When a Russian model emailed Jeffrey Epstein in 2017 saying that it had been great to see him, he asked her to “send a naughty photo to prove it”.
He then requested she send a topless photograph and when she refused, saying she felt uncomfortable, he followed it up with a “please”. But the tone changed markedly in another message, five minutes later, when he explained that “my Russian ambassador friend that I told you about just died in New York”.
It was a reference to Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations and a key lieutenant of President Putin. Churkin had become close to Epstein and they held regular coffee mornings.
Vitaly Churkin
RICHARD DREW/AP
The exchange underscores how the Epstein files illuminate not only the millionaire financier’s constant predatory pursuit of women, but also his network of friends and contacts with links to the Kremlin. It has raised the question of whether he might have been running a “kompromat” operation to gather damaging information on prominent figures.
Churkin was among oligarchs, Russian politicians and intelligence figures with whom Epstein met. Putin is mentioned in the Epstein files more than 1,000 times.
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The document cache, released by the US Department of Justice, shows how Epstein regarded Sergei Belyakov, the deputy minister of economic development and graduate of the FSB intelligence service academy, as a “very good friend”.
After their initial encounter in May 2014, Belyakov wrote to Epstein: “Our meeting was really interesting for me! I do not know many people like you, who can open new horizons and prospects.”
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In 2018 Belyakov wrote to the Russian consulate general in New York, asking that Epstein be given a three-year multiple entrance visa. He said Epstein was leading projects for US investment in Russia and an initial visit to Moscow would be followed by many more trips for seminars and forums. Epstein’s expenses were to be covered by a Russian organisation. Belyakov also appears to have given a reference for a separate visa application for one of Epstein’s aides.
Epstein had turned to Belyakov for assistance three years earlier, telling him in an email that “a Russian girl from Moscow … is attempting to blackmail a group of powerful biznessmen [sic] in New York. It is bad for business for everyone involved”.
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In a subsequent email in July 2015 that Epstein sent to himself, he appeared to draft his response to the woman, a model, having apparently spoken to Belyakov. It detailed his anger at the threats and said he had contacted friends in the FSB who “explained to me in no uncertain terms” that blackmail attempts would be “dealt with extremely harshly … so I expect never ever to hear a threat from you again”.
Belyakov ran the St Petersburg International Economic Forum and invited Epstein to participate. When sanctions were imposed on Russia after the annexation of Crimea, the forum attracted fewer participants and Epstein offered to help find guests.
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When President Trump was elected in November 2016, Belyakov sent a message to Epstein titled “Congrats with your President.” Epstein replied “fun”.
Churkin, who died suddenly in his New York office, had served as ambassador to the UN since 2006 and appears to have been introduced to Epstein in 2015. According to text messages, Epstein was helping Churkin’s son to find job opportunities in the US, though the American said his involvement “must be confidential”. A diary note suggested a lunch in August 2016 with Churkin and Ehud Barak, former prime minister of Israel.
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In email exchanges in 2018, the year after Churkin’s death, Epstein bragged that he had helped Churkin to understand Trump. “Churkin was great. He understood trump after our conversations. it is not complex. he must be seen to get something its that simple.” He also claimed that Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, could “get insight on talking to me”.
The files also suggest Epstein was in contact with Oleg Deripaska. In December 2009 Epstein appears to have written to Lord Mandelson, the Labour business secretary, asking if “Oleg” knew an Armenian businessman who was coming to visit him. Mandelson responded, apparently relaying Deripaska’s advice, which was: “Don’t have anything to do with that jerk.”
Oleg Deripaska with President Putin
SASHA MORDOVETS/GETTY IMAGES
Deripaska made his fortune in the metals and energy sectors and was sanctioned in 2022 for his alleged close association with Putin. He was at the centre of the “Yachtgate” scandal in 2008. Mandelson, then EU trade commissioner, and George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, were embroiled in controversy after attending a party on his yacht.
When Epstein needed a last-minute visa to Moscow in 2010, there was an unsuccessful attempt to use Deripaska’s local contacts.
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On Tuesday Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, announced an investigation into whether Epstein was spying for Russia. He was suspected of recruiting escorts from Russia and other eastern bloc countries to collect compromising material. Tusk said it was likely that the “unprecedented paedophilia scandal was co-organised by Russian intelligence services”.
An undated photograph of Epstein
US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE VIA AP
There are 1,056 mentions of Putin and almost 10,000 references to Moscow in the Epstein files, including suggestions of potential meetings with Putin. There is no evidence they met in person.
In one of them, in May 2013, Epstein sought a meeting with Putin to try to persuade him to “take the lead in finance” and leapfrog the West in the same way it had with Sputnik, the first artificial Earth satellite.
Urging a contact to get him a meeting, Epstein wrote that “Russia is unique [in] its capability to execute on a grand vision”.
Epstein said: “When sputnik was announced , the West was caught flatfooted. The same can now happen with Russia taking the lead in finance. Instead of competing with the west for nano tech, copying silicon valley, looking for start ups, playing catch up to Microsoft . apple google and the like, Russia can get out in front and leapfrog the global community by reinventing the financial system of the 21 st century.”
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The Kremlin has denied suggestions that Epstein could have been paid by Moscow. “The theory that Epstein was controlled by Russian intelligence services can be taken in any way, but not seriously,” Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said.
