The shockwaves from the Jeffrey Epstein affair have now reached the shores of the Ébrié Lagoon. According to an investigation published by the newspaper Le Monde on February 13, 2026, three million documents declassified by the American justice system reveal the close ties between the sexual predator and Nina Keita, niece of Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara and current second-in-command of Gestoci.

The correspondence, comprised of hundreds of messages exchanged between 2011 and 2018, paints a multifaceted picture of their collaboration. Nina Keita, a former model and influential figure within the ruling clan, was not merely a friend of the financier; she allegedly acted as Epstein's gateway to Ivory Coast. As early as 2011, she arranged a meeting in New York between her newly elected uncle and Epstein. The following year, the financier was received in Abidjan to meet with several sitting ministers to discuss strategic investment projects.

Business, espionage, and the dark side

Nina Keita's role appears to have gone beyond simply facilitating diplomatic relations. Documents cited by the newspaper reveal her direct involvement in sensitive matters, including the acquisition of a sophisticated surveillance system from Israel in 2014, as well as negotiations for the purchase of a Boeing 727 for the Ivorian presidency.

Even more tragically, the court case highlights a darker dimension of this relationship. Nina Keita is cited for introducing young women, and sometimes girls, to Jeffrey Epstein, thus fueling the predatory system for which the billionaire was being prosecuted before his death in 2019. As these documents become public, the question of Epstein's influence within African power circles remains central.