Jeffrey Epstein was set to be a majority stakeholder in a female empowerment brand headed by Sarah Ferguson, documents released by the US Department of Justice show.

The paedophile financier had planned to own a 51 per cent stake in Mothers Army, a female empowerment brand aimed at tackling ‘some of the tougher issues facing young people and families’, led by the former Duchess of York.  

According to emails, Sarah came up with the ‘brilliant’ idea around June 2009 and enlisted Epstein’s help, even after he was convicted of child sex offences. 

Later that year, an associate of Epstein outlined a business plan for the company which detailed how it would make revenue from films, TV series, a potential book deal and even Tommy Hilfiger-branded clothing. 

The company would also earn cash from a number of speaking engagements including a women in leadership event at Michigan State University, for which the company would be paid a $40,000 fee. 

Ferguson was set to be the face of Mothers Army, owning the remaining 49% stake in the brand, while receiving a $250,000 salary under the proposed business plan. 

So grateful was the ex-Duchess for Epstein’s support that she sent him a number of gushing messages saying she was ‘touched’ by his kindness and thanked him ‘for being the brother I have always wished for’. 

Despite this, Epstein’s team appeared cautious about Ferguson’s involvement, with one email sent by one of his associates describing her as a ‘big mess, no focus, naive business wise’.  

The concept for Mothers Army was seemingly conceived by Ferguson herself, with an email sent by Jean Oelwang, CEO of Virgin Unite, a non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, outlining her ambitions for the brand. 

In an email sent on June 1, 2009, Ms Oelwang wrote: ‘The Duchess of York has come up with a brilliant idea around getting a group of high profile Mothers together to help amplify the voices of Mothers all over the world to tackle some of the tougher issues facing young people and families today.

‘We want to volunteer our time to help her develop this to the next level and would love for you to join us for a marathon one day planning session.’

This was later forwarded to Epstein by Ferguson herself asking for his thoughts on the idea. ‘Great, but make sure the idea stays with you,’ he replied. 

Ferguson then responded: ‘But this is for the cause. I have and need you to help me with the commercial company… How do I do that? What is my next stage?’

Another sent by the ex-Duchess on the same day read: ‘But I don’t want to do any of this without you. I need your silent vigil, and making sure I don’t F… Up the business and commercial arm.’

Plans for Mothers Army continued to development later that year, with an email sent to Epstein on June 26 by one of his associates, David Stern, outlining how the brand could be structured. 

It suggested the company would be funded by ‘JEDS’, seemingly an investment vehicle that would allow Epstein to bankroll the brand. 

‘Please think about what stake would be appropriate in MA (100% initial funding and full management should give JEDS considerable stake),’ the email said. 

Elsewhere, the plan stated that Ferguson would need a ‘clear focus and build up to generate scale’. It added there was also ‘potential to leverage her network for MA growth but also other JEDS deals’. 

By September 2009, the brand appeared to be building up a head of steam, with deals with Target, Tommy Hilfiger and NBC seemingly in the works. 

‘Thank you so much Jeffrey. I had the best discussion with Target on Friday, and they want desperately the whole Mothers Army project,’ Ferguson wrote to Epstein on September 3.  

‘They also want to get behind my entire Sarah Ferguson brand, books etc. Tommy Hilfiger wants to build my entire apparel, Fragrance etc etc brand, and sell it on QVC. 

‘NBC want my Mothers Army TV Show. Ben Silverman wants it. So too does Ryan Seacrest. In just one week, after your lunch, it seems the energy has lifted.’ 

Ferguson then went on to praise the paedophile, saying: ‘I have never been more touched by a friends [sic] kindness.’

‘Thank you Jeffrey for being the brother I have always wished for,’ she added. 

A further email sent by Mr Stern, on September 11, appear to show a more thought out business plan for the Mothers Army brand. 

It outlined several ‘current deals’ that had not yet been signed, including the development of multiple TV series, book deals and fashion lines. 

The email showed Epstein also planned to hold a 51 per cent stake in the company, while Sarah would own the remaining 49 per cent and receive a salary of $250,000 each year.

Epstein’s involvement in helping Ferguson set up the business continued into 2010. 

An email sent by Ferguson in February that year shows she wanted the financier’s help to trademark the Mothers Army brand. 

‘Please can you ask your lovely lawyers to trademark Mothers Army For me not just the website but in every category.’ 

Ferguson wanted to secure the brand name before mentioning it in a keynote speech on female empowerment ‘at the UN’.

‘I am mentioning Mothers and unity of them.. And I need Mothers Army to be trademarked before 3pm,’ she said. ‘If your boys cannot do it, then I will try and find another way.’

Epstein replied saying Ferguson should explain that she had set up the Mothers Army brand and are now ‘in the process of putting together training manuals, product approvals and strategic short term and long term goals’ for the company. 

In 2011, as the furore around Epstein’s conviction and his alleged victims, Ferguson appeared to try and cut out his involvement. 

In August that year, a reputation management firm representing Ferguson emailed one of Epstein’s lawyers saying she was ‘keen to secure the rights back to the Mothers Army Domain names which Mr Epstein brought for her’.

The message also appears to reference a request for Ferguson to sign a letter in support of Epstein following his conviction for child sexual offences in 2009. 

Epstein’s lawyer then forwarded the email to him, saying: ‘You will note from the attached email from her PR that the Duchess appears to be doing a bit of horse trading here!’

By the end of September, Epstein appeared to no longer be involved in the project at all and it was seemingly scrapped. 

He is sent an email with a picture of a folder, bearing Sarah Ferguson’s face imposed onto Uncle Sam’s face, with the words: ‘I want you for the Mother’s Army’.  

The sender asks Epstein: ‘Should I keep, throw away, or mail these Mothers Army Booklets to Sarah F?’