Documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act reveal that a shipping invoice for pieces of the Kaaba's Kiswah, sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2017, listed their value at $10,980. These revelations have since been leveraged in a diplomatic dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

The Kiswah, the sacred black and gold embroidered cloth covering the Kaaba in Mecca, is highly revered by Muslims globally. Its alleged shipment to Epstein, a convicted sex offender, has ignited controversy, with critics asserting it desecrates an Islamic holy artifact.

What the records show

The documents specify that one piece originated from inside the Kaaba, another from its outer covering, and a third was an unused piece made from the same materials. This unused piece was reportedly used to "bypass customs and shipment restrictions" by allowing the items to be labeled as "artworks" for customs clearance. The shipping invoice explicitly valued these items at $10,980. Epstein had already served a jail sentence and registered as a sex offender when the shipment occurred in 2017.

Political fallout

What we could not confirm