What happened during the 2018 Paris meeting between Jeffrey Epstein and shipowner Morits Skaugen Jr (70)? It may hold the key to the extraordinary property deal involving former Labour minister Terje Rød-Larsen and his UN ambassador wife, Mona Juul.
The newly released Epstein files have opened a window into the drama surrounding the sale of Skaugen’s 335-square-metre luxury apartment at Drammensveien 42 in Oslo, offering a rare glimpse into Epstein’s shadowy business methods.
They also shed light on a troubling public-private, pseudo-diplomatic arrangement that would struggle to withstand scrutiny.
Skaugen has been unequivocal: the sale was not voluntary. The buyers were Terje Rød-Larsen and Mona Juul.
Terje Rød-Larsen (right) and an unidentified woman dining with Jeffrey Epstein at his Manhattan townhouse in the United States. Year unknown. (Photo: Private / DOJ)
The person appointed to negotiate the purchase agreement for Juul and Rød-Larsen was Jeffrey Epstein.
When Skaugen bought the apartment on the fourth floor for NOK 12.5 million in 2011, it was immediately rented out to Rød-Larsen and Juul for half a million NOK a year.
Before the property sale, Skaugen writes to Epstein. They also owe property tax. (Screenshot from the land register Kartverket)
Now, Epstein records show that the diplomatic couple also received a favourable purchase option in addition to the lease. But what prompted Skaugen to favour them with these contracts, no one knows.
In some emails, the manager expresses a desire to “help” Rød-Larsen, but it is not revealed why the former UN envoy needs help.
– More than just a little
What, according to Skaugen’s dialogue with Epstein, had become a situation he was “more than a little embarrassed about” appears to have been exploited by Epstein and Rød-Larsen to lay claim to exercising the option, even though it expired two years earlier.
The core of the dispute was whether Skaugen had breached the agreement when he mortgaged the apartment for NOK 25 million in 2015. The bank would only release the mortgage for at least NOK 18 million.
Red-Larsen and Juul did not intend to part with that much money. They demanded the option price from 2011 of NOK 10 million and a waiver of a non-refundable deposit of NOK 3.5 million that they had already paid.
Epstein eventually contributed NOK 4 million. Skaugen had to sell off other assets to have the mortgage cancelled. Terje Rød-Larsen and Mona Juul thus secured a bargain for NOK 14 million – a two-digit million amount below the market price.
But then Epstein started blackmailing Skaugen.
Signing in Epstein’s apartment
The meeting between Epstein and Skaugen in Paris on 7 April 2018 is described by the shipowner to Norwegian tabloid VG as “so shitty” that he “doesn’t want to talk about it”.
It took place in Epstein’s own apartment in the city. We know that Skaugen was compelled to sign, but we don’t know whether it was done under threat or duress. Epstein was no stranger to using threats in similar cases.
In 2016, Norwegian film director Håkon Gundersen (71) was threatened by Epstein to hand over an apartment and a company in Budapest to a third party. Gundersen had worked with Terje Rød-Larsen in the 1980s and met Epstein in 2013.
“I’m sending a man to Oslo to talk to you,” was one of the threats Epstein made. Although Gundersen said he was terrified of Epstein, and the harassment continued until Epstein was imprisoned in 2019, the apartment and company were never handed over.
Edward Rød-Larsen (25) is the son of Terje Rød-Larsen and Mona Juul (Photo: Privat/RocketReach)
Red-Larsen was also involved in Gundersen’s case. Gundersen writes to Epstein that he wants to confer with their mutual acquaintance, “Terje”.
The person to whom Epstein demanded that the apartment be transferred is referred to in the emails as “Edward”
.
Red-Larsen and Juul’s twins are named Emma and Edward Red-Larsen. They were born in 2000 and grew up in Israel and New York. It is not known if “Edward” is identical to Rød-Larsen’s son.
Signed transcript of email
The correspondence that Document has gone through in detail shows that what Skaugen signed in Paris was a printout of one or more emails.
Rød-Larsen and Juul’s lawyer was Kåre I. Moljord of Arntzen de Besche Advokatfirma AS. He has referred to his duty of confidentiality and does not wish to comment.
As soon as the meeting in Paris is over, Epstein receives a text message from Rød-Larsen. He asks if Epstein “got the signature”.
Epstein confirms.
The stepdaughter was Rød-Larsen’s secretary
Terje Rød-Larsen’s personal assistant at the International Peace Institute (IPI) in New York was Camilla Victoria Reksten-Monsen, daughter of physicist and businesswoman Grace Montgomery Reksten Skaugen (72).
The highly influential mum in the family has held a number of high-ranking directorships, including Statoil for 13 years, Entra Eiendom, Ferd, Orkla, Enskilda Securities and Atlas Copco.
