New documents released by the US Department of Justice show that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein repeatedly sought to connect with senior Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
He used intermediaries such as Norwegian politician Thorbjorn Jagland and claimed to have had close ties to Russian diplomats, such as the late ambassador, Vitaly Churkin.
The documents suggest that Epstein attempted to present himself as a geopolitically influential figure, offering investment “advice”, boasting of connections to powerful Western figures and seeking lengthy private meetings with Putin.
There is no evidence that he ever actually met with the Russian president, writes CNN.
The publication of these documents has sparked international investigations and speculation, including an investigation in Poland into Epstein’s possible links to Russian intelligence.
The Kremlin has denied these claims, while analysts believe that Epstein was primarily seeking prestige and proximity to power, not necessarily secret roles.
The documents also show that Epstein had relationships with several Russian business and security figures, had traveled to Russia several times, and was trying to extend his Russian visa shortly before his arrest in 2019.