Shanghai Tang Founder’s Ties to Epstein and Maxwell Revealed in Released Files
Shanghai Tang founder Sir David Tang, a prominent Hong Kong socialite and entrepreneur, had business dealings with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidante of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to recently released files from the U.S. Government.
The correspondence between Tang and Maxwell centered on a potential investment in ICorrect, a start-up founded by Tang intended to provide a platform for high-profile individuals to manage their online reputations. Emails from 2010 reveal Maxwell had already invested US$145,000 in the venture, which launched the following year.
ICorrect, which charged celebrities US$1,000 annually for its services, faced criticism for its lack of verification processes, as reported at the time. Tang, however, expressed confidence in the business model, writing in an email that he believed people would pay for the service once it became as recognizable as brands like Google, Twitter, or Facebook. He also outlined a plan to seek an additional US$1 million in funding to launch the company in July, inviting Maxwell to increase her investment to avoid dilution.
Among those who reportedly subscribed to ICorrect were Cherie Blair, Sir John Bond, Jemima Khan, Sienna Miller, Zac Goldsmith, Niall Ferguson, Stephen Fry, and Naomi Campbell.
However, Maxwell soon expressed doubts about the venture’s viability. In an August 2010 email to Epstein, she questioned Tang’s ability to monetize the company, stating the business plan was “a joke” and suggesting that search engine optimization linked to corrections would be a more effective approach. She also voiced concerns about potential legal liabilities and Tang’s US$1 million salary.
Epstein responded hours later, reportedly telling Maxwell that Tang appeared “only interested in making money for david” and agreeing with her assessment. Maxwell subsequently agreed to sell her initial investment.
It remains unclear whether Maxwell’s investment originated from funds provided by Epstein.
Tang was listed on page 52 of Epstein’s “little black book,” and both he and Maxwell attended a party in Tang’s honor in London in 1997, according to Getty Images archives.
In 2012, Tang defended Prince Andrew’s friendship with Epstein following the financier’s initial arrest in 2008, stating that one does not simply abandon a friend in trouble.
Tang died in 2017 from liver cancer, while Epstein died by apparent suicide in 2019. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking. The release of these files is part of a larger effort by the U.S. Department of Justice to make public documents related to the Epstein case, following a directive from President Trump in November. As of early February, over 3 million pages of documents have been released, with some content redacted.
Donald Tang, executive chairman of Shein, also exchanged communications with Epstein between 2010 and 2012, according to documents released in January, as reported by Politico. Shein stated that the communications occurred before Tang joined the company and that they do not condone such contact.