She was also a board member of the British International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), which provides military and geopolitical analysis backed by the cream of the military-industrial complex: Raytheon, Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corp, BAE Systems and others.
After a stay at Epstein’s house in 2013, she exchanged a few emails with Epstein to thank him and simultaneously discuss bond trading.
In 2016, IISS came under scrutiny following the revelation of a secret sponsorship deal worth approximately $7.6 million annually from the dictatorial state of Bahrain. IISS also has offices in the country that were paid for by the government.
In 2019, Camilla Reksten-Monsen and Terje Rød Larsen travelled with IPI to Bahrain on a four-day visit. There they met King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and a number of prominent politicians.
Terje Rød-Larsen and his right-hand woman, Camilla Reksten-Monsen (far left), with Bahrain’s Deputy Prime Minister (centre) in 2019. (Photo: IPI)
Dinner with “TRL”
Camilla Reksten-Monsen as she was described on the International Peace Institute’s website until she left the position in 2021.
We don’t know whether it was Reksten-Monsen who connected his stepfather with the Rød-Larsen/Epstein radar pair, or whether it was his stepfather’s previous acquaintance with Rød-Larsen that helped his stepdaughter into IPI.
In hundreds of emails in the Epstein archive, she coordinates with Epstein and his secretaries about dinners, meetings and other events where Rød-Larsen, Børge Brende and Thorbjørn Jagland were regulars.
Camilla Reksten-Monsen was Terje Rød-Larsen’s personal secretary for almost 10 years and is Morits Skaugen’s stepdaughter. (Photo: Private
Every time, contact with Epstein becomes so routine that she simply refers to Rød-Larsen as “TRL”.
Reksten-Monsen continued to work for Rød-Larsen until he resigned in October 2020, despite the fact that he had taken over his stepfather’s apartment at a bargain price and then broke off contact.
In 2015
In 2015, Reksten-Monsen was appointed chief of staff at IPI but, according to the Epstein files, continued to act as a personal assistant to Rød-Larsen.
In 2014, she hosts a Middle East Dinner with a number of foreign ministers and former heads of state on behalf of Rød-Larsen, at the home of Jewish media billionaire and Israel lobbyist Mortimer Zuckerman.
The stepfather is invited as the only representative from the private sector. Reksten-Monsen will forward both the programme and the guest list to Epstein.
“My knowledge of him [Epstein] was limited to superficial acquaintances in international circles, where I was introduced to him through Terje Rød-Larsen,” Skaugen told DN.
“At no time have I had any financial relationship with Epstein.”</p
An email from Rød-Larsen in 2012 shows that Epstein, Skaugen, Deputy Prime Minister Kairat Kelimbetov of Kazakhstan and lobbyist and former British government minister Lord Peter Mandelson made plans to meet in London.
Mandelson, incidentally, is seen in only his underpants in a photo in Epstein’s photo archive.
The apartment, which now probably has a market value of over NOK 25 million, is located on the 4th floor of this apartment building, “Sverreslottet” (Photo: Google)
Preparing the ground
The Epstein archive shows that Rød-Larsen prepared the property acquisition at Frogner together with Epstein since January 2018 at the latest. It was then known that Skaugen’s family shipping company IM Skagen was in serious financial difficulties.
On 25 January, Epstein forwarded a text message from Skaugen to Rød-Larsen:
To Rød-Larsen, Epstein adds the following:
Epstein: Two things . Apt and your health. Focus
Two things. The apartment and your health. Focus
On 18 March, there is a new text message dialogue in which Epstein presses Skaugen to accept a transaction with Rød-Larsen and Juul.
On 31 March, Epstein texts Rød-Larsen that he has negotiated with Skaugen.
Call, he then writes on 4 April.
On the same day, Epstein has a dialogue with lawyer Moljord about an email sent by Skaugen. The entire email can be read at the bottom of the case. Moljord is not impressed:
Moljord: Thanks, but this seems soft and sweettalks from M and no legal obligation on his part. Best solution is to buy now and settle the differences in due course as M states!
Thank you, but this seems soft and sweettalks from M and no legal obligation on his part! Best solution is to buy now and settle the difference later, as M[orits] says!
Epstein: im aware. closing the rope slowly he is coming to paris to meet. the more he puts in writing the better DO not reach out to him yet
im aware. closing the rope slowly he is coming to paris to meet. the more he puts in writing the better. DO NOT reach out to him yet
The following day, Rød-Larsen sends a text message about what he has heard about Skaugen’s financial problems from Børge Brende. He writes that he fears that he himself will “perish” in the wake of Skaugen.
