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@ -1,100 +1,100 @@
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Project Troy]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Philip Scaturro]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Max Millikan]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Frank Haronian]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Porter Goss]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[September 11 attacks]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Project MKUltra]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Society for the Investigation of Human Ecology]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[New School for Social Research]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Office of War Information]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Central Intelligence Agency]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Jerome B. Wiesner]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Harry S. Truman]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Michael Whitney Straight]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Hans Speier]]
- 2026-10-09T1601 · [[Bob Kerrey]]
- 2026-10-09T1600 · [[Alvin Johnson]]
- 2026-10-09T1600 · [[Max Ascoli]]
- 2026-10-09T1600 · [[Dean Acheson]]
- 2026-10-09T1558 · [[Allen and Company]]
- 2026-10-09T1557 · [[British Security Coordination]]
- 2026-10-09T1557 · [[Paul Nitze]]
- 2026-10-09T1557 · [[John R. Everett]]
- 2026-10-09T1556 · [[Boris Nikolic]]
- 2026-10-09T1556 · [[Kathryn Ruemmler]]
- 2026-10-09T1556 · [[Peter Thiel]]
- 2026-10-09T1556 · [[Ehud Barak]]
- 2026-10-09T1556 · [[Rockefeller Foundation]]
- 2026-10-09T1554 · [[Serafino Romualdi]]
- 2026-10-09T1554 · [[Office of Strategic Services]]
- 2026-10-09T1551 · [[House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence]]
- 2026-10-09T1544 · [[Louis Dolivet]]
- 2026-10-09T1543 · [[Hiram J. Halle]]
- 2026-10-09T1542 · [[Mazzini Society]]
- 2026-10-09T1445 · [[Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service]]
- 2026-10-09T1444 · [[Hans Simons]]
- 2026-10-09T1443 · [[Research Project on Totalitarian Communication]]
- 2026-10-09T1443 · [[Ernst Kris]]
- 2026-10-09T1441 · [[Robert M. Brier]]
- 2026-10-09T1441 · [[Martin Ebon]]
- 2026-10-09T1439 · [[Klara G. Roman]]
- 2026-10-09T1437 · [[United States Information Agency]]
- 2026-10-09T1437 · [[Rand Corporation]]
- 2026-10-09T1437 · [[Stansfield Turner]]
- 2026-10-09T1433 · [[Gilbert Roller]]
- 2026-10-09T1433 · [[Institute of World Affairs]]
- 2026-10-09T1433 · [[Goodwin Watson]]
- 2026-10-09T1337 · [[Council on Foreign Relations]]
- 2026-10-09T1335 · [[Nelson Rockefeller]]
- 2026-10-09T1335 · [[Wilhelm Reich]]
- 2026-10-09T1333 · [[CIAA]]
- 2026-10-09T1333 · [[BBC]]
- 2026-10-09T1333 · [[Bill Clinton]]
- 2026-10-09T1333 · [[Atomic Energy Commission]]
- 2026-10-09T1333 · [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]
- 2026-10-09T1333 · [[Project Blue Book]]
- 2026-10-09T1333 · [[Allen Dulles]]
- 2026-10-09T1331 · [[Kim Philby]]
- 2026-10-09T1330 · [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]
- 2026-10-09T1324 · [[Bernard L. Schwartz]]
- 2026-10-09T1324 · [[Dorothy Payne Whitney]]
- 2026-10-09T1301 · [[Leo Strauss]]
- 2026-10-09T1258 · [[National Reconnaissance Office]]
- 2026-10-09T1258 · [[Eileen Garrett]]
- 2026-10-09T1256 · [[James Monroe]]
- 2026-10-09T1256 · [[John Gittinger]]
- 2026-10-09T1253 · [[Kurt Riezler]]
- 2026-10-09T1241 · [[Jeffrey Epstein]]
- 2026-10-08T2150 · [[Claire Zabel]]
- 2026-10-08T2150 · [[Alexander Berger]]
- 2026-10-08T2150 · [[Effective Ventures]]
- 2026-10-08T2150 · [[Centre for Effective Altruism]]
- 2026-10-08T2150 · [[Center for Applied Rationality]]
- 2026-10-08T2150 · [[Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative]]
- 2026-10-08T2150 · [[Open Philanthropy]]
- 2026-10-08T2113 · [[Saddam Hussein]]
- 2026-10-08T2112 · [[St. Thomas Jet Center]]
- 2026-10-08T2112 · [[Bobby Ray Inman]]
- 2026-10-08T2110 · [[Wackenhut Corporation]]
- 2026-10-08T2110 · [[USS Liberty Incident]]
- 2026-10-08T2110 · [[NSA]]
- 2026-10-08T2110 · [[Fluor Corporation]]
- 2026-10-08T2110 · [[Defense Intelligence Agency]]
- 2026-10-08T2109 · [[Lesley Groff]]
- 2026-10-08T2109 · [[Larry Visoski]]
- 2026-10-08T2109 · [[Epstein Files]]
- 2026-10-08T2109 · [[Black Diamond Capital Management]]
- 2026-10-08T2108 · [[Stephen Deckoff]]
- 2026-10-08T2107 · [[Hungary]]
- 2026-10-08T2107 · [[Gerald Lewis]]
- 2026-10-08T2107 · [[Danny Casolaro]]
- 2026-10-08T2106 · [[James D. Theberge]]
- 2026-10-08T2106 · [[Carlos Cardoen]]
- 2026-10-08T2105 · [[Industrias Cardoen]]
- 2026-10-08T2104 · [[Lee Hamilton]]
- 2026-10-08T2104 · [[GeoMiliTech Consultants Corp.]]
- 2026-10-08T2104 · [[Barbara Studley]]
- 2026-10-08T2104 · [[E. Lawrence Barcella, Jr.]]
- 2026-10-08T2102 · [[Bayshore Bank of Florida]]
+- 2026-10-09T1711 · [[Samson Option]]
+- 2026-10-09T1711 · [[Ari Ben-Menashe]]
+- 2026-10-09T1708 · [[Claire Zabel]]
+- 2026-10-09T1708 · [[Beersheba]]
+- 2026-10-09T1708 · [[P.W. Botha]]
+- 2026-10-09T1706 · [[Dimona]]
+- 2026-10-09T1706 · [[Ian Smart]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[Rocco Zangari]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[Dr. John Philip Nichols]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[Fred Alvarez]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[Wayne Reeder]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[Tommy Marson]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[John Paul Nichols]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[Arthur Welmas]]
+- 2026-10-09T1705 · [[Cabazon Indian Reservation]]
+- 2026-10-09T1703 · [[Shimon Yiftach]]
+- 2026-10-09T1702 · [[South African Defense Force]]
+- 2026-10-09T1702 · [[Shimon Peres]]
+- 2026-10-09T1702 · [[SIMWA]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Shimon Levinson]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Shimon Lavee]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Profits of War - Ari Ben-Menashe]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Middle East]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Marana]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Syrian Embassy in London]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Sabra and Shatila refugee camps]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Entebbe Airport]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[El Aqsa Mosque]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Libya]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Liege]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Hydrogen Bomb]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Entebbe hijacking]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Achille Lauro]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Sabra and Shatila massacres]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[PROMIS Software Scandal]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[October Surprise]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Lockheed bribe scandal]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[PROMIS]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Wackenhut Corporation]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Valley National Bank of Arizona]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[University of San Cristobal]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[TransCapital Corporation]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[The Sunday Mirror]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[The Sunday Times]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[The Age]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Strategic Intelligence Services]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Sidem International Limited]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Sheridan Square Press]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Pergamon Press Trust Fund]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Ocho Group]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Medan Computers Ltd.]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Lockheed Aircraft Company]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[John Curtin Foundation]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[ITICO]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Industrias Cardoen]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[IBM]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Honeywell]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Gamma Corporation]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[FXC International]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Esquire]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[El Al]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Eagle]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Dynavest Limited]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Drexel Burnham]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Degem]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Banque Worms]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[ARMSCOR]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Air France]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Stern Gang]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Shining Path]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[LEHI]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Jewish Defense League]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Golani infantry brigade]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Black September]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Baader-Meinhof Group]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[African National Congress]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Tower Commission]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Iran Group]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Unit 8200]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Shas Party]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Russian Orthodox Church]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[LAKAM]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Iran-Israel Joint Committee]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Australian Security Intelligence Service]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Australian Security Intelligence Organization]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Agranat Commission]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Yosef Zeira]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Yitzhak Tunic]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Reuben Yirador]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Pieter Van Der Westhuizen]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Mordechai Tsippori]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Mordecai Vanunu]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Mike Timpani]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Mark Thatcher]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[John Tower]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Jack Varona]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Ezer Weizman]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[David Zornow]]
+- 2026-10-09T1701 · [[Craig Unger]]
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Abdelaziz
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Abdelaziz
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ location: "Oujda, Morocco"
 [[Abdelaziz Bouteflika]] was an [[Algeria|Algerian]] Foreign Minister and a well-respected diplomat. He met with various [[Iran|Iranian]] leaders, including [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]], in April 1980 to discuss the [[United States|American]] hostage crisis. However, he failed to broker an accord because he was unable to guarantee arms sales to [[Iran]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Abul
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Abul
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ location: "Yarmouk Camp, Syria"
 [[Abul Abbas|Abbas]] received orders from [[Mohammed Radi Abdullah]], who was relaying instructions from [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]]. He was reportedly receiving millions from [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence officers posing as Sicilian dons. [[Abul Abbas|Abbas]] gathered a team to attack the cruise ship, with instructions to make the attack severe to highlight Palestinian demands.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Adel
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Adel
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ summary: "Palestinian student and friend of Ari Ben-Menashe who was the target o
 [[Adel Mohammad Atamna|Atamna]] was the individual [[SHABAK]] attempted to recruit [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] to spy on, an offer [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] refused.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Alan
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Alan
@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ In late September 1988, an [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence officer briefed the h
 [[Alan Bond|Bond]] was convicted of bank fraud in May 1992 and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. He later went bankrupt and became involved in African mining investments.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Alan
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Alan
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ location: "Lima, Peru"
 [[Alan Garcia]] was the President of [[Peru]]. In 1980, he declared the department of [[Ayacucho]] under martial law due to the growing influence of the [[Shining Path]], a Maoist terrorist group led by [[Abimael Guzman Reynoso]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Ari
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Ari
@ -16,11 +16,17 @@ tags:
  - IranContra
  - RobertMaxwell
  - JeffreyEpstein
-summary: "Ari Ben-Menashe is an Iranian-born Israeli-Canadian who describes himself as a former military-intelligence official and became a recurring source for claims about U.S.-Israeli arms dealing, the October Surprise, PROMIS, Robert Maxwell, and Jeffrey Epstein, claims repeatedly found uncorroborated and, by a congressional task force, not credible."
+summary: "Iranian-born Israeli-Canadian, self-described former Israeli military-intelligence official, and recurring source on U.S.-Israeli arms dealing, the October Surprise, PROMIS, Robert Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein; a congressional task force found his claims not credible."
 born: 1951-12-04
 location: "Tehran, Iran; Montreal, Canada"
+relations:
+  - type: employed_by
+    with: "[[Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)]]"
+    start: 1977-08-15
+    role: "civilian, External Relations Department (per his 1992 account)"
+    fn: 5
 created: 2024-04-25
-updated: 2026-10-08
+updated: 2026-10-09
 ---

