Epstein files: Late Hong Kong socialite David Tang asked Ghislaine Maxwell to fund celebrity reputation start-up

2026-02-12 - 09:18

Shanghai Tang founder Sir David Tang had business dealings with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidante of late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to files released by the US government. David Tang. Photo: FCC Screenshot. The Hong Kong socialite-entrepreneur exchanged emails with Maxwell in 2010 to discuss her investment in ICorrect, a start-up Tang founded to give the rich and powerful a platform to respond to online slurs and rumours. The short-lived venture, launched the following year, was criticised for lacking any verification or evaluation process. Tang died in 2017 of liver cancer, whilst the disgraced Epstein – an American financier, serial rapist and human trafficker – was found dead in his cell in 2019 in an apparent suicide. Maxwell, a convicted associate of Epstein, is serving 20 years in prison for sex trafficking. Epstein files: HK socialite David Tang sought funds from Ghislaine Maxwell for celeb 'online reputation... by HKFP In a 2010 email to Maxwell, Tang revealed she had invested US$145,000 in the soon-to-launch firm. He told her, however, that he needed “roughly US$1 million will be required to launch the company in July.” Tang invited Maxwell to increase the investment by US$211,700 to avoid diluting her share as other funds were brought in. ICorrect charged celebrities US$1,000 per year as a fee. The socialite-entrepreneur defended the viability of the website and high price of entry for celebrities looking to enrol. “I believe that people will pay this amount for the service when ‘correct become a recognized word like Google or Twitter or Facebook. But much more importantly, this is a business model that would bring in good cashflow,” Tang wrote. The ICorrect website. Photo: Internet Archive. Among the famous faces which jumped on board after ICorrect’s launch were Cherie Blair, Sir John Bond, Jemima Khan, Sienna Miller, Zac Goldsmith, Niall Ferguson, Stephen Fry and Naomi Campbell. Further email exchanges in 2010 show Maxwell consulting Epstein and deciding to sell her stake: “I think David does not have a prayer to monetize the co. Or make it do anything. I don’t think what I have seen can change the game field for people – only search engine optimization linked to corrections could in this day of twitter facebook etc – the business plan is a joke and I’d think it’s better to cut out,” she wrote to him on August 18, 2010. She added that she was nervous about being sued, despite lacking control of the company, and was sceptical about the US$1 million salary Tang was awarding himself: “I know that we are all friends but I still like to really understand all things I sign today and be comfortable with it...” Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein. Photo: US Attorney’s Office SDNY. In a response, hours later, Epstein told Maxwell: “yes, he is chinese, and appears only interested in malting money for david, Your comments were perfect. and well stated.” Maxwell then agreed to pull out the initial investment. It remains unclear whether any of Maxwell’s funds originated from Epstein. Social links Tang was among Epstein’s contacts kept in his “little black book,” in which his name appeared on page 52, according to the released files. Jeffrey Epstein’s “little black book.” Photo: US Department of Justice. Both Epstein and Maxwell attended a party in the apparel tycoon’s honour at London restaurant The Canteen in June 1997, according to the Getty Images archive. In a 2012 interview with the UK’s Standard, Tang defended the then-Prince Andrew’s friendship with Epstein, after the sex offender was first arrested in 2008: “If you are a friend of somebody and that friend is in trouble, you don’t just drop them.” Embed from Getty Images In the years before his death, Tang was embroiled in a lawsuit whereby he was accused of transferring funds from his company to his private account in order to fund his lifestyle. Legal cases continued for years after his death. Last November, amid domestic political pressure, US President Donald Trump ordered the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files relating to the Epstein case. As of early February, over 3 million pages of documents have been released, with some content redacted. Democrat lawmakers have accused the DOJ of failing to release roughly 50 per cent of records, saying some redactions relate to Trump.