– I have been very patient
On 14 September 2018, Jeffrey Epstein wrote an email to Morits Skaugen Jr. He now believes that the shipowner owes him NOK 4,000,000. However, Epstein is under the impression that the threat of bankruptcy for Skaugen’s company has been reduced.
Skaugen replies that things don’t look so good. Epstein asks how things are going with the business in Singapore and adds:</p
Epstein: I would appreciate it if you could comment on the topic of contention between us. I have been very patient and understanding
.
15 September 2018
Skaugen: I won’t be able to answer or comment on any of this now. The reason will become quite clear in a few days. A very crucial point in my life.
Epstein: I have faith in your capacities…if I can help then let me know. I understand how much stress you are experiencing now and wish you all the best. I would appreciate a proposal for the payment of the 4 million crowns to me. thank you
It takes 11 days for Skaugen to respond briefly again:
Skaugen: Filing for bankruptcy.
Epstein: It will hopefully bring some peace
Eight days later, the bankruptcy of Skaugen’s shipping company IMSK SE (formerly IM Skaugen SE) was a fact. 500 people lost their jobs. Skaugen’s grandfather started the shipping company in 1916.
Skaugen is still struggling with the aftermath of the bankruptcy and has lost its patience as Epstein continues the cash crunch the following month.
Skaugen: I was under no legal obligation to help out and I did and I am expecting nothing but shit from it all – and shit I got and probably will get.
I was under no legal obligation to help out and I did and I am expecting nothing but shit from it all – and shit I got and probably will get.
Epstein tries again in February 2019.
Skaugen has not responded to Documents’ questions about whether he has paid anything to Epstein. But in an e-mail to Epstein, he denies the issue.
Epstein is now beginning to appear threatening. He gives the impression that he has recordings or other evidence from the meeting in the Paris apartment, documenting an alleged verbal agreement with Skaugen on the repayment of Epstein’s four million kroner.
It’s word against word. Skaugen is of a different opinion to Epstein, but the latter
Epstein: Sorry, you said I had to contribute 4m NOK and you would pay me back when you could. If you intend to break your promise, of which I have perfect proof, please let me know. [If it becomes necessary, I fear it will be unpleasant.
“I was not then, and especially not now, in a position to give him [Rød-Larsen] the money,” replies Skaugen.
Epstein doesn’t back down and warns Skaugen not to treat him disrespectfully. The conversation also goes as blind copies from Epstein to Rød-Larsen.
Rød-Larsen, Juul, Skaugen and Reksten-Monsen have so far not responded to requests to comment on this matter
.
Morits Skaugen’s email a few days before the meeting in Paris
Morits Skaugen: <Morits Skaugen>
to: <censored>
Mar 31, 2018 5:37 AM
Facts.
There are no valid agreements re the purchase option. It has expired or lapsed and it was never excersized [sic] as per its wording. the woridng is clear and not ambiguous in any way. A lot of intentions have verbally been expressed over some years, but the fact remains. =t lapsed 2 years ago and no effort ever made to utilise it.
The property is mortgaged and the lending bank i will not clear the property mortgage unless realised at market value. The market value as per Bank assesment is NOK 18 mill.</p
Terje has a tenant agreement that has expired, but he will have the right to rent the property on terms to be agreed (reduced rent) and I will not make any objection or hindrances.
This we could and should do to fix the situation. renew this agreement.
However given the situation leading to your request i send you this for discussion
Situation:
Terje is in very urgent needs and wants to take over the property now. If so we have to meet up and discuss and agree on revised terms. I simply cannot deliver as per his wishes right now, but i can stick to agreements already in place. My ambition was to work out my other problems and then help Terje to meet his wishes. i am more than slightly embarrassed by the situation now created.
Solution:
What i can see us doing now is that he buys the property at NOK 14 mill.
I will settle the difference with the bank; difference between NOK 18 and NOK 14 mill.
The NOK 3.5 mill deposit that Terje paid, that is now in need of a dicsussion on how to settle. it is as per above mentioned agreement a nonrefundable. I do suggest you lend him this money and i will repay you the money in due course. Suggest we discuss these terms when we meet.
- for Terje; he has to pay NOK 14 mill vrs NOK 13 mill he wants to pay. He gets the property he wants despite of the inconvenience of timing.
- for you and me; we will need to settle the initial NOK 3.5 mill deposit for him. i will repay you, but you will advance to Terje. Terje can use this with his bank to help arrange finance on purchase price. He does not needs much more equity to get finance given the market malue of NOK 18 mill.
- for me; i will pay the bank NOK 4 mill and transfer the property at 14 mill. there is no gain for me. i will gain peace from this and the embarrassment it has created.
Best regards from Morits.
sent from my iPhone
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