrote to Epstein's staff about meeting arrangements, noting Stern's conflict with his 8pm flight to London.

In September 2018, just months before Epstein's arrest, Stern arranged to use Epstein's Manhattan townhouse as a day base while traveling through New York, landing at 5:30am from Los Angeles and departing to London that evening. The documents show Stern visited Epstein in New York on September 24, 2018, with Stern noting he needed to leave for the airport at 4:30pm. According to The Guardian, Stern visited Epstein in New York just months before his July 2019 arrest.

A February 2011 email shows Epstein writing about a meeting with a Chinese ambassador, stating: "david stern. i will send him to you."

Visits to Epstein Properties#

Manhattan Townhouse

The archive documents multiple visits and planned meetings at Epstein's East 71st Street residence:

1. September 14, 2018 - Stern arranged to spend the day at Epstein's house between arriving from Los Angeles at 5:30am and departing to London at 7:45pm
2. September 24, 2018 - Stern visited Epstein, leaving for the airport at 4:30pm
3. February 2013 - Stern planned to meet Epstein, with scheduling conflicts around a 7:30pm meeting time
4. July 17, 2017 - Stern asked if Epstein would be in NYC, noting "Stefan and I plan to be there"
5. January 24-25, 2012 - Lesley Groff was instructed to "Make appt with David stern he will be in my jan 24-25"
6. December 2010 - According to the New York Post article forwarded by Stern to Epstein, Prince Andrew attended a dinner party at Epstein's townhouse with Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos, Charlie Rose, Woody Allen, and Chelsea Handler—an event that occurred post-conviction and was explicitly noted in media coverage that Stern was monitoring

Paris Apartment

1. May 8, 2011 - Stern met Epstein in Paris, arriving at 11:45am and departing at 7:15pm
2. November 2011 - Stern met with Epstein in Paris on a Thursday
3. August 2016 - Epstein's staff was alerted that "JE in pairs on 20th" with Stern among those to be contacted

Palm Beach, New Mexico Ranch, Little St. James

In a November 2010 email discussing a potential business venture, Stern wrote to Epstein: "if i want action i come to LSJ - my friend J will have plenty of P for me...(so i hope!)" The "LSJ" reference to Little St. James suggests familiarity with the island and possibly visits there, though specific documented visits are not confirmed in the available materials. No visits to Palm Beach or the New Mexico ranch are documented in the available materials.

Timeline Context#

2005: According to public reporting, Ghislaine Maxwell introduces Stern to Prince Andrew at Popbitch book launch party (not documented in archive, which begins in 2009)

June 2008: Epstein convicted and begins serving sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor

2009: Archive correspondence between Stern and Epstein begins—all documented activity occurs post-conviction

2009-2010: Stern proposes "JEDS" / Serpentine Group investment vehicle involving Prince Andrew

November 2010: Stern and Epstein discuss Sarah Ferguson's debt crisis; Epstein confirms "she called me yesterday"

December 2010: According to public reporting, Epstein makes £15,000 payment through Stern to settle Ferguson's debt; Stern forwards NY Post article about Prince Andrew at Epstein's townhouse, explicitly noting Epstein's criminal record

2010-2014: According to public reporting, Stern takes eight flights on Epstein's private jet between New York, Paris, and the Caribbean

February-March 2011: Stern proposes formal JPMorgan employment structure reporting to Jes Staley

2013-2014: Asia Gateway Healthcare investment negotiations with Richard Merkin collapse; Epstein distances himself from failure

June 2016: Stern coordinates Reid Hoffman lunch with Prince Andrew; mentions dinner at Windsor Castle; celebrates sending "first official Expression of Interest... My first with more than 1 billion"

2016-2022: Stern serves as director of St George's House Trust at Windsor Castle

September 2018: Stern visits Epstein in New York twice, using townhouse as day base

March 2019: Stern pitches Canoo electric vehicle investment to Epstein—last documented business correspondence

July 6, 2019: Epstein arrested

August 10, 2019: Epstein dies in custody

November 2019: Prince Andrew's disastrous BBC Newsnight interview

December 2019: Stern resigns from Pitch@Palace

2026: Following Epstein files release, Stern resigns from Cambridge Judge Business School advisory board