Filmmaker Mira Nair, the mother of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, appears in the new release of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein. Her name shows up in a 2009 email, but it does not suggest she did anything wrong.
According to Newsweek, the email was sent by publicist Peggy Siegal to Epstein about an after-party for the film Amelia, which Nair directed. The document only shows that Nair attended an event hosted by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate.
This does not mean Nair was involved in any wrongdoing. However, it shows how many celebrities and powerful people were connected to Epstein’s circle. Over 3 million pages of documents were released on Friday, January 31, 2026. The release includes 2,000 videos and over 180,000 images, bringing the total to nearly 3.5 million pages.
The release reveals the wide reach of Epstein’s connections
President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law on November 19, 2025, which made this release possible. The law aims to show the American public the full picture of Epstein’s contacts in business, politics, and entertainment. The Trump administration has been making major policy decisions on various issues, including this transparency effort.
The email mentioning Nair was sent by Siegal to Epstein on October 21, 2009. Siegal described leaving Maxwell’s townhouse after the after-party for Amelia. She wrote, “Just left Ghislaine’s townhouse…after party for film. Bill Clinton and Jeff Bezos were there…Jean Pigozzi, director Mira Nair…etc”
Nair’s film Amelia was released in 2009 and starred Hilary Swank as aviator Amelia Earhart and Richard Gere as her husband. Siegal mentioned in her email that the film got a “tepid reaction,” though women liked it more than men did.
Epstein died in jail in New York in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of child sex trafficking. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said this release “marks the end of a very comprehensive document identification and review process to ensure transparency to the American people and compliance.”
However, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who led the effort for the Epstein Files Transparency Act with GOP Representative Thomas Massie, says the Justice Department is still holding back up to 2.5 million pages without proper justification. Khanna plans to examine why these remaining pages are being withheld. The debate over transparency continues as Trump’s foreign policy reshapes alliances on multiple fronts.
Published: Feb 1, 2026 06:45 pm