 Ari Ben-Menashe is an Iranian-born Israeli-Canadian businessman, author, and lobbyist who describes himself as a former official of Israel's military intelligence, and who became a recurring source for claims about covert United States and Israeli arms dealing, the [[October Surprise]] theory, [[PROMIS]] software, [[Robert Maxwell]], and, in later years, [[Jeffrey Epstein]].[^1] He was born on December 4, 1951, in Tehran, [[Iran]], to an affluent Iraqi Jewish family; his father Gourdji was involved with [[LEHI]] (the Stern Gang) and knew [[Yitzhak Shamir]].[^2][^3] His allegations have been influential in conspiracy literature while being repeatedly assessed as unreliable by courts, congressional investigators, and journalists.[^4]
@ -29,49 +35,53 @@ Ari Ben-Menashe is an Iranian-born Israeli-Canadian businessman, author, and lob

 By his own account, Ben-Menashe moved to Israel in 1966 at age 14, and in 1969, while on Kibbutz Mishmar Hasharon, was involved in the [[Michael Dennis Rohan]] [[El Aqsa Mosque]] arson incident. He says he was recruited by [[SHABAK]] in 1972 but declined a spying role, was drafted in 1974 and assigned to [[Unit 8200]] (signals intelligence) on the Iranian desk where he claims to have broken the Iranian diplomatic code, and that in 1976 he was involved in uncovering a [[Lockheed Aircraft Company|Lockheed]] bribe scandal involving [[Shimon Peres]]. After refusing an assignment to the Rome listening station in 1977, he says he was court-martialed and released from military service.[^3] He states that he then worked from 1977 to 1987 as a civilian in the External Relations Department of the Israeli [[Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)|Military Intelligence Directorate]] (Aman), a role he has portrayed as giving him access to high-level arms-transfer and covert-operations decisions.[^1]

-Critics dispute the seniority he claims. Israel has generally characterized him as a low-level translator rather than a policy insider, and the journalist [[Steven Emerson]], writing in 1991, argued that Ben-Menashe had inflated a minor translating job into a record of "key positions."[^2] The Israeli government acknowledged that he had worked for military intelligence in a translation capacity but denied that he had held the senior operational role he described.[^5] The disagreement over his rank has shaped the reception of all his later claims, because his accounts of arms deals, the October Surprise, and Israeli operations rest on his asserted firsthand access rather than on corroborating documents or witnesses.[^2][^4]
+Ben-Menashe's 1992 book dates his entry into the External Relations Department to August 15, 1977, after his release from military service on May 3, 1977, and describes the department as having four branches: the Special Assistance Branch (SIM), the R branch, a Foreign Liaison branch, and Intelligence 12, a general liaison branch with the [[Mossad]].[^5] He placed his first assignment in the R branch, which handled intelligence exchange with foreign services. From late September 1977 he describes himself as a Middle East commuter working with the Iranians.[^5] In the same book he names [[Shimon Lavee]] as the branch head of SIM who prepared the Israeli version of the [[SIMWA]] agreement with South Africa.[^6]
+
+The 1992 book reproduces letters of reference dated September 1987 on Israel Defence Forces External Relations Department letterhead. They are signed by Col. [[Pesah Melowany]] (September 4, 1987), Col. Yoav (September 6, 1987), a Dr. A. (September 14, 1987) and Col. [[Arieh Shur]], whose signature block reads "Colonel / Chief of External Relations" (September 14, 1987). Ben-Menashe presents the letters as evidence of his service in the department.[^7]
+
+Critics dispute the seniority he claims. Israel has generally characterized him as a low-level translator rather than a policy insider, and the journalist [[Steven Emerson]], writing in 1991, argued that Ben-Menashe had inflated a minor translating job into a record of "key positions."[^2] The Israeli government acknowledged that he had worked for military intelligence in a translation capacity but denied that he had held the senior operational role he described.[^8] The disagreement over his rank has shaped the reception of all his later claims, because his accounts of arms deals, the October Surprise, and Israeli operations rest on his asserted firsthand access rather than on corroborating documents or witnesses.[^2][^4]

 ### Arms Case and Acquittal

-Ben-Menashe first drew wide public attention when he was arrested in the United States in November 1989 and charged under the Arms Export Control Act with attempting to broker the sale of three Israeli-owned Lockheed [[C-130 Hercules]] transport aircraft to Iran, a deal valued at about 36 million dollars, using false end-user certificates.[^6] The prosecution was brought in the United States District Court for the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]], where the related rulings carried the caption United States v. Menashe.[^7] He spent nearly a year in custody before a jury acquitted him and a co-defendant on November 28, 1990, after his defense argued, and the jury accepted, that he had been acting under the authority of the Israeli government in a transaction tied to Israel's arms dealings with Iran.[^6]
+Ben-Menashe first drew wide public attention when he was arrested in the United States in November 1989 and charged under the Arms Export Control Act with attempting to broker the sale of three Israeli-owned Lockheed [[C-130 Hercules]] transport aircraft to Iran, a deal valued at about 36 million dollars, using false end-user certificates.[^9] The prosecution was brought in the United States District Court for the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]], where the related rulings carried the caption United States v. Menashe.[^10] He spent nearly a year in custody before a jury acquitted him and a co-defendant on November 28, 1990, after his defense argued, and the jury accepted, that he had been acting under the authority of the Israeli government in a transaction tied to Israel's arms dealings with Iran.[^9]

-Israel denied that he had been authorized to act for it in the transaction, repeating the position that he had been only a translator.[^6] The acquittal nonetheless rested on the jury's willingness to credit his Israeli-agent defense, and he afterward cited the verdict as vindication of his broader account, even though the bodies that later examined his substantive claims rejected them.[^4][^8] The acquittal gave him a platform from which he expanded a series of claims about secret United States and Israeli arms networks, set out in his 1992 book [[Profits of War]].[^3]
+Israel denied that he had been authorized to act for it in the transaction, repeating the position that he had been only a translator.[^9] The acquittal nonetheless rested on the jury's willingness to credit his Israeli-agent defense, and he afterward cited the verdict as vindication of his broader account, even though the bodies that later examined his substantive claims rejected them.[^4][^11] The acquittal gave him a platform from which he expanded a series of claims about secret United States and Israeli arms networks, set out in his 1992 book [[Profits of War]].[^3]

 ### October Surprise and Iran-Contra Claims

-In Profits of War and in congressional testimony, Ben-Menashe alleged that Israeli officials, working with figures around the 1980 [[Ronald Reagan]] presidential campaign, arranged arms sales to Iran in exchange for delaying the release of American hostages until after the November 1980 election, the scenario known as the October Surprise.[^3] He claimed to have witnessed a Paris meeting in October 1980 attended by [[George H.W. Bush]], the campaign manager [[William J. Casey|William Casey]], and Iranian representatives.[^8]
+In Profits of War and in congressional testimony, Ben-Menashe alleged that Israeli officials, working with figures around the 1980 [[Ronald Reagan]] presidential campaign, arranged arms sales to Iran in exchange for delaying the release of American hostages until after the November 1980 election, the scenario known as the October Surprise.[^3] He claimed to have witnessed a Paris meeting in October 1980 attended by [[George H.W. Bush]], the campaign manager [[William J. Casey|William Casey]], and Iranian representatives.[^11]

 His detailed account named a sequence of secret meetings. He described [[Miles Copeland]]'s group of CIA-connected officers, Casey, [[Robert McFarlane]], and [[Earl Brian]] entering negotiations with the Iranians, and [[David Kimche]] of Mossad initiating an arms supply to Iran via [[South Africa]] in 1979. He placed first and second Madrid meetings in March and May 1980 involving [[Mehdi Karrubi]], Casey, McFarlane, [[Donald Gregg]], [[Robert Gates]], and Brian; an Amsterdam meeting in August 1980; and the October 1980 Paris meeting at which he says the hostage-release deal was sealed and after which he received 56 million dollars in [[Guatemala]] in December 1980, with 4 million for Brian and 52 million for the Iranian intermediary Kashani. The hostages were released on Reagan's inauguration day, January 20, 1981.[^3] He further alleged a 1980 to 1981 [[Iran-Israel Joint Committee]] arms pipeline, a role in the June 7, 1981 [[Israel Air Force]] strike on Iraq's Tammuz nuclear reactor, the recruitment of [[Daily Mirror]] foreign editor [[Nicholas Davies]] by Mossad, and the use of a slush fund (the [[Ora Group]]) to finance the [[Likud Party]] and "black" operations including, in his telling, the 1985 [[Achille Lauro]] hijacking.[^3]

