Putin Named 1,005 Times In Epstein Files, But Jeffrey Spent Years Trying To Tap Into Russian Govt

Last Updated:February 09, 2026, 17:43 IST

While the Kremlin laughed off any "intelligence" connection with Jeffrey Epstein a few days ago, the documents reignited intense scrutiny on his alleged ties to Moscow

The ‘Epstein Files’ have revealed that late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was obsessed with establishing contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The release of some 3.5 million pages of correspondence linked to Epstein casts new light on his international ambitions, as among these documents Putin’s name appears a staggering 1,005 times.

While the Kremlin laughed off any “intelligence" connection with Epstein a few days ago, the documents reveal that he spent years trying to tap into the highest echelons of the Russian government. This has reignited intense scrutiny on his alleged ties to Moscow.

Many analysts have also dismissed this as mere social climbing, but the files depict Epstein as someone who positioned himself as a sophisticated geopolitical intermediary. He sought to act as a bridge between the West and the Kremlin, offering to explain the nuances of American political dynamics – specifically the rise of Donald Trump – while promising to facilitate the flow of western investment into the Russian Federation.

WAS EPSTEIN DESPERATE FOR A MEETING WITH PUTIN?

The documents, released by the US Department of Justice, give details on Epstein’s frequent and persistent attempts to coordinate a personal meeting with Putin.

According to a report by CNN, as early as May 2013, Epstein was using his high-level European contacts to lobby for an audience. He wrote to former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, claiming that Thorbjørn Jagland, then the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, was scheduled to see Putin in Sochi and had asked if he could meet him to “explain how Russia can structure deals in order to encourage Western investment".

CNN reported that in an email to Jagland, he said if Putin were to meet him, it must be for a “minimum of two to three hours, not shorter". He told him to bolster his credentials by telling the Russian President that they were “close" and that he advised Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Despite these claims and further attempts to schedule meetings in 2014 and 2018, the records provide no definitive proof that a face-to-face meeting between Epstein and Putin ever took place.

News world Putin Named 1,005 Times In Epstein Files, But Jeffrey Spent Years Trying To Tap Into Russian Govt

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