• Børge Brende acknowledges 27 messages and three dinners with Jeffrey Epstein from 2018-2019, contradicting his November denial of any contact.
  • The World Economic Forum launches an internal investigation amid Norwegian demands for Brende's resignation and founder Klaus Schwab's public distancing.
  • Revelations risk reputational damage to Davos as a global elite networking hub, with no direct market impacts but highlighting vulnerabilities in Swiss financial secrecy.

Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case have thrust the World Economic Forum into turmoil, revealing that its President and CEO Børge Brende exchanged at least 27 messages with the convicted sex offender between 2018 and 2019. According to people familiar with the matter, the communications included discussions on geopolitics and artificial intelligence, alongside three dinners at Epstein's New York residence. This directly contradicts Brende's initial statement in November, where he denied any contact with Epstein.

In a sharp reversal, Brende now admits to the meetings but claims complete ignorance of Epstein's criminal past, stating, "I was completely unaware of Epstein's past and criminal activities. If I had known, I would have declined invites." His interactions occurred after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea for minor prostitution but before his 2019 arrest and subsequent suicide, a timeline that has drawn skepticism from stakeholders and the public alike. Efforts to reach Brende for further comment were unsuccessful as of press time.

Norwegian officials have responded with swift condemnation, calling for Brende's resignation and drawing parallels to recent suspensions of diplomats over Epstein ties. The WEF, a non-profit foundation that organizes the annual Davos meeting and relies on member fees of approximately CHF 600,000 per company annually, has initiated an internal probe into the matter. Founder Klaus Schwab has publicly distanced himself, denying prior knowledge and threatening legal action, according to sources close to the organization.

Without a clear resolution, the scandal could force significant leadership changes at the WEF, potentially undermining its role in fostering public-private cooperation on global issues like sustainability and technology. The situation exposes broader vulnerabilities in elite international networks, with Swiss financial secrecy historically enabling Epstein's operations. As the probe unfolds, experts note that the fallout may erode trust in global forums, though no direct financial impacts have been observed in markets yet.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the number of messages exchanged; it has been updated to reflect the correct figure of 27.