WASHINGTON — Newly unsealed U.S. Department of Justice records show that Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier convicted of sex trafficking offenses, financially supported organizations tied to the Israeli military and West Bank settlement expansion for years before his arrest, raising renewed questions about the scope of his political and geopolitical connections.
According to FBI files and IRS records published on the DOJ website, Epstein made documented donations as early as 2005 to U.S.-based organizations that directly fund Israeli military personnel and settlement-related land activity in occupied Palestinian territory.
The disclosures come from tax filings associated with Epstein’s C.O.U.Q. Foundation and were made public as part of a broader release of previously sealed federal records.
Documented Donations to Military and Settlement Organizations
A 2005 IRS filing shows Epstein donated $25,000 to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), a U.S.-registered nonprofit that raises funds for active-duty Israeli soldiers, veterans, and military infrastructure.
FIDF openly describes itself as an authorized conduit for donations to the Israeli army and operates soldier welfare programs, including support for combat units.
The same filing records a $15,000 donation to the Jewish National Fund (JNF), an organization founded in 1901 to acquire land for Jewish settlement in historic Palestine. JNF has long faced international criticism for its role in facilitating settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, activity deemed illegal under international law by the United Nations and numerous human rights bodies.
Additional donations listed in the records include $5,000 to the National Council of Jewish Women.
Visits to Military Facilities
The DOJ documents align with prior reporting that Epstein visited Israeli military installations in 2008, touring facilities alongside FIDF representatives. These visits occurred during a period when Epstein was already under scrutiny for sexual abuse allegations in the United States.
The records do not indicate that Epstein held any formal role within Israeli defense institutions, but they confirm sustained engagement with organizations directly supporting military operations and settlement infrastructure.
Unverified Intelligence Allegations Surface Again
The newly released files also reference claims made by an FBI informant suggesting Epstein may have had ties to Israeli intelligence. According to the informant, Epstein was believed to have been connected to Mossad through relationships cultivated at the highest levels of Israeli political leadership, including former Prime Minister Ehud Barak, with whom Epstein was publicly associated.
These intelligence-related claims remain unverified and are not supported by direct documentary evidence in the released files. However, their inclusion in federal records underscores the seriousness with which investigators treated the possibility during prior inquiries.
Pattern of Influence Through Wealth
Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, was widely known for using his financial resources to embed himself among political leaders, intelligence figures, financiers, and military-connected elites across multiple countries.
The DOJ disclosures add concrete financial documentation to long-standing questions about how Epstein’s wealth functioned as a tool of access, protection, and influence — and whether his global relationships extended beyond social networking into more strategic terrain.
Renewed Scrutiny Ahead
As members of Congress prepare to review unredacted Epstein-related files, the revelations are likely to intensify calls for deeper investigation into who benefited from Epstein’s money, who facilitated his access, and why his activities went unchecked for decades despite repeated warnings.
What remains unresolved is not merely the question of Epstein’s crimes — already established in court — but the full extent of the political, military, and intelligence ecosystems that intersected with his financial patronage.
No comments:
Post a Comment