Israel installs security at Epsteins Manhattan apartment for former Israeli PM Barak

Israeli UN Mission Coordinated with Jeffrey Epstein’s Staff for Manhattan Residence Security

A recent investigation by Drop Site News has uncovered details about the Israeli government’s coordination with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s staff to secure a Manhattan residence. According to emails released by the US Department of Justice, Israeli officials began working with Epstein’s team in early 2016 to install security equipment at his apartment building, located at 301 East 66th Street.

The property was owned by a company linked to Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, but the financier effectively controlled it. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak frequently used the apartment for extended stays. The units in the building were often loaned to Epstein’s associates and used to house underage models, according to the report.

Under Israeli law, former prime ministers receive state-funded security after leaving office. Documents show that Rafi Shlomo, the former director of protective services at the Israeli mission and head of Barak’s security detail, personally controlled access to the apartment. Shlomo conducted background checks on Epstein’s employees and cleaning staff and held meetings with them to coordinate the installation of surveillance equipment.

The structural modifications carried out by the Israeli government required permission from Epstein. In a January 2016 email exchange, Barak’s wife, Nili Priell, discussed the installation of alarms and surveillance tools with Epstein’s longtime assistant Lesley Groff. The system included sensors on the windows and remote access capabilities.

The correspondence between the Israeli mission and Epstein’s representatives continued regularly throughout 2016 and 2017 to manage access for maids and coordinate subsequent visits by Barak. After Epstein’s death in a New York jail in 2019, Barak attempted to downplay his relationship with the financier, claiming that they had met but never supported or paid him.

The newly released documents have sparked controversy, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arguing that the ties implicated Barak rather than Israel. However, the emails demonstrate that the entanglement extended beyond Barak to other active Israeli state officials, including Yoni Koren, a longtime aide who frequently used the apartment for visits and medical treatment in New York until Epstein’s final arrest in 2019.

Source: Al Jazeera