Nicole Junkermann, a prominent German countess and London-based technology investor, has been identified as a close confidante of Jeffrey Epstein for two decades. Recent revelations, including newly released emails, indicate her significant role in potentially linking the convicted predatory financier to the heart of Westminster and senior British politicians.

Junkermann, 50, successfully lobbied former health secretary Matt Hancock to appoint her to the government's influential 'Healthtech Advisory Board'. Her remit was to cultivate a 'culture of innovation' and advise the government on integrating technology within the NHS. A photograph shows her prominently behind Hancock at the board's inaugural meeting, an image he may now regret given the unfolding scandal.

The extent of her friendship with Epstein led to her stepping down as a trustee of the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity last week, a charity supported by William and Kate. Lancaster University, where she held a visiting professorship, is also reviewing her status. Her LinkedIn page has since been removed.

Hundreds of emails released by the United States Department of Justice shed light on their relationship. Correspondence between Junkermann and Epstein reportedly began in May 2009, merely two months before he was released from prison after serving 13 months for soliciting sex from underage girls. However, a 2003 diary entry she transcribed in an email suggests their acquaintance predates this, with her writing, "I cannot sleep, I think about Jefrey. There are few people in my life which I want to spend time with - he is one of them. How can I trust him? How can I feel so much tenderness?"

By 2011, their exchanges grew overtly affectionate, with Junkermann referring to Epstein as 'baby' and 'Mr Wonderful'. She even called him 'Daddy' when seeking investment advice. The dynamic shifted by 2012, becoming more contentious, with Epstein accusing her of not reciprocating his efforts and Junkermann enumerating gifts she had given him, including a 'cashmere bathrobe' and 'your jewelery [sic] which you did not appreciate'.

Epstein frequently offered Junkermann professional opportunities and connections. He reportedly offered her a job, arranged introductions to high-profile figures like French banker Ariane de Rothschild and billionaire private equity tycoon Leon Black, and facilitated her nomination for the Young Global Leaders programme of the World Economic Forum through a recommendation from former US treasury secretary Larry Summers. In an intimate exchange from January 2013, Epstein even discussed conceiving a baby with Junkermann, asking her, "how would the baby thing work, what involvement would you need from me, I reflected on what is left to do that i have not already done …voila."

He also attempted to introduce her to Microsoft founder Bill Gates and encouraged her to work for him, offering her a role in "organizing the worlds most intersintng pocpl" and investing alongside him. Epstein, notorious for his private jet dubbed the 'Lolita Express', also teased Junkermann about her travel choices, urging her to acquire her own private plane.

Their collaboration extended to business, including a joint investment in Carbyne, an Israeli security start-up. In 2017, she was included in an email from Epstein to former Israeli PM Ehud Barak, discussing tax avoidance strategies, with Junkermann proposing Luxembourg as an alternative to Cyprus.

Despite marrying Italian Count Ferdinando Brachetti Peretti, part of the wealthy API energy dynasty, in 2017, Junkermann's closeness to Epstein persisted. Justice Department files indicate she continued to make introductions for him and correspond with the convicted paedophile right up until his second arrest in 2019. In 2018, she wrote to Epstein about hosting a lunch for David Cameron on the west coast and inviting him. Shortly before Epstein's death in August 2019, Junkermann reportedly wrote, concerning a letter defending him, "Cross fingers it is just a wave and it goes away again….... bad timing on the whole Me Too."

Junkermann, born in Düsseldorf in 1975, is the daughter of powerful German businessman Heinz Junkermann. Raised in Marbella, Spain, she pursued higher education at the International University of Monaco and Harvard Business School. She established her career in the City of London through NJF Capital, which has invested in numerous technology companies, including Owkin, an AI healthcare firm valued over $1 billion with ties to the NHS.

In a statement issued by her spokesman, Junkermann expressed deep regret for her conversations with Epstein, asserting she was "completely deceived and misled" by him during a vulnerable time. She stated she was "manipulated into trusting him and consulting him with the most personal of matters" and is "horrified to come to understand his true nature and the suffering he inflicted on women and girls through his abuse of trust, power, and manipulation." Her thoughts, the statement concluded, are with his victims, and she anticipates the day "the real predators face justice."