Was Jeffrey Epstein Trying to Blackmail People for Russia Using Compromising Material? | DW News

Feb 5, 2026 | Last Friday, US authorities released another batch of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein, if you need reminding, was a convicted sex offender. He died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting another trial for running a sex trafficking operation involving underage girls. The latest release – made up of more than 3 million documents, images, and videos – gives new insights into Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful.

It is also fuelling speculation that Epstein could have been working for Russia. The suspicion is that Epstein would lure his powerful connections into sexual encounters, which were then used for the purposes of blackmail.

This tactic is synonymous with Russian intelligence, who have their very own name for this compromising material: 'kompromat'. At least one European leader appears to be taking the potential Russian connection very seriously – Polish prime minister Donald Tusk. He has ordered a probe into whether Epstein's activities were directed by the Kremlin.