-No official body endorsed this account. The [[House October Surprise Task Force]], chaired by Representative [[Lee Hamilton]], published its joint report on January 3, 1993, and rejected it, saying it had conclusive evidence from travel and passport records that Ben-Menashe was not in Paris when he claimed to have witnessed the meeting, and describing his testimony as "totally lacking in credibility," "demonstrably false from beginning to end," and "a total fabrication."[^8] A separate review of the Iran-Contra-related allegations conducted under Attorney General [[William Barr]] likewise found no credible basis for his key claims, and an earlier Senate examination reached similar conclusions.[^5][^8] The Senate Foreign Relations special counsel, Reid H. Weingarten, reporting to Senators [[Terry Sanford]] and [[James Jeffords]] on November 19, 1992, found that Ben-Menashe "undoubtedly had real connections with Israeli intelligence and had access to some highly classified information," but that his "insistence upon placing himself in the middle of numerous scandals and adventures" and his contradiction of credible witnesses and documents made him "a wholly unreliable witness," and did not rely on his testimony without independent corroboration.[^9]
+No official body endorsed this account. The [[House October Surprise Task Force]], chaired by Representative [[Lee Hamilton]], published its joint report on January 3, 1993, and rejected it, saying it had conclusive evidence from travel and passport records that Ben-Menashe was not in Paris when he claimed to have witnessed the meeting, and describing his testimony as "totally lacking in credibility," "demonstrably false from beginning to end," and "a total fabrication."[^11] A separate review of the Iran-Contra-related allegations conducted under Attorney General [[William Barr]] likewise found no credible basis for his key claims, and an earlier Senate examination reached similar conclusions.[^8][^11] The Senate Foreign Relations special counsel, Reid H. Weingarten, reporting to Senators [[Terry Sanford]] and [[James Jeffords]] on November 19, 1992, found that Ben-Menashe "undoubtedly had real connections with Israeli intelligence and had access to some highly classified information," but that his "insistence upon placing himself in the middle of numerous scandals and adventures" and his contradiction of credible witnesses and documents made him "a wholly unreliable witness," and did not rely on his testimony without independent corroboration.[^12]

 ### PROMIS Affidavits and INSLAW

-After the journalist [[Danny Casolaro]]'s death in August 1991, Ben-Menashe called [[Bill Hamilton]], president of [[INSLAW|Inslaw]], and claimed that two FBI agents from Lexington, Kentucky, had been en route to Martinsburg to give Casolaro evidence that the FBI was illegally using PROMIS software, one of them disaffected because his superiors had refused to indict senior Reagan officials over the October Surprise.[^10] In affidavits submitted to the bankruptcy court in February and March 1991, he claimed personal knowledge of Earl Brian's involvement in international PROMIS distribution, alleging that Brian made a 1987 presentation to Israeli Military Intelligence claiming ownership of PROMIS rights, that [[Rafael Eitan]] received PROMIS from Brian and McFarlane in 1982 for Israeli signals intelligence, and that enhanced PROMIS was sold to the Israeli intelligence community, the Singapore Armed Forces, the Soviet Union, and Canada.[^11] These PROMIS-distribution claims were later amplified by [[Seymour Hersh]] in [[The Samson Option]] and [[Gordon Thomas]] in [[Gideon's Spies]].[^12][^13]
+After the journalist [[Danny Casolaro]]'s death in August 1991, Ben-Menashe called [[Bill Hamilton]], president of [[INSLAW|Inslaw]], and claimed that two FBI agents from Lexington, Kentucky, had been en route to Martinsburg to give Casolaro evidence that the FBI was illegally using PROMIS software, one of them disaffected because his superiors had refused to indict senior Reagan officials over the October Surprise.[^13] In affidavits submitted to the bankruptcy court in February and March 1991, he claimed personal knowledge of Earl Brian's involvement in international PROMIS distribution, alleging that Brian made a 1987 presentation to Israeli Military Intelligence claiming ownership of PROMIS rights, that [[Rafael Eitan]] received PROMIS from Brian and McFarlane in 1982 for Israeli signals intelligence, and that enhanced PROMIS was sold to the Israeli intelligence community, the Singapore Armed Forces, the Soviet Union, and Canada.[^14] These PROMIS-distribution claims were later amplified by [[Seymour Hersh]] in [[The Samson Option]] and [[Gordon Thomas]] in [[Gideon's Spies]].[^15][^16]

-In the first of two affidavits he submitted to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia in the INSLAW case, dated February 17, 1991, Ben-Menashe said that in January 1989, while serving as a special consultant for intelligence affairs in the Israeli prime minister's office, he was told by [[Carlos Cardoen]], the Chilean arms maker, that Cardoen had brokered a deal between Earl Brian and a representative of Iraqi military intelligence for the use of PROMIS.[^14] A *St. Louis Post-Dispatch* report of February 19, 1991, preserved in the Danny Casolaro papers, says the sale was consummated in Santiago, Chile, where [[Industrias Cardoen]] had its headquarters, and that Brian called the allegations "nonsense."[^15] The report of Special Counsel [[Nicholas J. Bua]] states that Ben-Menashe "makes a number of extraordinary claims, most of which are not subject to corroboration."[^14] The [[Senate Select Committee on Intelligence]] recorded in 1991 that Robert Gates denied specific allegations made by Ben-Menashe at his confirmation hearing and that the FBI and the CIA inspector general, reviewing Gates's calendar and travel records, found no credible evidence to confirm them.[^16]
+In the first of two affidavits he submitted to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia in the INSLAW case, dated February 17, 1991, Ben-Menashe said that in January 1989, while serving as a special consultant for intelligence affairs in the Israeli prime minister's office, he was told by [[Carlos Cardoen]], the Chilean arms maker, that Cardoen had brokered a deal between Earl Brian and a representative of Iraqi military intelligence for the use of PROMIS.[^17] A *St. Louis Post-Dispatch* report of February 19, 1991, preserved in the Danny Casolaro papers, says the sale was consummated in Santiago, Chile, where [[Industrias Cardoen]] had its headquarters, and that Brian called the allegations "nonsense."[^18] The report of Special Counsel [[Nicholas J. Bua]] states that Ben-Menashe "makes a number of extraordinary claims, most of which are not subject to corroboration."[^17] The [[Senate Select Committee on Intelligence]] recorded in 1991 that Robert Gates denied specific allegations made by Ben-Menashe at his confirmation hearing and that the FBI and the CIA inspector general, reviewing Gates's calendar and travel records, found no credible evidence to confirm them.[^19]

-The special counsel Nicholas Bua, in his 1993 report on the Inslaw affair, rejected these claims. When interviewed, Ben-Menashe gave a substantially different account, stating that he had no knowledge of the transfer of Inslaw's proprietary software, and that the "PROMIS" in his affidavits referred not to Inslaw's product but to an NSA program he called "Milon," a dictionary-compilation tool developed independently before Inslaw existed; he admitted he had allowed the Hamiltons and others to assume he meant Inslaw's PROMIS "to promote his book."[^11] The NSA confirmed that its own internal Product Related On-line Management Information System, also called PROMIS, was written in M204 rather than COBOL and was wholly unrelated to Inslaw's software. The House October Surprise Task Force, the [[Senate Foreign Relations Committee|Senate Committee on Foreign Relations]], and the special counsel all found his testimony fabricated and unsupported.[^11][^17]
+The special counsel Nicholas Bua, in his 1993 report on the Inslaw affair, rejected these claims. When interviewed, Ben-Menashe gave a substantially different account, stating that he had no knowledge of the transfer of Inslaw's proprietary software, and that the "PROMIS" in his affidavits referred not to Inslaw's product but to an NSA program he called "Milon," a dictionary-compilation tool developed independently before Inslaw existed; he admitted he had allowed the Hamiltons and others to assume he meant Inslaw's PROMIS "to promote his book."[^14] The NSA confirmed that its own internal Product Related On-line Management Information System, also called PROMIS, was written in M204 rather than COBOL and was wholly unrelated to Inslaw's software. The House October Surprise Task Force, the [[Senate Foreign Relations Committee|Senate Committee on Foreign Relations]], and the special counsel all found his testimony fabricated and unsupported.[^14][^20]

 ### Claims about Robert Maxwell

-Ben-Menashe alleged that the publisher Robert Maxwell and Nicholas Davies were long-time assets of Israeli intelligence and that Maxwell had close ties to the prime minister's office.[^3] One specific claim concerned the 1986 case of the nuclear technician [[Mordechai Vanunu]], whose account of [[Dimona]] reached the Maxwell-owned [[Sunday Mirror]]; Ben-Menashe said Davies alerted Israeli intelligence to the approach and introduced him to Vanunu's intermediary [[Oscar Guerrero]], and that a Vanunu photograph published by the Sunday Mirror had been flown in from Israel, although the photograph in question had in fact been taken by the [[Sunday Times]] journalist [[Peter Hounam]], undercutting that detail.[^18] Hersh's 1991 book and the parliamentary statements that followed brought the Maxwell allegations into the open shortly before Maxwell's death, and Maxwell sued Hersh for libel before the action lapsed.[^12] No declassified material has confirmed the allegations.[^4]
+Ben-Menashe alleged that the publisher Robert Maxwell and Nicholas Davies were long-time assets of Israeli intelligence and that Maxwell had close ties to the prime minister's office.[^3] One specific claim concerned the 1986 case of the nuclear technician [[Mordechai Vanunu]], whose account of [[Dimona]] reached the Maxwell-owned [[Sunday Mirror]]; Ben-Menashe said Davies alerted Israeli intelligence to the approach and introduced him to Vanunu's intermediary [[Oscar Guerrero]], and that a Vanunu photograph published by the Sunday Mirror had been flown in from Israel, although the photograph in question had in fact been taken by the [[Sunday Times]] journalist [[Peter Hounam]], undercutting that detail.[^21] Hersh's 1991 book and the parliamentary statements that followed brought the Maxwell allegations into the open shortly before Maxwell's death, and Maxwell sued Hersh for libel before the action lapsed.[^15] No declassified material has confirmed the allegations.[^4]

