The famous financier Epstein, who purchased Little Saint James Island in the Caribbean in 1998, hosted lavish parties there featuring world-class stars.
His private events attracted not only celebrities but also influential businessmen, politicians, bankers, and members of European royal families.
In this article, we will attempt to answer the questions: why do the “Epstein files” generate global interest, why does the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, keep his distance from Epstein, and which Kyrgyz politicians are mentioned in his documents? For full details, see the material from 24.kg.
Who is Jeffrey Epstein?
Jeffrey Edward Epstein was born in 1953 in New York City to a working-class family. From 1974 to 1976, he worked as a mathematics and physics teacher at the Dalton School, teaching high school students.
Although Epstein did not have a formal education in finance, he was noticed by the father of one of his students, a prominent banker, which radically changed his life.
In 1976, he began his career at the investment bank Bear Stearns as an options trader and consultant on complex financial strategies, including tax planning for wealthy clients.
Epstein quickly climbed the career ladder. By 1980, he became a limited partner at the bank but soon left to create his own ventures.
In 1981, he founded the consulting firm International Assets Group, and in 1988, he established the investment advisory firm J. Epstein & Co, which was later renamed The Financial Trust Company and managed the assets of the wealthiest clients.
According to various sources, by the early 2000s, Epstein owned significant assets, including real estate and a private jet. In 2008, his net worth was estimated at around $500 million, with an annual income of about $10 million.
Despite mentions in Forbes of his billionaire status, precise data on his wealth is difficult to obtain, as part of his assets were registered through offshore companies.
Socialite, friend of the president, and accused of solicitation
While working on Wall Street, Epstein made connections with many influential figures, including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who accompanied him on a trip to Africa in 2002. The name of Prince Andrew also appeared in allegations of sexual encounters with Epstein's victims. Leslie Wexner, owner of Victoria’s Secret, was one of Epstein's most well-known clients, giving him broad authority in managing finances.
However, Epstein's true notoriety was not related to his financial talents. For many years, he was involved in a network of sexual exploitation and trafficking of minors, inviting girls to his parties on the island.
Numerous victims publicly testified that he was not only a serial abuser but also effectively a pimp, directing girls to “entertain” his friends and moving them between his residences. His private jet regularly flew between New York, Palm Beach, and Little Saint James Island.
Photo from the internet. Bill Clinton and Jeffrey Epstein
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein first came under suspicion for the solicitation of minors in 2005. After lengthy proceedings, he pleaded guilty in 2008 when he was arrested for involving 14-15-year-old girls in prostitution. He spent about a year in prison.
Taking advantage of his connections with influential figures, Epstein struck a deal with the Florida prosecutor's office that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges and receive a lenient sentence, permitting him to leave prison during the day six days a week.
However, victims were not informed of such a lenient sentence.
Federal charges of trafficking, including minors, were brought against Epstein only in July 2019.
As stated in the official press release from the Department of Justice, the charges concerned crimes that occurred from 2002 to 2005, during which Epstein allegedly organized and utilized a network of minors for sexual purposes in New York and Florida.
Epstein was arrested in New York and died in prison on August 10, 2019, at the age of 66, officially ruled a suicide.
Conflict between Trump and Epstein
Trump and Epstein first met in the 1980s. Journalists from The New York Times found that Trump's name appears over 38,000 times in materials related to Epstein, although these mentions are often not direct.
Trump and Epstein frequently appeared at social events, and Epstein offered Trump his private jet.
As reported by Meduza journalists, both Trump and Epstein donated money to Bill Clinton's campaign fund in the early 1990s. Epstein met with Clinton several times during his presidency, and Trump and Clinton also attended the same parties.
In 2004, a conflict arose between Trump and Epstein, which Trump claimed was due to Epstein using his Mar-a-Lago club for “recruiting” girls. However, there is an opinion that the reason for the conflict was a business interest.
Read more on the topic
The Epstein case. In Britain, staff refused to work for Andrew — the king's brother
The “Epstein files” also contain mentions of possible advances by Trump towards “Epstein's girls,” but there is no evidence of his crimes.
After the scandal broke, Trump stated that he had not communicated with Epstein for the last 15 years and did not know him better than others, emphasizing that he had never been involved in Epstein's illegal activities.
Thus, his motives are personal disagreements, reputational risks, and a desire to distance himself from the scandal.
Royal connections and billionaires
The “Epstein files” contain over a thousand mentions of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The documents include correspondence between her and Epstein from 2011 to 2014.
The princess described Epstein as “charming” and “kind-hearted.” She also noted that when she “Googled” his name, she found that it did not look very good, clearly alluding to his sex trafficking scandal.
In another correspondence, she asked Epstein about suitable women for her son and shared her thoughts that “it is best to marry Scandinavians.”
The Crown Princess of Norway later admitted that she was wrong to associate with Epstein and expressed regret.
