Dr. Bhashyam Kasturi
The British Parliamentarian, Lord Acton’s oft-quoted warning — “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” — finds a chilling modern echo in the saga of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. What has steadily emerged through investigations and documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice is not merely the story of a disgraced financier, but of a sprawling system of exploitation that thrived in the shadows of wealth, influence and institutional complicity, through numerous corrupt, illegal and horrifying activities.
The Epstein Saga and the Corruption of Power
Epstein was more than a convicted sex offender. A child peddler, human trafficker, intelligence operative, political influencer and business wheeler-dealer, Epstein is the epitome of an individual, whose legacy has left many prominent individuals impacted and lives of thousands of ordinary people hugely traumatised. He operated as a fixer, a trafficker, a manipulator of elites and, to many observers, a man who appeared to move with unusual impunity through the worlds of politics, finance and intelligence. Alongside Maxwell, he built an international trafficking network that preyed upon vulnerable young girls drawn from multiple countries and social backgrounds. The damage left behind was not confined to the corridors of privilege; it scarred the lives of countless victims whose trauma continues long after Epstein’s death.
For readers familiar with the works of author Jonathan Black, the Epstein affair bears an unsettling resemblance to the fictional world depicted in ‘House on the Hill’, a novel centred on an elite prostitution racket frequented by presidents, senators and industrial magnates. This was a fictional account of a House, served as a nexus where desire, influence and blackmail intertwined. Epstein was the real-life version of the owner of the ‘House’ in Washington as visualised by Black. Influencing those in power, gaining access to business intelligence to obtain contracts and blackmailing those who fell into the trap, provided Epstein, the foundations of a new sex and child trafficking racket that spanned many continents.
The enduring question is not simply how Epstein amassed such extraordinary influence, but how so many institutions appeared willing to look away. His rise exposed vulnerabilities within systems meant to uphold accountability — systems too often seduced by money, proximity to power or the fear of scandal.
Mark Twain was probably right when he said that “Truth is stranger than fiction”. In the Epstein’s case, it is perhaps more disturbing than fiction as well.
What Emerges From the Epstein Files
The files on Epstein that have been released by the US Department of Justice provide clues to the myriad connections that this dealer had. At the top, were individuals like Ehud Barak, a former Israeli Prime Minister, who is supposed to have got the Mossad to be Epstein’s controller. This relationship goes back to 2007-08. Of course, there are several prominent US figures, including Presidents, senators, Hollywood and media persons, whose names are literally written in blood for their alleged, horrifying partaking of human flesh, especially young boys and girls. That UK’s Prince Andrew was involved signalled the global reach that Epstein had. Europe has therefore, not remained untouched. A former chief of UK’s MI6, stated in an interview that Epstein could have also been working for the Russians. Given the murky nature of intelligence, it would not come as a surprise if one saw actual evidence of the Russians making use of Epstein. Social media posts suggest that Sergei Beliyakov, who was an FSB (Russian secret service) operative working in the Russian government, got Epstein to introduce prominent US industrialists to the Russian establishment. The St. Petersburg Forum organised by Beliyakov, was one of the platforms to bring rich US industrialists to Russia and the escort services provided by the Forum was probably an Epstein operation.
Child Trafficking
At the other end of the world, Epstein bought his own island “Little Saint James”, from where the child trafficking ring operated. Flight records, shopping lists, and eye-witness accounts of young girls brought to Epstein Island are all over the files. One source in 2019 noted that the Gulfstream Jets owned by Epstein were in the air once in every three days to pick up young girls from around the world. Recall that Epstein was first arrested in 2008 when one of the victim’s parents filed a police complaint. Numerous survivors have since recounted their horror journey on Epstein Island and his New Mexico Ranch. There have also been reports of cannibalism on the island and partaking of human flesh, though these are largely unverified reports. As if extreme sexual abuse and trafficking is not bad enough, the allegations of cannibalism only add fuel to the fire.
Reading the Epstein Files: Corruption, Access and Silence
Given the vast repository of material in the Epstein files, it is necessary to breakdown the sources of information available. There are numerous court records and lawsuits that include depositions and other legal records. The flight logs of the “Lolita Express” (the codename for flights bringing young girls to the island) are revealing, as they show the names, for example of former US President Bill Clinton and several others, including prominent business tycoons, who travelled on the Lolita Express. The address book, emails and phone numbers provide an indication of the scale and depth of the penetration of the American system by Epstein and Ghislaine. However, it is important to note that just because a name or two finds mention in the emails, for instance, does not mean that they were involved directly in the racket. Like many such operations, exploratory communications are commonplace to make contact or buy influence. It is in this context that some Indian names crop up in the Epstein emails.
Like in the case of most criminal activity, the testimonies of the victims themselves form a substantial part of the files. They provide excruciating details of recruitment, sexual abuse and traumas endured at various locations. Every name that appears in the files, is usually associated with high office or business, from Donald Trump, Bill Gates to Anil Ambani. Several European countries have chosen to initiate criminal proceedings against prominent figures whose names appear in the files. The US is still to recover from the shock and most importantly, with incumbent President Donald Trump facing flak for finding an honourable mention in the Epstein files and in photographs, the question arises as to whether any US administration will ever be able to fully grasp the damage done by Epstein and initiate criminal proceedings against those involved?
Was Epstein an intelligence asset?
What emerges from a survey of the files is that while the main story line is clear that of political influence, asset agents and human trafficking, there remains a lot to be cleared and verified. Just one anecdote from 2008 on Epstein reveals more than it hides. When one family filed a case against Epstein for sexual abuse in the US, Alexander Acosta, then District Attorney for the Southern District of Florida signed a “non-prosecution” deal with Epstein. Pertinently, this same Acosta was appointed by Donald Trump as Labour Secretary, during his first term. In 2008, when Acosta was asked by the media about the sweet deal with Epstein, he said “Epstein was an intelligence asset and therefore he was told to let it be”. The old adage, “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” is truly a fitting one for Jeffery Epstein and the American system, which today is broke and hollow from the inside.
Tragedy of Epstein Story
It is a sordid tale that needs to be retold on various counts. There is the corruption of the system, with its attendant human trafficking and sexual abuse. More than that there is the fact of how corrupt systems protect and promote illegal activity and turn a blind eye when convenient. That is the tragedy of the Epstein story. Every single activity undertaken was right under the very nose of the Federal administration and yet it continued, precisely because of the buy in. Combine this with intelligence asset management by the Israelis and probably, the Russians and, one has a heady cocktail for disaster. This story will continue to haunt humanity for many centuries.