 ### Epstein and Maxwell Allegations

-Beginning in 2019, Ben-Menashe gave interviews, including to the journalist [[Whitney Webb]] of MintPress News and to the outlet Narativ, in which he claimed that he had met Jeffrey Epstein and [[Ghislaine Maxwell]] in the 1980s, that he had seen Epstein in Robert Maxwell's offices, and that Maxwell had recruited Epstein for Israeli intelligence and introduced him as pre-approved by figures in Aman.[^19] He characterized the later Epstein operation as a "honeytrap" that gathered sexual blackmail material on powerful figures for Israeli intelligence.[^19]
+Beginning in 2019, Ben-Menashe gave interviews, including to the journalist [[Whitney Webb]] of MintPress News and to the outlet Narativ, in which he claimed that he had met Jeffrey Epstein and [[Ghislaine Maxwell]] in the 1980s, that he had seen Epstein in Robert Maxwell's offices, and that Maxwell had recruited Epstein for Israeli intelligence and introduced him as pre-approved by figures in Aman.[^22] He characterized the later Epstein operation as a "honeytrap" that gathered sexual blackmail material on powerful figures for Israeli intelligence.[^22]

-No corroborating witness, document, or official admission has been produced to support these specific claims, and reviewers have noted that they rest solely on his own assertions against a documented record of unreliability.[^4][^20] His account also conflicts with the established chronology of Epstein's career, since Epstein's documented entry into Ghislaine Maxwell's circle is generally dated to the period after Robert Maxwell's 1991 death rather than to the 1980s meetings Ben-Menashe described.[^20] He has continued to make related claims, including a 2025 assertion that [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] held Epstein-related files, that likewise remain unverified.[^20]
+No corroborating witness, document, or official admission has been produced to support these specific claims, and reviewers have noted that they rest solely on his own assertions against a documented record of unreliability.[^4][^23] His account also conflicts with the established chronology of Epstein's career, since Epstein's documented entry into Ghislaine Maxwell's circle is generally dated to the period after Robert Maxwell's 1991 death rather than to the 1980s meetings Ben-Menashe described.[^23] He has continued to make related claims, including a 2025 assertion that [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] held Epstein-related files, that likewise remain unverified.[^23]

 ### Lobbying and Consulting

-After his intelligence-related notoriety, Ben-Menashe built a lobbying and consulting practice through the [[Montreal]]-based firm [[Dickens & Madson]], representing controversial governments and figures.[^21] His involvement with the government of [[Robert Mugabe]] in [[Zimbabwe]] featured in the treason prosecution of the opposition leader [[Morgan Tsvangirai]], built on a videotape in which prosecutors said Tsvangirai discussed the "elimination" of Mugabe with Ben-Menashe; Tsvangirai was acquitted of high treason on October 14, 2004, by Judge [[Paddington Garwe]] of the Harare High Court, who found no proof of the alleged request, ruled that Ben-Menashe's testimony had to be treated with caution, and called some of it clearly false.[^22]
+After his intelligence-related notoriety, Ben-Menashe built a lobbying and consulting practice through the [[Montreal]]-based firm [[Dickens & Madson]], representing controversial governments and figures.[^24] His involvement with the government of [[Robert Mugabe]] in [[Zimbabwe]] featured in the treason prosecution of the opposition leader [[Morgan Tsvangirai]], built on a videotape in which prosecutors said Tsvangirai discussed the "elimination" of Mugabe with Ben-Menashe; Tsvangirai was acquitted of high treason on October 14, 2004, by Judge [[Paddington Garwe]] of the Harare High Court, who found no proof of the alleged request, ruled that Ben-Menashe's testimony had to be treated with caution, and called some of it clearly false.[^25]

-He later registered a 2 million dollar contract in March 2021 to lobby for the [[Myanmar]] military junta after its coup, agreeing to advise on evading United States sanctions, and took on engagements connected to [[Sudan]] and its militia leader [[Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo]], a roughly 12 million dollar Zimbabwe land transaction funded by the criminal financier [[Paul Le Roux]] in 2007 and 2008 in which the promised farmland was never delivered, a reported 1 million dollar arrangement with [[Kyrgyzstan]], and work tied to [[Libya]], the [[Republic of the Congo]], [[Venezuela]], and the [[Tigray]] conflict in [[Ethiopia]].[^21][^23] Washington figures quoted in profiles of his career described his reputation as "poisonous."[^21]
+He later registered a 2 million dollar contract in March 2021 to lobby for the [[Myanmar]] military junta after its coup, agreeing to advise on evading United States sanctions, and took on engagements connected to [[Sudan]] and its militia leader [[Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo]], a roughly 12 million dollar Zimbabwe land transaction funded by the criminal financier [[Paul Le Roux]] in 2007 and 2008 in which the promised farmland was never delivered, a reported 1 million dollar arrangement with [[Kyrgyzstan]], and work tied to [[Libya]], the [[Republic of the Congo]], [[Venezuela]], and the [[Tigray]] conflict in [[Ethiopia]].[^24][^26] Washington figures quoted in profiles of his career described his reputation as "poisonous."[^24]

 ### The McFarlane Libel Suit

-The former national security adviser Robert McFarlane sued Ben-Menashe and the publisher of Profits of War, Sheridan Square Press, for libel over passages that linked McFarlane to the covert dealings Ben-Menashe described.[^24] The case, McFarlane v. Sheridan Square Press, reached the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which ruled in 1996. Applying the [[actual malice]] standard required for a public figure, the court held that McFarlane could not show the publisher had acted with reckless disregard for the truth merely because Ben-Menashe was a doubtful source, and it affirmed dismissal of the suit. The outcome turned on the high bar a public-figure plaintiff must clear rather than on any finding that Ben-Menashe's account was true.[^24]
+The former national security adviser Robert McFarlane sued Ben-Menashe and the publisher of Profits of War, Sheridan Square Press, for libel over passages that linked McFarlane to the covert dealings Ben-Menashe described.[^27] The case, McFarlane v. Sheridan Square Press, reached the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which ruled in 1996. Applying the [[actual malice]] standard required for a public figure, the court held that McFarlane could not show the publisher had acted with reckless disregard for the truth merely because Ben-Menashe was a doubtful source, and it affirmed dismissal of the suit. The outcome turned on the high bar a public-figure plaintiff must clear rather than on any finding that Ben-Menashe's account was true.[^27]

