More than a decade after Jeffrey Epstein’s death in 2019 while in U.S. custody, the Department of Justice has released millions of additional pages of documents related to the convicted sex offender. These newly disclosed files, made public in recent weeks, provide fresh insights into Epstein’s relationships with influential figures worldwide—including several prominent Israelis—and his financial support for organizations linked to Israel.
The releases follow years of legal efforts to unseal materials from investigations into Epstein’s sex-trafficking activities. While previous attention largely focused on his interactions with celebrities, politicians, and billionaires, the latest batch sheds light on connections to Israel that some observers had long speculated about. These include documented funding for Israeli causes, close personal and professional ties to former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, and unverified claims from an FBI source suggesting possible intelligence links.
Financial Support for Israeli Organizations
Tax records within the documents show that Epstein directed funds to organizations supporting the Israeli military and settlement initiatives. In one 2005 filing for his foundation, he donated $25,000 to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, a U.S.-based group that raises money for active-duty Israeli soldiers and veterans. He also contributed $15,000 to the Jewish National Fund, an organization long involved in land acquisition and development in Israel and the occupied territories.
The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces provides programs for soldiers, including units that have faced international criticism. The Jewish National Fund has been accused by critics of facilitating settlement expansion in the West Bank, though it frames its work as environmental and community development in Israel. While these donations are modest relative to Epstein’s wealth, they underscore his engagement with pro-Israel causes.
Close Ties to Ehud Barak and Associates
The documents reveal extensive interactions between Epstein and Ehud Barak, Israel’s prime minister from 1999 to 2001 and a former defense minister. Barak visited Epstein’s properties multiple times even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. Emails show ongoing communication, including efforts to arrange meetings and business dealings.
One notable figure in this network is Yoni Koren, a longtime aide to Barak with a background in Israeli military intelligence. Court and email records indicate that Koren stayed at Epstein’s New York residence for extended periods between 2013 and 2015. Some correspondence suggests that Epstein assisted with expenses related to Koren’s medical care around 2012.
These interactions occurred years after Epstein’s initial legal troubles, raising questions about the nature of the relationship. Barak has stated that the association was primarily business-related, despite ongoing public scrutiny.
Speculation About Intelligence Links
A 2020 FBI memo from the Los Angeles field office, included in the releases, cites a confidential source who believed Epstein was a “co-opted Mossad agent.” The source alleged that Epstein had been “trained as a spy” and maintained connections to Israeli intelligence, reportedly relaying information through intermediaries such as his longtime lawyer, Alan Dershowitz. The memo also referenced Epstein’s ties to Barak and suggested links to figures including Jared Kushner.
These claims remain unverified and are based on a single source. No official evidence has emerged to confirm Epstein’s involvement with any intelligence agency. Experts note, however, that someone with Epstein’s access to global elites and compromising information would naturally be of interest to intelligence services.
Ahron Bregman, a lecturer at King’s College London and author on intelligence matters, said it is “unlikely that Epstein was not approached by the Mossad,” comparing it to how agencies cultivate influential contacts. Dershowitz strongly denied the claims, asserting that “no intelligence agency would really trust him” and that he would have known if Epstein were an operative. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a political rival of Barak, dismissed the suggestion, arguing that Epstein’s closeness to Barak actually indicates a lack of official Israeli involvement.
Connections Through Ghislaine Maxwell’s Father
The files also revisit longstanding speculation about Robert Maxwell, the British media mogul and father of Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, who died under mysterious circumstances in 1991, had long been rumored to have ties to Israeli intelligence. A 2018 email from Epstein discusses Maxwell’s death, alleging that he threatened Mossad with exposure unless they provided £400 million to rescue his failing empire. Epstein depicted Maxwell as an informal operative gathering intelligence on the U.S., U.K., and Soviet Union.
These claims echo books and reports from the 1990s but remain unverified in the newly released documents.
Broader Context and Continuing Speculation
As a financier with extensive access to the ultra-wealthy and powerful, Epstein was exactly the type of individual intelligence agencies might try to recruit or exploit for leverage. Similar speculation has also pointed to possible Russian connections. Former MI6 officer Christopher Steele has suggested that Epstein may have been recruited by Russian organized crime, and Polish authorities reportedly investigated links to Russian intelligence.
The documents do not resolve these questions. They depict a man who cultivated relationships across borders, funded causes he supported, and operated in elite and shadowy circles. Whether this ever amounted to formal intelligence work remains unproven.
More than a decade after Epstein’s death, the releases continue to fuel public fascination and calls for full transparency. Survivors and advocates emphasize that the focus should remain on justice for victims, rather than conspiracy theories. Nonetheless, the Israeli connections highlighted in the latest files add another layer to the complex and troubling portrait of one of the most notorious figures of recent times.