The fact that the princess is mentioned in the “Epstein files” was a shock not only for the royal family but also caused a significant stir in Norway.
There is also mention of interactions between Epstein and Prince Andrew, who was already embroiled in scandals related to corruption and sexual harassment. As a result, the prince renounced his public duties and titles.
Although there is no direct evidence linking Epstein to billionaires such as Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, or Larry Page, they have indeed appeared at his events.
Read more on the topic
An unprecedented case in Britain: King Charles III stripped Prince Andrew of his title
Nevertheless, Bill Gates maintained a close relationship with Epstein even after the first scandal in 2009. Some believe that this friendship played a role in his divorce from his wife Melinda. Epstein's materials included a letter to Gates, reminding him of assistance with treating venereal diseases after “intimate relations with Russian girls.” Gates called this letter false and expressed regret about his association with Epstein.
As for Elon Musk, he has repeatedly stated that he did not accept Epstein's invitations to visit his island, however, the “Epstein files” contained a letter where Musk expressed a desire to attend “the party of the century” at Epstein's in 2012.
Connections with Russian oligarchs
Russian media report mentions of dozens of Russian cities in the published documents.
According to RBC, the materials mention Russian businessmen such as Vladislav Doronin, founder of the Capital Group development company, and millionaire Umar Dzhabrailov.
In both cases, it concerns visits by Epstein or his entourage to Russia and possible business connections.
According to ABC News, Epstein visited Russia several times in the 2000s, including visits to Bill Clinton's company. It is also suggested that he may have visited Russia during the 2018 World Cup.
The international source Reuters reports that the documents contain mentions of Russian women in the context of Epstein's correspondence, where he attempted to introduce Western celebrities to models from Samara and St. Petersburg.
In one instance, Epstein arranged a meeting between Prince Andrew and a 26-year-old Russian woman.
However, as Meduza clarifies, the most resonant correspondence was between Epstein and Maria Drozkova, a former activist of the pro-Kremlin youth movement “Nashi,” which began in 2017 after her move to the U.S. She introduced herself to Epstein as a public relations specialist and proposed a plan to improve his reputation, including establishing an award for combating harassment. A few weeks before Epstein's arrest in June 2019, she sent him her photos, to which he requested “nudes,” to which she replied “next time.”
Kyrgyzstan in the “Epstein files”
The “Epstein files” also contain mentions of Kyrgyzstan and its political figures — the current Omurbek Tekebayev, former president Almazbek Atambayev, deputy head of the cabinet Edil Baisalov, and former head of the SDPK parliamentary faction Baktybek Beshimov.
The documents mention events from 2010 and 2017. For example, Tekebayev is mentioned in the context of planned rallies in Bishkek in support of him when he was detained in 2017. This document also discusses the risk of political instability in a country where violent events occurred in 2010. Presidential elections, in which Atambayev was not eligible to participate, were scheduled for November 19, although the elections actually took place on October 15, 2017.
As for Beshimov and Baisalov, they are mentioned only in passing — “Baktybek Beshimov was appointed head of the diplomatic mission of the interim government in Washington. Edil Baisalov reported on personnel changes.”
Access to additional data on confidential correspondence is restricted.
There are also indirect mentions related to the withdrawal from Kyrgyzstan of the transit center “Manas” in 2014.
Significant risks and consequences
The story of Jeffrey Epstein is not just a scandal among the elites of the U.S., but a vivid example of how power, wealth, and connections can ensure impunity for those who shape global politics and economics. This case is particularly significant for Kyrgyzstan.
In countries with young statehood, there is a clear understanding of how the system of double standards operates. While ordinary citizens are held accountable for the slightest violations of the law, elite representatives have long avoided punishment.
The Epstein case confirms that the principle of impunity knows no bounds and is equally applicable in both Washington and post-Soviet states.
Notably, many figures in this story have continued to position themselves as defenders of “democratic values,” fighters for human rights and the rule of law. Today, these same values are used as a cover for dubious connections and attempts to evade responsibility. For Kyrgyz society, familiar with the hypocrisy of the elites, this situation feels painfully familiar.
Furthermore, the Epstein case undermines trust not only in individual politicians but also in power institutions as a whole. When investigations are blocked, and figures evade court, the question arises: “For whom, actually, does the law exist?”
In Kyrgyzstan, where the demand for justice often leads to political crises, this sounds especially relevant.
The scandal surrounding Epstein could evolve into a global anti-elite movement aimed at closed circles of influence and political irresponsibility. For our country, this is a signal of problems not only abroad but also of risks within Kyrgyzstan: if society loses faith in equality before the law, protest becomes inevitable, and political stability becomes illusory.
The case of Jeffrey Epstein is a warning. Not about morality, but about power. And about what happens when the elites live by one set of rules, while citizens are offered to settle for another.
