Jeffrey Epstein supported far-right activist Tommy Robinson and made “jokes” about the holocaust, new files released by US lawmakers reveal.
The files are part of 23,000 documents released last week, which made shockwaves with references to Donald Trump and the former Prince Andrew.
In one email, the late paedeophile financier is seen celebrating right-wing activist Robinson’s 2018 release from jail. He wrote: “TOMMY ROBINSON. !! good work”.
Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, 42, has been jailed for contempt of court after breaching a reporting restriction by filming defendants in a trial.
In another email, the disgraced billionaire wrote: “Kristallnacht always has the big fire.”
Epstein, who was Jewish, added to this “joke” in a further message, saying: “Come join us at Auschwitz, opening night, special,” referencing the 2018 US mid-term elections, in which the Democrats won control of the House of Representatives.
The emails reveal a previously murky and mysterious side of Epstein’s personality – his involvement in right-wing politics, as well as his sprawling network of political contacts across the globe.
Epstein shared messages with figures across political spheres, from European diplomats to Russia and Saudi Arabia, frequently debating how to fuel a resurgence of populism in Europe.
Among those he regularly spoke to was Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s former chief strategist, pushing him to stoke conservative movements across the continent.
Epstein even went as far as to tell Bannon which officials he thought Trump should fire.
In one exchange, Bannon can be seen discussing forming a “supergroup” to promote far-Right politics in the 2019 European Parliament elections.
Epstein responded by saying the intervention would require heavy lifting with boots on the ground, but ultimately was “doable”.
Specifically, Epstein indicated it would require “lots and lots of face time and hand-holding,” in a set of messages in July 2018.
Explaining himself, he said: “There are many leaders of countries we can organise for you to have one on one with, I think you want to be an insider, not an outsider flying in and out.”
Bannon queried whether high-profile figures such as Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell or Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin could be removed.
In response, Epstein mentioned Trump’s daughter and son-in-law, saying: “jared and Ivanka. need to go. !!!”
Throughout the interactions, Epstein is positioning himself as a global fixer with links to power across the world. He brags about meeting with Arab League leaders and states that he was receiving a “download” from them.
In one exchange with billionaire Tom Pritzker in December 2016, he claims he received gifts from the now Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying: “Can you believe MBS sent me a TENT carpets and all.”
The disgraced billionaire also brags about being a Kremlin middleman. Ahead of a high-profile meeting between Trump and Putin in Helsinki in June 2018, Epstein proposes that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov meet with him.
He told Thorbjorn Jagland, former Norwegian prime minister and then head of the Council of Europe: “I think you might suggest to Putin that Lavrov can get insight on talking to me.” In response, Jagland said: “I’ll meet Lavrov’s assistant on Monday and will suggest.”
Whether this meeting materialised is unclear.
In late 2018, investigations into Epstein intensified, and in defence, he claimed he was being targeted as part of a wider political attack related to Trump.
An unnamed associate told him, “they’re really just trying to take down Trump and doing whatever they can to do that!”
Epstein replied: “It’s wild, because i am the one able to take him down.”
Whilst awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges in 2019, the shamed paedophile died in what authorities ruled a suicide.
The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote as soon as Tuesday to force the release of the remaining Epstein files, with passage seen as all but guaranteed after President Donald Trump dropped his longstanding opposition.