 ### Footnotes

@ -79,23 +89,26 @@ The former national security adviser Robert McFarlane sued Ben-Menashe and the p
 [^2]: Emerson, Steven. "The Samson Option, by Seymour M. Hersh," *Commentary,* 1991. https://www.commentary.org/articles/steven-emerson/the-samson-option-by-seymour-m-hersh/
 [^3]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network.* Sheridan Square Press, 1992.
 [^4]: "Who is Ari Ben-Menashe, what is his track record as a source," *Factually,* 2025. https://factually.co/fact-checks/media/ari-ben-menashe-track-record-israeli-intelligence-source-epstein-claims-evaluation-ec9ba6
-[^5]: "Espionage: Con Man or Key to a Mystery?," *Time,* 1991. https://time.com/archive/6718038/espionage-con-man-or-key-to-a-mystery/
-[^6]: "2 Acquitted of Trying to Sell Military Cargo Planes to Iran," *The Washington Post,* 1990. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1990/11/29/2-acquitted-of-trying-to-sell-military-cargo-planes-to-iran/2918bfd6-89a7-441a-a124-3b1916e90321/
-[^7]: United States v. Menashe, 741 F. Supp. 1135 (S.D.N.Y. 1990).
-[^8]: "Probe by House finds no 'October surprise,'" *The Baltimore Sun,* 1993. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1993-01-13-1993013111-story.html
-[^9]: U.S. Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations. *The "October Surprise" Allegations and the Circumstances Surrounding the Release of the American Hostages Held in Iran: Report of the Special Counsel to Senator Terry Sanford and Senator James M. Jeffords,* S. Prt. 102-125, November 19, 1992, p. 113. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/pst.000021071829
-[^10]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro's Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal.* TrineDay, 2010, on Ben-Menashe's call to Bill Hamilton after Casolaro's death.
-[^11]: U.S. Department of Justice. *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of Inslaw, Inc.* March 1993, on the PROMIS affidavits, the "Milon" recantation, and the finding that Ben-Menashe's account offered no evidentiary support for the Inslaw allegations.
-[^12]: "Fact or fiction? The claims of Ari Ben-Menashe," *Green Left,* 1992. https://www.greenleft.org.au/1992/42/fact-or-fiction-claims-ari-ben-menashe
-[^13]: Pipes, Daniel. "Gideon's Spies by Gordon Thomas," *Commentary,* 1999. https://www.commentary.org/articles/daniel-pipes/gideons-spies-by-gordon-thomas/
-[^14]: Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General regarding the allegations of INSLAW, Inc. (March 1993), pp. 73-74.
-[^15]: *St. Louis Post-Dispatch*, February 19, 1991, "Stolen Software Scattered: Affidavits Allege Sales To Iraqis And Israelis," clipping in the INSLAW folder of the Casolaro papers, https://archive.org/download/casolaro-notebooks/InslawIi_djvu.txt. Sole source for the contents as reported there. Ben-Menashe's claim is kept as made.
-[^16]: U.S. Senate, Select Committee on Intelligence, *Nomination of Robert M. Gates to be Director of Central Intelligence*, S. Exec. Rept. 102-19 (October 24, 1991), sections 4 and 5, https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/sites-default-filesations-10219.pdf (PDF pages 185 to 187).
-[^17]: "No wrong-doing in Inslaw affair, report says," *UPI,* 1993. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/06/17/No-wrong-doing-in-Inslaw-affair-report-says/5482740289600/
-[^18]: "The Vanunu affair and the Sunday Mirror photograph," contemporaneous press reporting noting the photograph was taken by Sunday Times journalist Peter Hounam, undercutting Ben-Menashe's account.
-[^19]: "Former Israeli Spy Ari Ben-Menashe on Israel's Relationship with Epstein," *MintPress News,* 2019. https://www.mintpressnews.com/ari-ben-menashe-israel-relationship-jeffrey-epstein/263465/
-[^20]: "What did Ari Ben-Menashe claim about Jeffrey Epstein," *Factually,* 2025. https://factually.co/fact-checks/media/ari-ben-menashe-claims-jeffrey-epstein-mossad-d56c30
-[^21]: "The Man of Mystery Hustling Myanmar," *Washington Monthly,* 2021. https://washingtonmonthly.com/2021/03/13/the-man-of-mystery-hustling-myanmar/
-[^22]: "Tsvangirai acquitted of treason in Zimbabwe," *The Globe and Mail,* 2004. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/tsvangirai-acquitted-of-treason-in-zimbabwe/article18275151/
-[^23]: "The Curious Case of Bishkek's $1 Million Deal With Ex-Israeli Intelligence Worker," *Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,* 2021. https://www.rferl.org/a/the-curious-case-of-bishkek-s-1-million-deal-with-ex-israeli-intelligence-worker-/31033365.html
-[^24]: McFarlane v. Sheridan Square Press, Inc., 91 F.3d 1501 (D.C. Cir. 1996).
+[^5]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*, chapter 3, "Love in the Time of Revolution" ("August 15, 1977. How could I ever forget my first day in the External Relations Department"; four branches at p. 26; "Starting in late September 1977, I became a Middle East commuter"). New York: Sheridan Square Press, 1992; TrineDay reprint, 2015. Lending copy: https://archive.org/details/profitsofwarinsi0000benm
+[^6]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War*, TrineDay reprint, 2015, pp. 209-210 (index "Lavee, Shimon, 210").
+[^7]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War*, TrineDay reprint, 2015, text of the 1989 trial chapter ("Mr. Ari Ben-Menashe has served in the Israel Defense Forces External Relations Department in key positions") and appendix, letters of reference dated September 4, 6 and 14, 1987.
+[^8]: "Espionage: Con Man or Key to a Mystery?," *Time,* 1991. https://time.com/archive/6718038/espionage-con-man-or-key-to-a-mystery/
+[^9]: "2 Acquitted of Trying to Sell Military Cargo Planes to Iran," *The Washington Post,* 1990. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1990/11/29/2-acquitted-of-trying-to-sell-military-cargo-planes-to-iran/2918bfd6-89a7-441a-a124-3b1916e90321/
+[^10]: United States v. Menashe, 741 F. Supp. 1135 (S.D.N.Y. 1990).
+[^11]: "Probe by House finds no 'October surprise,'" *The Baltimore Sun,* 1993. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1993-01-13-1993013111-story.html
+[^12]: U.S. Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations. *The "October Surprise" Allegations and the Circumstances Surrounding the Release of the American Hostages Held in Iran: Report of the Special Counsel to Senator Terry Sanford and Senator James M. Jeffords,* S. Prt. 102-125, November 19, 1992, p. 113. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/pst.000021071829
+[^13]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro's Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal.* TrineDay, 2010, on Ben-Menashe's call to Bill Hamilton after Casolaro's death.
+[^14]: U.S. Department of Justice. *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of Inslaw, Inc.* March 1993, on the PROMIS affidavits, the "Milon" recantation, and the finding that Ben-Menashe's account offered no evidentiary support for the Inslaw allegations.
+[^15]: "Fact or fiction? The claims of Ari Ben-Menashe," *Green Left,* 1992. https://www.greenleft.org.au/1992/42/fact-or-fiction-claims-ari-ben-menashe
+[^16]: Pipes, Daniel. "Gideon's Spies by Gordon Thomas," *Commentary,* 1999. https://www.commentary.org/articles/daniel-pipes/gideons-spies-by-gordon-thomas/
+[^17]: Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General regarding the allegations of INSLAW, Inc. (March 1993), pp. 73-74.
+[^18]: *St. Louis Post-Dispatch*, February 19, 1991, "Stolen Software Scattered: Affidavits Allege Sales To Iraqis And Israelis," clipping in the INSLAW folder of the Casolaro papers, https://archive.org/download/casolaro-notebooks/InslawIi_djvu.txt.
+[^19]: U.S. Senate, Select Committee on Intelligence, *Nomination of Robert M. Gates to be Director of Central Intelligence*, S. Exec. Rept. 102-19 (October 24, 1991), sections 4 and 5, https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/sites-default-filesations-10219.pdf (PDF pages 185 to 187).
+[^20]: "No wrong-doing in Inslaw affair, report says," *UPI,* 1993. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/06/17/No-wrong-doing-in-Inslaw-affair-report-says/5482740289600/
+[^21]: "The Vanunu affair and the Sunday Mirror photograph," contemporaneous press reporting noting the photograph was taken by Sunday Times journalist Peter Hounam, undercutting Ben-Menashe's account.
+[^22]: "Former Israeli Spy Ari Ben-Menashe on Israel's Relationship with Epstein," *MintPress News,* 2019. https://www.mintpressnews.com/ari-ben-menashe-israel-relationship-jeffrey-epstein/263465/
+[^23]: "What did Ari Ben-Menashe claim about Jeffrey Epstein," *Factually,* 2025. https://factually.co/fact-checks/media/ari-ben-menashe-claims-jeffrey-epstein-mossad-d56c30
+[^24]: "The Man of Mystery Hustling Myanmar," *Washington Monthly,* 2021. https://washingtonmonthly.com/2021/03/13/the-man-of-mystery-hustling-myanmar/
+[^25]: "Tsvangirai acquitted of treason in Zimbabwe," *The Globe and Mail,* 2004. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/tsvangirai-acquitted-of-treason-in-zimbabwe/article18275151/
+[^26]: "The Curious Case of Bishkek's $1 Million Deal With Ex-Israeli Intelligence Worker," *Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty,* 2021. https://www.rferl.org/a/the-curious-case-of-bishkek-s-1-million-deal-with-ex-israeli-intelligence-worker-/31033365.html
+[^27]: McFarlane v. Sheridan Square Press, Inc., 91 F.3d 1501 (D.C. Cir. 1996).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Barbara
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Barbara
@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ summary: "Financial Times stringer in Peru who became involved in Ari Ben-Menash
 [[Barbara Durr|Durr]] accompanied [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] to [[Cangallo]] to secure the release of [[Cynthia McNamara]]. She was also present during [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] tense meeting with [[Carlos Cardoen]] in [[Chile]], where she was used as a veiled threat against [[Carlos Cardoen|Cardoen]] due to her journalistic connections.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Carlos
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Carlos
@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ The United States formally requested Cardoen's extradition in March 2019. The In

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
 [^2]: U.S. Senate, Select Committee on Intelligence, *Nomination of Robert M. Gates to be Director of Central Intelligence*, S. Exec. Rept. 102-19, 102d Cong., 1st sess. (October 24, 1991), section 5, https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/sites-default-filesations-10219.pdf (PDF pages 186 to 188).
 [^3]: *United States v. Cardoen*, 898 F. Supp. 1563 (S.D. Fla. 1995) (Highsmith, J.), No. 93-241-CR, reissued order on hearing under section 6 of the Classified Information Procedures Act (original order December 28, 1994), https://static.case.law/f-supp/898/cases/1563-01.json.
 [^4]: Friedman, Alan. *Spider's Web: The Secret History of How the White House Illegally Armed Iraq*. Bantam, 1993, pp. 46-54, 64.
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Faissal
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Faissal
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ summary: "In December 1980, Ghows delivered $56 million to Ari Ben-Menashe in Gu
 In December 1980, [[Faissal Ghows|Ghows]] delivered $56 million to [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] in [[Guatemala]]. This money was part of a deal arranged by the [[United States|Americans]] for the release of [[United States|American]] hostages in [[Iran]]. Of the total, $40 million was in bank checks drawn on [[Banque Worms]], and $16 million was in cash. [[Faissal Ghows|Ghows]] also provided withdrawal papers from [[Banque Worms]] to legitimize the transaction.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Frank
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Frank
@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ summary: "After Chevrier's fortunes changed and FXC International became a signi
 After [[Frank Chevrier|Chevrier]]'s fortunes changed and [[FXC International]] became a significant company, the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] approached him with the idea of opening an aircraft division. This division would allow [[FXC International]] to broker secret sales of aircraft around the world on behalf of the [[United States|U.S.]] government.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Fred
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Fred
@ -6,11 +6,18 @@ tags:
  - CIA
 summary: "Alvarez had been chosen to manage the Cabazon Casino shortly before his murder."
 ---
-[[Fred Alvarez]] was the former vice-chairman of the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation]]. He was a victim of an execution-style triple homicide on June 29, 1981, in Rancho Mirage, [[California]], along with his friends [[Ralph Boger]] and [[Patricia Castro]]. His murder occurred just six months before the murder of [[Paul Morasca]].[^1]
+[[Fred Alvarez]] was the former vice-chairman of the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation]]. He was a victim of an execution-style triple homicide in Rancho Mirage, [[California]], that [[Cheri Seymour]] dates to June 29, 1981, along with his friends [[Ralph Boger]] and [[Patricia Castro]]. His murder occurred just six months before the murder of [[Paul Morasca]].[^1]

