Ehud Barak engaged in business with Jeffrey Epstein until his arrest
- Emails hacked from Ehud Barak reveal a business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, including investments in a security startup.
- Barak was informed about Epstein's allegations before ending their partnership after Epstein's 2019 arrest.
- This correspondence raises questions about Barak's awareness of Epstein's criminal activities and highlights serious implications for his reputation.
In late 2019, a significant data breach revealed over 100,000 emails belonging to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, highlighting his extensive relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Barak served as Israel's defense minister from 2007 to 2013 and was prime minister from 1999 to 2001. The hacked emails, provided to Straight Arrow News by the group DDoSecrets, depict a business partnership between Barak and Epstein in 2015, when they invested in Reporty Homeland Security, a security startup. The emails illustrate their closeness and the informality of their communications, including Barak’s compliments about Epstein's private island. Furthermore, the emails indicate that Barak was aware of allegations against Epstein prior to his disavowment of Epstein's activities after the sex-trafficking charges came to light. Despite his prior acknowledgment of visiting Epstein's private island and home, Barak insisted that he never participated in questionable activities. However, inconsistencies arose as emails revealed Barak discussing his efforts to visit Epstein's island and mentioning it as 'impressive’. Amidst these revelations, Barak ended their business relationship following Epstein's arrest in 2019. The cache of emails also revealed Barak being invited to dinners with high-profile figures, including people with controversial backgrounds linked to Epstein. In particular, a March 2016 message highlighted an invitation to a dinner featuring individuals who had faced accusations similar to those against Epstein himself. The complex network of relationships between Epstein and influential figures shed light on the connections Barak sought to maintain in the surveillance industry. Despite the serious allegations surrounding Epstein, Barak's ongoing association with him, through business and social interactions, paints a troubling picture of neglect in recognizing the gravity of Epstein's actions. Thus, Barak's characterizations of these associations raise questions about his level of awareness regarding Epstein's illegal activities. Following Epstein’s death while awaiting trial, public scrutiny of his connections continued to evolve, culminating in significant implications for individuals linked to him. The correspondence includes messages related to Epstein’s attempts to refute allegations and the public narrative surrounding his heinous acts, leaving an unclear picture of how Barak reconciled these events with their previous partnership.