Picture this: In the hushed aftermath of Jeffrey Epstein’s scandal exploding across headlines, Conrad Black—once a powerful Canadian media baron, convicted of fraud, imprisoned, then pardoned by Trump—boldly steps forward to defend Prince Andrew, calling the royal’s abandonment by the Queen and British institutions a “disgrace” and a rush to judgment fueled by “frenzied posthumous assault.”
Yet here’s the jaw-dropping twist: Black’s name, along with over a dozen personal phone numbers for him and his wife Barbara, sits squarely in Epstein’s infamous little black book—the elite Rolodex that mapped out connections to the world’s most influential figures.
Was it just high-society overlap, or something more calculated? Black, a fierce defender of presumption of innocence, now finds his own ties under scrutiny in this web of power and shadows.
What drove this media mogul to champion the embattled prince amid such explosive associations?
In the wake of Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 arrest and death, as allegations of sex trafficking and elite complicity dominated global headlines, Conrad Black—the former Canadian media baron, convicted fraudster, U.S. prisoner, and eventual Trump pardon recipient—emerged as one of the few outspoken defenders of Prince Andrew. In a scathing 2022 opinion piece for The New York Sun, Black decried the Duke of York’s stripping of royal titles and military affiliations as a “disgrace.” He lambasted Queen Elizabeth II for abandoning her son amid what he called a “frenzied posthumous assault” on Epstein, insisting Britain should uphold the presumption of innocence rather than yield to unproven claims from Epstein associate Virginia Giuffre. Black portrayed Andrew as a victim of rushed judgment, his royal dignities unjustly stripped despite no criminal conviction.
The irony cuts deep: Black’s own name—and more than a dozen personal phone numbers for him and his wife, Barbara Amiel—appears in Epstein’s notorious “little black book,” the 97-page contact directory seized in investigations and leaked publicly. This elite Rolodex, containing roughly 1,571 names and thousands of numbers, mapped Epstein’s web of high-society connections, from politicians like Bill Clinton and Tony Blair to tycoons and celebrities. Black’s multiple entries (including home, work, and possibly mobile lines) suggest more than casual acquaintance—likely overlapping social circles in New York, Palm Beach, or London, where media moguls, financiers, and royals mingled.
Black’s ties to Epstein weren’t unknown; reports from 2019 noted sightings together post-Epstein’s 2008 conviction, including at a Hamptons party as late as 2015. Amiel, in her 2020 memoir Friends & Enemies, described interactions with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s alleged procurer, including Maxwell’s attempts to leverage Amiel’s connections for introductions to powerful figures like Henry Kravis and Leonard Lauder. Amiel distanced herself, portraying Maxwell as opportunistic rather than criminal, but the proximity raises questions about the depth of these networks.
What motivated Black’s vigorous defense of Andrew? As a conservative commentator and Trump ally (pardoned in 2019 after serving time for fraud convictions later contested), Black has long championed due process and railed against perceived media witch hunts. His own legal battles—convicted in 2007, imprisoned, then pardoned—may fuel empathy for figures accused amid scandal. Defending Andrew aligns with his worldview: skepticism of “frenzied” accusations, criticism of institutional abandonment, and a belief that elite status shouldn’t preclude fair treatment.
Yet the black book entry invites scrutiny. Was it mere high-society overlap—shared dinners, fundraisers, or mutual acquaintances—or something more calculated? Epstein cultivated influence through access; his contacts often served networking, favors, or leverage. Black, stripped of his peerage after conviction, rebuilt his voice through outlets like National Post and pro-Trump writings. Championing Andrew amid Epstein ties could reflect ideological solidarity, personal parallels in facing downfall, or a broader pushback against what he sees as cancel culture targeting the powerful.
This tangled intersection—media power, royal scandal, financial crime, and Epstein’s shadowy orbit—highlights how elites once moved in overlapping spheres. Black’s bold stance on Andrew, juxtaposed against his documented Epstein link, underscores the web’s persistence: presumption of innocence for allies, while associations linger in leaked pages, fueling endless questions about secrets held and favors exchanged.
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