-Alvarez had been chosen to manage the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation]] shortly before his murder. Reports related to the Alvarez triple-homicide, including those concerning "[[The Octopus]]", were later found in the "Paul Morasca Homicide Investigation File" in San Francisco, as the original Riverside files were missing.[^1]
+The Cabazon Indian Casino cardroom had been managed since September 1980 by [[Rocco Zangari]], under an agreement that the appellate panel described as appearing to be between Zangari and [[PN Associates, Inc.]], and that [[Arthur Welmas]] also signed. Zangari was discharged on November 5, 1981, according to the appellate panel, or on November 15, 1981, according to a January 1988 Press-Enterprise article.[^2][^3]
+
+A paper submitted by the California Attorney General's office to the Senate Special Committee on Investigations on February 8, 1989 states that in approximately May 1981 Alvarez, as tribal vice chairman and security chief at the Cabazon cardroom, began to doubt and publicly criticized the Cabazon management; that, according to his sister, he believed money was being skimmed from the cardroom and told local newspapers his life was in danger; that he was removed as vice chairman; and that he and two others decided to consult a lawyer about a suit to open the casino's books. It states that on July 2, 1981 Alvarez and two non-Indians were found dead, shot in the head with a .38 caliber revolver the evening before, and that the case was never solved.[^4]
+
+Alvarez had been chosen to manage the Cabazon Indian Reservation shortly before his murder. Reports related to the Alvarez triple-homicide, including those concerning "[[The Octopus]]", were later found in the "Paul Morasca Homicide Investigation File" in San Francisco, as the original Riverside files were missing.[^1]

 ---
 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.
+[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.
+[^2]: *Zangari v. Cabazon Indian Casino (In re Cabazon Indian Casino)*, 35 B.R. 124 (B.A.P. 9th Cir. December 29, 1983), BAP No. CC-82-1578-GVAb. https://static.case.law/br/35/cases/0124-01.json
+[^3]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), January 24, 1988, p. B-1, "Bingo profits rising as legal fight brews." Reprinted in FBI Los Angeles file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1, https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^4]: *Federal Government's Relationship with American Indians*, Hearings before the Special Committee on Investigations of the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, S. Hrg. 101-126, Part 2 (February 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1989), Robert Morehouse, "High Stakes Bingo on Indian Reservations in California," pp. 417 to 419. https://archive.org/details/micro_IA41152832_0182
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Gatsha
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Gatsha
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ location: "Mahlabathini, Natal, South Africa"
 Chief [[Gatsha Buthelezi]] was a figure in [[South Africa]] who led "black death squads" that were involved in violence against black revolutionary groups, including the [[African National Congress]]. This was part of an operation facilitated by the [[PROMIS]] software, which tracked dissidents and generated death lists. The term "Kushi kills Kushi" was used in [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence circles to describe these actions.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/George
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/George
@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ In February 1989, [[George Cave|Cave]] was spotted in [[Paraguay]] with [[Earl B
 [[George Cave|Cave]] was named as an enemy of the state by an [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence committee in March 1989, due to his involvement in supplying [[Iraq]] with chemical weapons and nuclear technology.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Gerald
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Gerald
@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Gerald Bull was named as an enemy of the state by an Israeli intelligence commit

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
 [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. _The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy_. Random House, 1991. Chapter 16.
 [^3]: Timmerman, Kenneth R. *The Death Lobby: How the West Armed Iraq*. Houghton Mifflin, 1991, pp. 96-97, 283-284, 298-299.
 [^4]: Friedman, Alan. *Spider's Web: The Secret History of How the White House Illegally Armed Iraq*. Bantam, 1993, pp. 78-79, 116, 250.
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Gourdji.md
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Gourdji.md
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ He established an import-export business in [[Iran]] with his brother and later
 He supported the [[Gahal]] (later the [[Likud Party]]), a merger of [[Menachem Begin|Menachem Begin's]] Herut Party and the [[Israel Liberal Party]], due to his view of the [[Labor Party]] as self-serving and intertwined with the [[United States|United States]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Henry
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Henry
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ location: "Vienna, Austria"
 [[Henry Grunwald]] was the editor-in-chief of *Time* magazine. He was responsible for vetoing the publication of [[Raji Samghabadi|Samghabadi's]] story detailing the [[Oliver North|North]]-[[Amiram Nir|Nir]] operation, which later became known as the [[Iran-Contra Affair]]. This decision was seen by some as an example of media control in the [[United States|U.S.]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Idi
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Idi
@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ location: "Koboko, Uganda"
 Relations between [[Israel]] and [[Uganda]] deteriorated after [[Muammar Qaddafi|Col. Muammar Qaddafi]] of [[Libya]] promised money to black [[Africa|African]] nations if they cut ties with [[Israel]]. Despite this, [[Idi Amin|Amin]] still wore the paratrooper's wings bestowed on him by the [[Israel|Israeli]] military during his training in [[Israel]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Ihsan
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Ihsan
@ -49,4 +49,4 @@ The former Israeli intelligence officer [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] is the only source f
 [^1]: TK-7 Corp. v. Estate of Barbouti, 993 F.2d 722 (10th Cir. 1993).
 [^2]: Barbouti v. Hearst Corp., 927 S.W.2d 37 (Tex. App. 1996), reproducing Urban, Jerry. "Letter triggers new probe of Barbouti," *Houston Chronicle,* February 21, 1992, and "Barbouti's son found liable in technology theft scheme," *Houston Chronicle,* March 6, 1992.
 [^3]: Timmerman, Kenneth R. *The Death Lobby: How the West Armed Iraq*. Houghton Mifflin, 1991, pp. 264-273, 296, and note at p. 412.
-[^4]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^4]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Jeffrey
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Jeffrey
@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ relations:
    with: "[[Gratitude America]]"
    start: 2012
    role: "private charity; paid Leon Botstein 37,500 dollars a quarter in 2016"
-    fn: 74
+    fn: 80
  - type: funded
    with: "[[Harvard University]]"
    start: 1998
@ -89,27 +89,27 @@ relations:
    with: "[[World Transhumanist Association]]"
    start: 2010
    role: "20,000 dollars"
-    fn: 64
+    fn: 70
  - type: funded
    with: "[[Machine Intelligence Research Institute]]"
    start: 2009
    role: "50,000 dollars to the Singularity Institute through the C.O.U.Q. Foundation"
-    fn: 64
+    fn: 70
  - type: appointed
    with: "[[Darren Indyke]]"
    start: 2019-08-08
    role: "co-executor under the will"
-    fn: 125
+    fn: 135
  - type: appointed
    with: "[[Richard Kahn]]"
    start: 2019-08-08
    role: "co-executor under the will"
-    fn: 125
+    fn: 135
  - type: appointed
    with: "[[Boris Nikolic]]"
    start: 2019-08-08
    role: "backup executor under the will"
-    fn: 125
+    fn: 135
  - type: investigated
    with: "[[Palm Beach Police Department]]"
    reverse: true
@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ relations:
    start: 2019
    end: 2019
    role: "United States v. Epstein, 19 Cr. 490"
-    fn: 116
+    fn: 126
  - type: represented
    with: "[[Jay Lefkowitz]]"
    reverse: true
@ -168,29 +168,35 @@ relations:
    reverse: true
    start: 2011
    end: 2019
-    fn: 90
+    fn: 96
  - type: represented
    with: "[[Reid Weingarten]]"
    reverse: true
    start: 2019
    end: 2019
-    fn: 117
+    fn: 127
  - type: represented
    with: "[[Marc Fernich]]"
    reverse: true
    start: 2019
    end: 2019
-    fn: 117
+    fn: 127
  - type: relative_of
    with: "[[Mark Epstein]]"
    role: "brother"
-    fn: 94
+    fn: 100
  - type: funded
    with: "[[New School for Social Research]]"
    start: 2014
    end: 2019
    role: "tuition and transfers paid from Epstein accounts, as recorded in Deutsche Bank statements and a Deutsche Bank exhibit"
-    fn: 153
+    fn: 118
+  - type: funded
+    with: "[[Stephen Kosslyn]]"
+    role: "research support, two gifts totaling $200,000 to Harvard for Kosslyn's research"
+    start: 1998
+    end: 2002
+    fn: 61
 created: 2026-06-18
 updated: 2026-10-09
 ---
@ -297,133 +303,139 @@ When Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the co-conspirator clause, the [[United States Co

 From the late 1990s Epstein financed and embedded himself in elite science through the literary agent John Brockman and his [[Edge Foundation]], whose annual "billionaires' dinner" Epstein attended and helped underwrite, and through targeted university gifts. He gave [[Harvard University]] 9,179,000 dollars between 1998 and 2007, of which 8,443,000 dollars came in 22 gifts before his 2006 arrest and 736,000 dollars came between the arrest and the 2008 conviction. The largest, 6.5 million dollars in 2003, established the [[Program for Evolutionary Dynamics]] under Martin Nowak, who gave Epstein an office and, according to Harvard's May 2020 internal review, key-card access and more than 40 visits after his 2008 conviction. The program's own original web text stated that it "was established in 2003 by Harvard University President [[Larry Summers|Lawrence H. Summers]] following an imaginative proposal by Jeffrey Epstein and [[Benedict Gross]]." Contemporary press reports described the gift as part of a 30 million dollar pledge; Harvard's review "found no Harvard record of such a pledge," and Epstein's own foundation website continued in 2020 to claim a 35 million dollar gift. Epstein had been admitted in September 2005 as a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Psychology on the recommendation of its chair, [[Stephen Kosslyn]], who had received 200,000 dollars from Epstein between 1998 and 2002 and did not disclose it.[^59][^60]

-Epstein cultivated scientists including Marvin Minsky of the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], the geneticist George Church, the physicist [[Lawrence Krauss]], and the cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. He funded Minsky's April 2002 St. Thomas Common Sense Symposium and a December 2011 conference, and in March 2006, four months before his indictment, the "Confronting Gravity" conference in St. Thomas organized by Krauss, with about twenty physicists including Stephen Hawking and three Nobel laureates, and a barbecue on Little St. James.[^18][^61][^62]
+Harvard's Office of the General Counsel found that the Kosslyn money was two gifts, in 1998 and 2002, totaling $200,000 "to support Kosslyn's research," and that Kosslyn recommended Epstein on September 2, 2005, writing "I have known Jeffrey for about nine years" and "He has been my only collaborator on this project (for some five years now, I believe)." The application was approved on September 3, 2005 and a second year on April 21, 2006. Kosslyn told the reviewers that Epstein "was barely ever around."[^61]

