Files Reveal Repeated Visits of ex-Israeli PM to Epstein’s Residence

(MENAFN) Recently disclosed records indicate that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and his wife, Nili Priel, stayed on multiple occasions at a New York City apartment owned by Jeffrey Epstein, according to newly unsealed materials released by US authorities.

The files, made public as part of a broader disclosure related to the Epstein investigation, contain email correspondence that sheds further light on the previously acknowledged connection between Barak and Epstein. The messages outline logistical details surrounding the couple’s visits and suggest an ongoing personal association.

The wider document release spans millions of pages from the federal investigation and references numerous prominent figures from political, business, and public life, underscoring the extensive scope of Epstein’s social network, according to reports.

Barak has stated that his first interaction with Epstein occurred in 2003 and that their contact continued even after Epstein became a registered sex offender following a 2008 plea agreement, according to accounts of his remarks.

One email exchange from May 2017 shows Priel notifying Epstein that she and Barak would be leaving the apartment temporarily while traveling to Harvard University. She requested that the residence be cleaned during their absence. Epstein then relayed the message to another individual, who responded that the cleaning would be taken care of the next day.

Additional correspondence reveals Epstein’s assistant, Lesley Groff, handling various practical matters linked to the apartment, such as arranging the replacement of a cable box with an Apple TV device.

The emails also point to frequent communication among Epstein, Groff, and Priel regarding the Baraks’ travel to New York, as well as meetings involving Epstein.

Barak has previously acknowledged knowing Epstein but has consistently maintained that he never observed or took part in any unlawful or inappropriate conduct.

Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in New York City in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. In 2008, he pleaded guilty in a Florida court to procuring a minor for prostitution, a deal that critics have described as a “sweetheart deal.”

Victims have accused Epstein of running a vast sex trafficking operation allegedly involving individuals from elite political and financial circles.

The Epstein case continues to stir political controversy in the United States, with lawmakers and advocates for victims across the political spectrum calling for fuller disclosure about his associates and anyone who may have enabled his crimes.

Donald Trump, who has acknowledged a past friendship with Epstein, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. Ongoing scrutiny of their former social and business connections, along with Epstein’s ties to influential figures in politics, business, and academia in the US and abroad, has intensified demands for the comprehensive release of official records.

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