Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sought to build ties with Russia's political elite and appeared desperate to secure a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, files released by the Justice Department show.
The documents also reveal more details on the extent to which Epstein, who was facing charges of alleged sex trafficking when he killed himself in a New York jail, traveled to Russia, and had a network of scouts searching for young Russian women.
The mere mention of someone's name in the Epstein files does not in itself imply any wrongdoing by that person.
Here's what we know about Epstein's links to Russia from the files:
- Seeking Putin -
"Lets try to set a putin meeting," Epstein wrote in a January 2014 email to Thorbjorn Jagland, former Norwegian prime minister and then secretary general of the Council of Europe.
He repeated the request to Jagland in 2015 and 2018.
In a 2013 email to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Epstein said: "Putin asked that i meet him in st petersburg the same time as his economic conference I told him no."
The files suggest Epstein wanted to pitch a digital currency project to Putin.
AFP found no evidence in the files that the meeting ever took place.
Following the release of documents, Poland said it would probe Epstein's alleged links to Russian secret services.
Asked whether Epstein was a Russian agent, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "I'm tempted to make a lot of jokes about that version, but let's not waste our time."
- Visits -
The documents indicate Epstein may have traveled to Russia several times.
A Russian business visa was issued to the disgraced financier in June 2018, when Moscow was hosting the World Cup. Travel itineraries show he had plans to watch Morocco-Iran in Saint Petersburg and Uruguay-France in Nizhny Novgorod.
The DOJ release also includes a 2011 Russian visa application.
The files also show older photos of Epstein posing in front of the luxury Hyatt hotel in central Moscow, and an undated image of his jailed associate Ghislaine Maxwell appearing to stand between two Russian soldiers.
- Women -
Flight data shows numerous trips booked for Epstein and Russian women on his behalf. Many of the women were proposed to Epstein by scouts and modelling agencies inside Russia, who often emphasised the women were young and blonde.
"She has a perfect body and 100% blond," one woman with a Russian name wrote to Epstein in February 2010.
Months earlier the same person had promised in a separate email to "find a 'flower'" during a trip to Russia, which appeared to be financed by Epstein.
Various emails show Epstein and his network exploited the desire of some young women to leave Russia and their precarious immigration status when they were in the United States.
- Favors for officials -
One of the most prominent Russians in the files is Sergei Belyakov — a former deputy economy minister, graduate of the FSB security service's academy and who was on the organising committee of Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg.
Emails show Belyakov repeatedly asking Epstein for help attracting high-profile U.S. guests to the forum, years after Epstein's 2008 conviction.
"i will be all the help i can. who is your dream att=ndees? peter thiel? nathan myrhvold. ? reid hoffman.?" Epstein wrote to Belyakov.
Epstein also asked Belyakov to gather information on a woman, who he said was "attempting to blackmail a group of powerful biznessman in New York."
"Tomorrow I'm meeting with a guy who knows her/about her. if you have any details about case you have mentioned it could help," Belyakov said in reply.
"I do not know many people like you, who can open new horizons and prospects," the Russian wrote to Epstein in May 2014 after an apparent meeting.
Another influential figure in the files is veteran Russian diplomat Vitali Churkin, Moscow's ambassador to the U.N. from 2006 until his death in 2017.
The documents suggest Epstein and Churkin met several times in 2016–2017. In August 2016, Epstein invited Churkin to a lunch with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and businessman Tom Barrack, now the U.S. ambassador to Turkey.
The files also indicate Epstein helped arrange an internship for Churkin's son, Maxim, at a New York investment fund in late 2016.
"Max is doing better. He just needed to understand American biz habits," Epstein wrote in a message to the Russian diplomat, who replied: "U r a great teacher!"
Epstein was also angling for an introduction to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"you might suggest to putin, that lavrov , can get insight on talking to me. vitaly churkin used to . but he died," Epstein wrote to Jagland in 2018.
Sergei Belyakov and Maxim Churkin did not respond to AFP's requests for comment.