-After President [[Drew Faust]] barred further Epstein gifts no later than November 2008, donors Epstein introduced gave Harvard 9.5 million dollars between 2010 and 2015: 7.5 million dollars for Nowak's program (500,000 dollars from the [[Falconwood Foundation]] in 2010, and 7 million dollars from Leon Black, [[Debra Black]] and the [[Black Family Foundation]] in 2011, 2014 and 2015) and 2 million dollars from Black for Church. Epstein's accountant arranged gift letters permitting Nowak to spend the Black money on rent, and Harvard development staff thanked Epstein in December 2014 "for trying to expedite this gift." Epstein had been a trustee of the Black Family Foundation from 1997 until, according to Black's representative, July 2007; Black's representative told Harvard that "none of the funds were provided by Mr. Epstein." On October 16, 2015, an itinerary sent to Epstein for a Cambridge visit listed a 2 p.m. meeting at Nowak's institute with the Harvard mathematician [[Shing-Tung Yau]]; on October 20, 2015, the physicist [[Andrew Strominger]] wrote to Epstein that a Black Hole Center with [[Avi Loeb]] "needs a 50 million endowment," and on February 17, 2016, Yau asked Epstein's assistant whether Epstein's friends would fund a black hole center, which "will take twenty million dollars."[^63] Black also gave 2 million dollars to Krauss's Origins Project at [[Arizona State University]] in 2014 and 2015, where one accounting entry listed Epstein's employer as "Leon D. Black, [[Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation|Enhanced Education]]," and, by the account of internal [[MIT Media Lab]] emails, 5.5 million dollars to the Media Lab in 2014 at Epstein's direction.[^59][^64][^65][^66]
+[[Minerva Project]] announced Kosslyn as its Founding Dean on March 12, 2013, and Epstein corresponded with him and with the company's executives in 2013 and 2014. Epstein's scheduler Lesley Groff arranged a February 22, 2013 lunch that the schedule lists as "12:00pm Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn, Ben Nelson and Senator Bob Kerrey."[^62] On February 23, 2013 Kosslyn wrote that he was "absolutely torn by the situation" about a position with the company, and Epstein replied: "i see little downside , in taking it, but having all the money you need up front."[^63]

-Epstein's interest in genetics and population converged with a stated ambition to spread his own DNA. The 2019 New York Times report documented that he told scientists of plans to impregnate women at Zorro Ranch to seed the human race with his genome, and that he was drawn to [[transhumanism]] and [[eugenics]]. In 2010, after his conviction, Epstein gave 20,000 dollars to the [[World Transhumanist Association]] (Humanity+), and in 2009 his C.O.U.Q. Foundation gave 50,000 dollars to the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, now the [[Machine Intelligence Research Institute]]. In 2014 he and Church formed an investment company, Georgarage, incorporated in Delaware by Darren Indyke, after Church sent Epstein a ten-stage, 10 million dollar investment plan that included "Supercentenarianstudy.com," reversing aging and "cold-resistant elephants." Epstein discussed Georgarage stakes in the xenotransplant company eGenesis, the gene-editing company Androcyte (where, its founder said, Epstein proposed becoming board chairman), and a California sequencing firm; no investment was completed. Androcyte's assets passed in 2017 to BetterHumans, which describes itself as "the world's first specifically-transhumanist bio-medical research organization." In 2013 Epstein's cells were sampled into Church's Personal Genome Project and cell lines were created, over staff objections to an attempt to expedite his sample. After his 2019 arrest, Church apologized for continued contact.[^18][^64][^67][^68]
+On September 15, 2014 Epstein wrote to Kosslyn that [[Bob Kerrey]] "did say you had rasied 100 m with the condition that if students didn't come the money would be returned" (sic throughout). Kosslyn replied: "I know nothing about that condition, and have no idea where he got that idea.. But maybe he knows something I don't know."[^64] On September 16, 2014 Kerrey wrote that the company "will return unspent money from the second round if we fail to recruit at the standard we have set."[^65] Form D filings of the company record a first sale on October 14, 2014 and an offering of $78,600,000.[^66]

-Epstein's publicists worked to attach his name to the institutions he funded. In mid-2013 his publicist asked Nowak's program for links because "a link on Harvard's network would be very helpful," and in 2014 obtained a "Friends" page on the program's website on which Epstein was the only entry, because "it would be very helpful in terms of Google results if his name were attached to a Harvard.edu url." In a 2012 email a person whose name is redacted in the Justice Department release told Epstein that press releases about Nowak's work had been placed with major outlets, with more planned on Church and others, in an effort to push "the bad stuff" off the first page of search results; Epstein replied that "ther[e] should be an article a day or every two days." In 2015 an Epstein foundation letter falsely told the [[John Templeton Foundation]] that Enhanced Education had funded Nowak's program since 2003, securing matching conditions for a 1.5 million dollar grant; Harvard's review found that Nowak and his administrator "provided false information."[^59][^67]
+Epstein cultivated scientists including Marvin Minsky of the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], the geneticist George Church, the physicist [[Lawrence Krauss]], and the cognitive scientist Steven Pinker. He funded Minsky's April 2002 St. Thomas Common Sense Symposium and a December 2011 conference, and in March 2006, four months before his indictment, the "Confronting Gravity" conference in St. Thomas organized by Krauss, with about twenty physicists including Stephen Hawking and three Nobel laureates, and a barbecue on Little St. James.[^18][^67][^68]

-The MIT Media Lab director [[Joi Ito]] resigned on September 7, 2019 over revelations, reported by [[Ronan Farrow]], that the lab had concealed Epstein's donations. Farrow reported, citing internal documents and the former development associate [[Signe Swenson]], that Epstein was listed as "disqualified" in MIT's donor database and that the Media Lab recorded his gifts as anonymous. MIT's investigators at [[Goodwin Procter]] wrote that "neither Epstein nor his foundations was ever coded as 'disqualified,'" a code it said denotes dormant donors, while confirming that MIT's senior team (General Counsel R. Gregory Morgan, Vice President Jeffrey Newton and Treasurer Israel Ruiz) approved the anonymous-gift framework in June 2013: "We do not want his name appearing on any list of supporters or donors in any form."[^65][^69]
+After President [[Drew Faust]] barred further Epstein gifts no later than November 2008, donors Epstein introduced gave Harvard 9.5 million dollars between 2010 and 2015: 7.5 million dollars for Nowak's program (500,000 dollars from the [[Falconwood Foundation]] in 2010, and 7 million dollars from Leon Black, [[Debra Black]] and the [[Black Family Foundation]] in 2011, 2014 and 2015) and 2 million dollars from Black for Church. Epstein's accountant arranged gift letters permitting Nowak to spend the Black money on rent, and Harvard development staff thanked Epstein in December 2014 "for trying to expedite this gift." Epstein had been a trustee of the Black Family Foundation from 1997 until, according to Black's representative, July 2007; Black's representative told Harvard that "none of the funds were provided by Mr. Epstein." On October 16, 2015, an itinerary sent to Epstein for a Cambridge visit listed a 2 p.m. meeting at Nowak's institute with the Harvard mathematician [[Shing-Tung Yau]]; on October 20, 2015, the physicist [[Andrew Strominger]] wrote to Epstein that a Black Hole Center with [[Avi Loeb]] "needs a 50 million endowment," and on February 17, 2016, Yau asked Epstein's assistant whether Epstein's friends would fund a black hole center, which "will take twenty million dollars."[^69] Black also gave 2 million dollars to Krauss's Origins Project at [[Arizona State University]] in 2014 and 2015, where one accounting entry listed Epstein's employer as "Leon D. Black, [[Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation|Enhanced Education]]," and, by the account of internal [[MIT Media Lab]] emails, 5.5 million dollars to the Media Lab in 2014 at Epstein's direction.[^59][^70][^71][^72]
+
+Epstein's interest in genetics and population converged with a stated ambition to spread his own DNA. The 2019 New York Times report documented that he told scientists of plans to impregnate women at Zorro Ranch to seed the human race with his genome, and that he was drawn to [[transhumanism]] and [[eugenics]]. In 2010, after his conviction, Epstein gave 20,000 dollars to the [[World Transhumanist Association]] (Humanity+), and in 2009 his C.O.U.Q. Foundation gave 50,000 dollars to the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, now the [[Machine Intelligence Research Institute]]. In 2014 he and Church formed an investment company, Georgarage, incorporated in Delaware by Darren Indyke, after Church sent Epstein a ten-stage, 10 million dollar investment plan that included "Supercentenarianstudy.com," reversing aging and "cold-resistant elephants." Epstein discussed Georgarage stakes in the xenotransplant company eGenesis, the gene-editing company Androcyte (where, its founder said, Epstein proposed becoming board chairman), and a California sequencing firm; no investment was completed. Androcyte's assets passed in 2017 to BetterHumans, which describes itself as "the world's first specifically-transhumanist bio-medical research organization." In 2013 Epstein's cells were sampled into Church's Personal Genome Project and cell lines were created, over staff objections to an attempt to expedite his sample. After his 2019 arrest, Church apologized for continued contact.[^18][^70][^73][^74]
+
+Epstein's publicists worked to attach his name to the institutions he funded. In mid-2013 his publicist asked Nowak's program for links because "a link on Harvard's network would be very helpful," and in 2014 obtained a "Friends" page on the program's website on which Epstein was the only entry, because "it would be very helpful in terms of Google results if his name were attached to a Harvard.edu url." In a 2012 email a person whose name is redacted in the Justice Department release told Epstein that press releases about Nowak's work had been placed with major outlets, with more planned on Church and others, in an effort to push "the bad stuff" off the first page of search results; Epstein replied that "ther[e] should be an article a day or every two days." In 2015 an Epstein foundation letter falsely told the [[John Templeton Foundation]] that Enhanced Education had funded Nowak's program since 2003, securing matching conditions for a 1.5 million dollar grant; Harvard's review found that Nowak and his administrator "provided false information."[^59][^73]
+
+The MIT Media Lab director [[Joi Ito]] resigned on September 7, 2019 over revelations, reported by [[Ronan Farrow]], that the lab had concealed Epstein's donations. Farrow reported, citing internal documents and the former development associate [[Signe Swenson]], that Epstein was listed as "disqualified" in MIT's donor database and that the Media Lab recorded his gifts as anonymous. MIT's investigators at [[Goodwin Procter]] wrote that "neither Epstein nor his foundations was ever coded as 'disqualified,'" a code it said denotes dormant donors, while confirming that MIT's senior team (General Counsel R. Gregory Morgan, Vice President Jeffrey Newton and Treasurer Israel Ruiz) approved the anonymous-gift framework in June 2013: "We do not want his name appearing on any list of supporters or donors in any form."[^71][^75]

