Filmmaker Mira Nair named in DOJ papers as photos surface from 2017 Peggy Siegal event
Days after taking office, Mayor Mamdani became entangled in controversy involving his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, whose name appeared in newly released Department of Justice documents connected to financier Jeffrey Epstein’s network. The situation illustrates how personal background intersects with high-profile governance, though officials emphasized that no criminal allegations were made against any individuals mentioned.
Documentary Record and Family Connections
Released January 30, 2026, millions of pages of documents detailed Epstein’s social and professional network following his death in custody in 2019. Among the materials were emails from Peggy Siegal, a once-powerful Hollywood publicist, referencing an after-party for Nair’s film Amelia held at Ghislaine Maxwell’s Manhattan townhouse in 2009. The email listed attendees including former President Bill Clinton and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The documents noted that the correspondence merely documented attendance and did not allege misconduct by those named.
Photographic Evidence Surfaces
Additionally, a photograph taken November 15, 2017, showed Mayor Mamdani at a Peggy Siegal-hosted luncheon celebrating Jordan Peele’s film “Get Out” at Lincoln Ristorante. The image showed Mamdani alongside his mother, actor Daniel Kaluuya, filmmaker Shimit Amin, and Peele. Siegal, who became the subject of scrutiny in 2019 following reports of her association with Epstein, faced industry backlash as Netflix, FX, and Annapurna Pictures severed professional relationships with her.
Context and Clarification
According to Fox News reporting, the image represented routine Hollywood networking in which many entertainment industry figures participated. Siegal was never charged with any crime, and the Epstein documents made no allegations regarding Mamdani or his mother’s involvement in any wrongdoing. Nair, an internationally renowned director of films including Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake, has long been integrated into elite entertainment circles. The revelation highlighted how widely connected many prominent Americans were to figures in Epstein’s network, affecting politicians, entertainers, and business leaders across industries.
