Three of the six million files published by the US Department of Justice from the archives of American businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who was twice arrested on charges of forcing minors into prostitution, indicate his ties to top Russian officials and representatives of special services, in particular the FSB.
After the occupation of Crimea and the beginning of the Russian military operations in Donbas in the spring of 2014, Epstein helped the Russian Federation not only with attracting investments, but also advised Russian officials to create their own cryptocurrency to circumvent sanctions. In the correspondence, Epstein mentions “Putin's friends” who could help him with Russian visas and does not shy away from being a liaison between Russian government officials, who are also graduates of the FSB school, and famous foreign hackers.
The Public investigated Epstein's correspondence with Russian officials and intermediaries who helped high-ranking Russian officials and Vladimir Putin directly. Published documents in the Epstein case indicate that the businessman's correspondence with Russian citizens was at the epicenter of the FBI's investigation in 2018. Currently, the negligence in the investigation of the US Department of Justice into the Epstein case is the subject of an investigation by the US Congress. Congressmen, among other things, are demanding the disclosure of all six million files and an investigation into the international group led by Epstein, which could be supported by foreign governments, including Russia.
On July 14, 2015, almost a year after Russia's occupation of Crimea and Donbas, American businessman Jeffrey Epstein sent a draft letter to himself to an unknown addressee in Moscow. The addressee was allegedly blackmailing him.
“You and I have been together for a long time,” Epstein writes in the draft. “You should know that I felt the need to contact some friends in the FSB.”
The businessman adds that Russian intelligence officers assured him that at a turbulent time for the Russian economy, when Russia is trying to attract foreign investors, “a person who tries to blackmail American businessmen will immediately become an ‘enemy of the people’ and will be treated in an extremely harsh manner, because this person will become a threat to the country’s economy.”
In conclusion, the businessman offers the recipient compensation of $50,000 per month for the next two years and assistance with a visa to the United States.
Ten days later, Epstein sends a letter to FSB Academy graduate Sergei Belyakov, who at the time of the correspondence was the chairman of the board of the National Association of Investment and Development Agencies.
“I need a favor,” Epstein’s message said. “A girl in Moscow is trying to blackmail a group of influential businessmen from New York. This is bad for business for everyone involved.” Epstein wrote in the letter the name and address of the New York hotel where the Russian woman was staying and asked, “What do you recommend?”
Belyakov asked for a few days to “get information” about the girl and clarify what exactly was being discussed. Epstein replied briefly: “He says that influential men take advantage of women like her.”
“They tried to contact her, but there was no answer. It seems [she has] problems in business. This is a possible reason for the blackmail,” Belyakov told Epstein the next day, adding: “A ban on access to the US would be a big threat to her business.”
When asked by Epstein what her business was, Belyakov replied: “Sex and escorting. In the good season (May-August) it brings her $100 thousand.” “We agreed,” Epstein replies to Belyakov.