Who Did Epstein Have Dirt On — And Why?

Written by Hudson Crozier

What’s new: Newly released court documents on Jeffrey Epstein allege the late sex trafficker and his partner collected details on the sexual abuse of victims by Britain’s Prince Andrew and others.

• The claims: Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s partner-in-trafficking, and Epstein told an alleged victim to “give the prince whatever he demanded and required [her] to report back to him on the details of the sexual abuse.”

Fits the pattern: Epstein was known to have careful, meticulous ways of documenting the abuse. Police and others have said there were hidden cameras throughout his home and private island, including in bedrooms. The FBI also found stashes of CDs labeled with the exploited girls’ names.

• His own comments: Epstein once bragged to a journalist that he knew scandalous secrets of powerful people.

Why it matters: The new allegations on top of past evidence add to the widespread suspicion that Epstein was running a blackmail operation. If true, his alleged ties to world governments and spy agencies may show who he was working for.

Government connections: In the 1980s, Epstein said he was helping governments in multiple countries with financial matters, including America, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. Former intelligence officials have confirmed Epstein’s involvement with Israel, and he frequently met with former Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

• Maxwell’s background:Egyptian and Israeli intelligence operatives believed Ghislaine Maxwell’s father worked for Israel’s spy agency Mossad.

• In America: A U.S. prosecutor once said he was told to go easy on Epstein’s crimes because he “belonged to intelligence,” according to a former senior White House official.