"); googletag.cmd.push(function() { onDvtagReady(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-3341368-3'); }); }); }

Summary

Emails have revealed that Jeffrey Epstein had a friendly relationship with the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and close Trump investor, Tom Barrack. The documents also show arranged meetings between Barrack and Thiel with former Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin. This comes amid controversy over Epstein's vast network of wealthy and influential acquaintances, and his continued exploitation of girls despite his previous imprisonment.

Emails published by The Wall Street Journal have revealed a relationship between American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who ran a vast sex trafficking network of underage girls on his infamous island, frequented by politicians, celebrities and the wealthy, and Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria.

Emails from 2016, obtained by the newspaper and published Wednesday, show that Epstein invited real estate investor Tom Barrack and billionaire Peter Thiel, both supporters of Donald Trump's presidential campaign at the time, to meetings with former Russian ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin.

The email revealed a friendly relationship between Epstein and Barrack. In March 2016, Epstein sent a message to Tom Barrack, who did not hold a government position at the time but was an investor close to Trump, saying: 'Send pictures of you and your kid - make me smile.' It was not clear from the documents which child Epstein was referring to.

The message came after Barrack invited him to talk, and after Epstein told Barrack that he was receiving 'a number of calls' regarding his friendship with Trump and Bill Clinton. Epstein said he did not respond and was trying to ignore it.

In 2016, Epstein's sexual misconduct scandals were widely known, and he served about a year in prison in Florida after being charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl he hired to provide massage services for cash.

The one-year sentence despite the severity of the charges came as part of a controversial plea deal with local authorities, under which he was allowed daily work releases outside prison through a program called 'work release,' sparking widespread debate about the leniency of the judicial system. The American press says it remains unclear how Epstein was able to continue exploiting young and underage girls throughout this period, although the published documents illustrate the vast network of wealthy and influential acquaintances he was connected to.

Read more

This section contains related articles placed in the (Related Nodes field)

Regarding the meetings Epstein arranged between Trump associates and Russian figures, it appears Epstein was also planning meetings with Churkin's son, Max, who was then a business school student and later worked at a Russian bank.

Epstein had at least eight scheduled meetings with Churkin, according to calendars reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, but it could not be confirmed whether all meetings actually took place. However, some meetings reviewed by The Wall Street Journal were held between 2014 and 2016 at Epstein's New York City residence. The purpose of the alleged lunch meetings with Tom Barrack and Peter Thiel remains unclear.

Tom Barrack appeared on Epstein's calendar twice in September 2016, when he planned an open day for a large group including Churkin and director Woody Allen. Barrack did not respond to the American newspaper's request for comment.

"); googletag.cmd.push(function() { onDvtagReady(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-3341368-4'); }); }); }

More on: billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, Tom Barrack, Epstein documents, Donald Trump