The new batch of the Epstein files show convicted child trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein’s ties with Russian President, Vladimir Putin and other prominent Russian high profile figures.
Putin’s name has appeared in over a thousand documents in the new cache of the Epstein files. Epstein had expressed the desire to meet the Russian President on multiple occasions, according to his associates. He went even far to allege that he turned down an invitation from Putin to meet during a conference at St. Petersburg in 2013.
The latest files do not indicate that a meeting between Putin and Epstein ever took place. However, according to a source in a 2017 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report, Epstein had been involved in the management of the Russian President’s shadow assets.
Some sources even claim that Epstein was an intelligence asset for the Russian government.
Russians in the Epstein files
Former press secretary of the Kremlin-sponsored youth organization Nashi, Maria Drokova, has also made an appearance in the new batch of documents. She expressed admiration for Epstein’s personal brand and even pitched ideas to him about creating an ‘Epstein Prize’.
Former State Duma lawmaker, Ilya Ponomarev was mentioned by the politician, Boris Nikolic who wrote to Epstein about the former’s political activities. Nikolic believed that Ponomarev could replace Putin due to his power and influence.
Other Russian figures in the Epstein files include Former Russian diplomat, Vitaly Churkin, Chechen businessman and politician, Umar Dzhabrailov, Vladislav Doronin and the writer, Vladimir Nabokov.
