The US Justice Department last week released more than 3 million pages, 2,000 video clips and 180,000 images related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Many names made headlines as part of the release of investigative files that appear to span countries and cultures, from President Donald Trump to filmmaker Woody Allen, Prince Andrew, former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Elon Musk — and also former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, among many others.
The connection between Epstein and Barak was previously known, and Barak has acknowledged visiting Epstein’s homes on several occasions, though he has said he never attended parties hosted by Epstein. After Epstein was found dead in his jail cell, Barak said, “I would have preferred that our connection had never been formed.” In the latest tranche of documents, more than 4,000 records mention Barak’s name, though a large portion consist of media clippings. Others include emails dealing with greetings, business matters, assistance with contacts, meetings, visits and logistical coordination related to Barak’s visits to Epstein’s apartments in New York.
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From documents released in December: Barak alongside Epstein and Woody Allen
(Photo: AFP PHOTO / HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE DEMOCRATS)
Barak first met Epstein at an event in 2003 and has said the introduction was made by former President Shimon Peres. Barak maintained contact with Epstein even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction as part of a plea deal for soliciting a minor for prostitution. The agreement drew heavy criticism after it emerged that Epstein served just 13 months in jail and was registered as a sex offender under a deal reached without consulting the victims, in violation of victims’ rights under US criminal law.
Emails released in the latest batch show that Epstein and Barak’s wife, Nili Priel, corresponded frequently, including about the timing of the couple’s visits to New York. In May 2017, Priel wrote to Epstein that she and Barak were traveling to Harvard and asked whether it would be possible to arrange for a cleaner at the apartment during their absence. Epstein’s assistant, Lesley Groff, coordinated technical matters with Priel regarding the apartment, including replacing a converter, cables and installing Apple TV. Some of the emails show coordination of visit dates and the scheduling of meetings between Barak and Epstein.
In January 2014, Barak sent Epstein a birthday greeting. The documents also show that Barak routinely sent Epstein links to interviews he gave. In April 2015, he sent an email wishing him a happy Passover. In another email, the two discussed the potential sale of an oil company owned by Jack Greenberg.
The emails indicate that Epstein was also in contact not only with Barak and his wife, but with Priel’s son, Nimrod. In May 2010, Nimrod sent Epstein his resume and transcript, asking for help gaining admission to New York University. A month later, in June 2010, he sent another email informing Epstein that he had been accepted.
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Epstein and Maxwell
(Photo: The US Justice Department / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Met at least 30 times in four years
The nature of the relationship between Barak and Epstein has drawn significant attention in Israel. Particularly notable was a photograph published by Britain’s Daily Mail in 2016 showing Barak leaving Epstein’s Manhattan apartment with a scarf covering most of his face. In a 2019 interview with The Daily Beast, Barak described his ties with Epstein as “proper.”
He acknowledged visiting Epstein’s homes but stressed that he never encountered women or girls there and never attended a party hosted by the American financier. In that interview, Barak also acknowledged visiting the Caribbean island that became known as “pedophile island,” where Epstein was accused of coercing girls into sex with wealthy and influential men. “I was there once for a few hours — years after the reports of sex parties and orgies,” Barak said at the time. “I was never there at a party. I met very respectable people there — scientists and Nobel Prize winners.”
About two years ago, The Wall Street Journal reported, based on documents it obtained, that Barak and Epstein met at least 30 times between 2013 and 2017. According to the report, the two met every month beginning in December 2015, for 11 consecutive months. The report also said the former prime minister flew on Epstein’s private jet.
Epstein, a Jewish American businessman, was convicted in 2008 of sex offenses involving a 14-year-old girl under a lenient plea deal that allowed him to serve about a year in jail under highly favorable conditions, including work release. In 2019, he was arrested again and charged with sex crimes involving dozens of girls. Prosecutors said he worked with associates to ensure a “steady supply of underage victims,” whom he sexually exploited. About a month after his arrest, Epstein was found hanging in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial, and authorities determined he died by suicide. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate who was described as his “madam,” was sentenced to 20 years in prison for recruiting and grooming girls for him.
In November, Congress overwhelmingly approved legislation requiring the release of the Epstein investigative files. Many names appear in the documents, but it should be noted that mere mention does not necessarily indicate involvement or suspicion. Before congressional action, tens of thousands of pages of records had already been released over the years through civil lawsuits, Epstein’s criminal cases and those of Maxwell, as well as through Freedom of Information Act requests.