More than three million files related to disgraced financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have recently been released by the US Department of Justice. The files shed light on the intersection of sex, power and money primarily in the politics of the US and some Western countries. The list of Epstein’s contacts pertaining to the US includes two presidents, politicians, business tycoons and intellectuals of all ideological shades.

Although some of the names were already known, the latest files provide new details about Epstein’s shady network that extended to many countries, involving top politicians and even members of royal families. The exchange of lurid messages between Epstein and his high-profile and politically influential contacts exposes the moral and financial corruption entrenched in the political system and among the influential elite of the West.

Some of the files detailing the ‘wild parties’ at Epstein’s various mansions read like passages from the novels of Harold Robbins, featuring wealth, power, and sex. The framed photos displayed at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion and those found in files show his relationships with presidents, kings and even a Nobel Prize-winning scientist.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also figures in one of the pictures, and reportedly Fidel Castro and Pope John Paul II do so as well, indicating Epstein’s wide circle of contacts among powerful people across the world.

A most shocking disclosure was his apparently close friendship with renowned left-wing thinker and author Noam Chomsky, as detailed in the recently released files. There may be no evidence of personal familiarity beyond social gatherings, yet several questions remain. The files show that Epstein once sought advice from Chomsky over what he called the “putrid” media coverage of sex trafficking allegations against him.

The new files reveal the extent of Epstein’s social network and web of sexual abusers.

A convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges, reportedly had a close association with President Donald Trump and former president Bill Clinton. The documents suggest that both received favours from the disgraced financier.

Epstein, who was accused of sexually exploiting underage girls, had boasted about having a close relationship with Trump, who frequented his wild parties. In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump said he had known Epstein for 15 years, since the 1980s. There are several photos and videos of Trump and Epstein at various events in the early 1990s.

While Trump maintained he had cut ties with Epstein long ago, his name reportedly appears hundreds of times in the latest files. The sex offender had also maintained ties with Trump’s inner circle, including Steve Bannon, the White House’s right-wing chief strategist during Trump’s first presidency, indicating Epstein’s access to the power centre of the world’s most powerful nation.

Bannon later fell out with Trump. Perhaps Trump’s close ties with Epstein may have been the reason for his administration’s reluctance to release the entire file. The Justice Department finally released the explosive files under pressure from Congress.

Epstein’s apparently close association with Bill Clinton began in the early 1990s. During Clinton’s presidency, Epstein made multiple visits to the White House and maintained ties with the president’s associates. After leaving office, Clinton reportedly travelled on Epstein’s private jet on several occasions for charitable trips.

Epstein’s own life story, from modest origins to extreme wealth, speaks volumes about his remarkable ability to connect with those in powerful positions. A university dropout who was sacked from his first job as a private school teacher primarily due to “poor job performance”, he became a top financier and a billionaire within a few years.

His connection, through one of his students, with a partner at Bear Stearns gave him a stepping stone to fortune. He established his own company and managed the investment portfolios of some of America’s wealthiest business tycoons. He himself acquired properties across the world, including a ranch in New Mexico, a mansion in Palm Beach and a 40-room mansion in Manhattan where he entertained celebrities, politicians, business tycoons and royalty.

The new set of messages released recently reveals the staggering range of his social network and the web of sexual abusers he had built. Even widespread allegations of sexually abusing underage girls and his conviction on charges of solicitation of prostitution with a minor in 2008 didn’t affect his connections with influential figures across the US and outside. He was awarded just a 13-month jail sentence in 2008. He was later arrested in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking.

The latest files have shaken British royalty and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government. The documents provide extensive details about Epstein’s close association with Prince Andrew. Some of the emails exchanged between the two go back to 2011, after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. There are some pictures of Andrew in a compromising setting, presumably at one of Epstein’s mansions.

Perhaps the most damning revelation pertains to Peter Mandelson, a former cabinet minister who also served as Britain’s ambassador to Washington. He was sacked a few months ago due to his friendship with Epstein, who reportedly paid a huge sum of money to him in return for information regarding the fiscal decisions of the British government. He resigned from the Labour Party over his association with Epstein.

Epstein’s links with Israel’s intelligence agencies are also clearer from the recently released files. The documents have revealed details of Epstein’s interactions with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and his funding of Israeli groups, including Friends of the Israeli Defence Forces, as well as his ties to members of Israel’s overseas intelligence services.

The entire Epstein episode exposes the hypocrisy of those in the West who espouse the high moral ground yet maintain connections with a depraved sex criminal. He may be dead but the impact of the documents revealing his vast web of connections continues to jolt America and other countries.

The writer is an author and journalist.

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X: @hidhussain

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2026