00:00Do the Epstein files reveal he was working for Russian intelligence?
00:08The latest batch of the Epstein files has prompted mass speculation
00:12around the disgraced financier's ties to intelligence agencies, including Russia's.
00:18We found no concrete evidence that Jeffrey Epstein was a spy,
00:21but we did find his exchanges with members of Russia's elite.
00:24One of these people was Sergei Beliakov.
00:27Now, Beliakov was a deputy economy minister and a graduate of the FSB Academy,
00:31which trains Russia's security and intelligence services.
00:34Epstein and Beliakov appear to have established contact in 2014,
00:39with the files showing Beliakov relied on Epstein to introduce him to US businessmen.
00:43The files also show that Epstein spent several years tapping his own connections
00:47to reach Russian President Vladimir Putin.
00:50But there is no evidence that the two ever met in person.
00:52The methods Epstein used, such as setting up video cameras to record people in compromising
00:58situations, have raised parallels with those used by Russian intelligence.
01:02Journalist and author Craig Unger believes Epstein was a Russian asset.
01:07An agent or spy is employed by an intelligence agency.
01:12An intelligence asset is someone who's sort of a trusted contact.
01:16And there is generally, you know, you do favours for them, they do favours for you.
01:23And clearly, Epstein had ties to Russian intelligence.
01:27He had ties to Israeli intelligence.
01:30And he worked with them.
01:31But in the end, I think he was serving himself.
01:34Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu,
01:36the Kremlin and various ex-intelligence officials
01:39have all rejected the theory that he was working for their respective governments.
01:43Ultimately, Epstein built a network of influential people with ties to intelligence agencies.
01:48Beyond that, there is no evidence in the files that he was working for a government.
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