 ### The Post-Conviction Network

-After the 2008 plea Epstein rebuilt his social and business standing and continued to broker access among the wealthy and powerful. On December 2, 2010, seventeen months after his release, he hosted a small dinner for Prince Andrew, who was staying at the Manhattan house; the publicist [[Peggy Siegal]] organized it and listed the guests as Andrew, [[Woody Allen]] and [[Soon-Yi Previn]], [[Katie Couric]] and [[George Stephanopoulos]], describing the house as "one [of] the largest single dwellings in New York."[^70]
+After the 2008 plea Epstein rebuilt his social and business standing and continued to broker access among the wealthy and powerful. On December 2, 2010, seventeen months after his release, he hosted a small dinner for Prince Andrew, who was staying at the Manhattan house; the publicist [[Peggy Siegal]] organized it and listed the guests as Andrew, [[Woody Allen]] and [[Soon-Yi Previn]], [[Katie Couric]] and [[George Stephanopoulos]], describing the house as "one [of] the largest single dwellings in New York."[^76]

-The [[Wall Street Journal]] reporting on his recovered calendars documented post-conviction meetings with [[Noam Chomsky]], [[Kathryn Ruemmler]], Tom Pritzker and William Burns. Burns met Epstein three times in 2014 while serving as [[Deputy Secretary of State]]; the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] spokeswoman [[Tammy Kupperman Thorp]] said in 2023 that Burns remembered "meeting Epstein once briefly in New York." Ruemmler, the [[Barack Obama]] administration's [[White House Counsel]] from 2011 to 2014, had more than three dozen appointments with Epstein between 2014 and 2019; Epstein's staff asked him twice whether young women should be kept out of the townhouse while she was there. On January 8, 2015 she wrote to Epstein: "John Brennan gave me the CIA Agency Medal (the CIA's highest award) this morning. How cool is that?" Ruemmler told the Journal: "I regret ever knowing Jeffrey Epstein." Chomsky had 270,000 dollars moved through Epstein's office.[^71][^72][^73]
+The [[Wall Street Journal]] reporting on his recovered calendars documented post-conviction meetings with [[Noam Chomsky]], [[Kathryn Ruemmler]], Tom Pritzker and William Burns. Burns met Epstein three times in 2014 while serving as [[Deputy Secretary of State]]; the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] spokeswoman [[Tammy Kupperman Thorp]] said in 2023 that Burns remembered "meeting Epstein once briefly in New York." Ruemmler, the [[Barack Obama]] administration's [[White House Counsel]] from 2011 to 2014, had more than three dozen appointments with Epstein between 2014 and 2019; Epstein's staff asked him twice whether young women should be kept out of the townhouse while she was there. On January 8, 2015 she wrote to Epstein: "John Brennan gave me the CIA Agency Medal (the CIA's highest award) this morning. How cool is that?" Ruemmler told the Journal: "I regret ever knowing Jeffrey Epstein." Chomsky had 270,000 dollars moved through Epstein's office.[^77][^78][^79]

-Epstein's charity [[Gratitude America]], whose operating account was at [[Deutsche Bank]] Trust Company Americas, paid the president of [[Bard College]], [[Leon Botstein]], in quarterly checks; one dated August 1, 2016, for 37,500 dollars payable to "Leon Botstein," bears the memo "3rd Quarterly Payment of 4." Deutsche Bank later produced the check images to federal prosecutors in New York. Bard said the 150,000 dollars was compensation for a year on the foundation's board as a music expert, and Botstein said he gave it to the college as part of a one million dollar gift that year: "I didn't benefit personally at all."[^74]
+Epstein's charity [[Gratitude America]], whose operating account was at [[Deutsche Bank]] Trust Company Americas, paid the president of [[Bard College]], [[Leon Botstein]], in quarterly checks; one dated August 1, 2016, for 37,500 dollars payable to "Leon Botstein," bears the memo "3rd Quarterly Payment of 4." Deutsche Bank later produced the check images to federal prosecutors in New York. Bard said the 150,000 dollars was compensation for a year on the foundation's board as a music expert, and Botstein said he gave it to the college as part of a one million dollar gift that year: "I didn't benefit personally at all."[^80]

-In an iMessage exchange of August 23, 2018 exported from a device whose owner's name is redacted, the contact saved as "Steve Bannon" wrote, "Do u have access that's not the front door," adding that "they have 24/7 surveillance on u," and, asked who was watching, "Don't know but real folks costing lot of coin." The account holder proposed meeting at "301 East 66," adding "I don't like he regency as it is totally wired" and "There is also a rear entrance on 67"; that evening he wrote, "Your girlfriend Ruemmler is coming over," proposed "a private screening of dharma for the power players. . . . Non of my fingerprints," referring to [[Errol Morris]]'s documentary on Bannon, and later wrote: "your girlfriend is outraged. . I suggested to her he pardon everyone, say this is not good for the country , and then fake the heart attack." [[Steve Bannon]] confirmed to the New York Times in 2021 that he had recorded more than 15 hours of interviews with Epstein for a documentary that was never released.[^75]
+In an iMessage exchange of August 23, 2018 exported from a device whose owner's name is redacted, the contact saved as "Steve Bannon" wrote, "Do u have access that's not the front door," adding that "they have 24/7 surveillance on u," and, asked who was watching, "Don't know but real folks costing lot of coin." The account holder proposed meeting at "301 East 66," adding "I don't like he regency as it is totally wired" and "There is also a rear entrance on 67"; that evening he wrote, "Your girlfriend Ruemmler is coming over," proposed "a private screening of dharma for the power players. . . . Non of my fingerprints," referring to [[Errol Morris]]'s documentary on Bannon, and later wrote: "your girlfriend is outraged. . I suggested to her he pardon everyone, say this is not good for the country , and then fake the heart attack." [[Steve Bannon]] confirmed to the New York Times in 2021 that he had recorded more than 15 hours of interviews with Epstein for a documentary that was never released.[^81]

-On August 8, 2016, in reply to Epstein's question "who attends," Pritzker sent him the membership of the [[Aspen Strategy Group]]: "Nye, Scowcroft and Nick Burns run it (Scowcroft being replaced by Condi). Members include Patraeus, Albright, Slaughter, Donalon (Obama [[NSA]]), Hadley (Bush NSA), Sullivan (NSA Hillary), Bill Burns (State #2), Kurt Campbell, Hoss Carwright (#2 Jt Chiefs), Harman, Ignatius, Sanger, Nunn, Reed, Sawers (MI6), Sherman (iran deal), Work (current #2 DoD). It seems to now be taking on an aura." [[John Sawers]] had been chief of MI6.[^76]
+On August 8, 2016, in reply to Epstein's question "who attends," Pritzker sent him the membership of the [[Aspen Strategy Group]]: "Nye, Scowcroft and Nick Burns run it (Scowcroft being replaced by Condi). Members include Patraeus, Albright, Slaughter, Donalon (Obama [[NSA]]), Hadley (Bush NSA), Sullivan (NSA Hillary), Bill Burns (State #2), Kurt Campbell, Hoss Carwright (#2 Jt Chiefs), Harman, Ignatius, Sanger, Nunn, Reed, Sawers (MI6), Sherman (iran deal), Work (current #2 DoD). It seems to now be taking on an aura." [[John Sawers]] had been chief of MI6.[^82]

-Justice Department releases record a dinner on August 2, 2015 at the Baume restaurant in [[Palo Alto]], which the organizers bought out, whose confirmed attendees were [[Ed Boyden]], Reid Hoffman, Mark Zuckerberg, [[Priscilla Chan]], Peter Thiel, Epstein, Elon Musk and Joi Ito. On August 12, 2010 a correspondent whose name is redacted asked Epstein for "suggestions for an old guy. super smart / well connected that wants to continue legacy of 'old school' secret society?"; on February 6, 2016 Epstein wrote to another redacted correspondent that "peter thiel LOVED the secret socieity idea. . he has done alot of work on the concept. all failed so far," and received the reply ":-) let's do it."[^77][^78]
+Justice Department releases record a dinner on August 2, 2015 at the Baume restaurant in [[Palo Alto]], which the organizers bought out, whose confirmed attendees were [[Ed Boyden]], Reid Hoffman, Mark Zuckerberg, [[Priscilla Chan]], Peter Thiel, Epstein, Elon Musk and Joi Ito. On August 12, 2010 a correspondent whose name is redacted asked Epstein for "suggestions for an old guy. super smart / well connected that wants to continue legacy of 'old school' secret society?"; on February 6, 2016 Epstein wrote to another redacted correspondent that "peter thiel LOVED the secret socieity idea. . he has done alot of work on the concept. all failed so far," and received the reply ":-) let's do it."[^83][^84]

-JPMorgan records produced in the Virgin Islands case show Epstein arranging introductions for [[Jes Staley]] to Ehud Barak, [[Peter Mandelson]] and Bill Gates, and referring Pritzker to the bank; in January 2008, months before Epstein's plea, Staley had his assistant arrange a meeting between Barak and JPMorgan executives through [[Jamie Dimon]]'s office. Epstein arranged two consulting arrangements for Larry Summers from 2013, a paid advisory seat with the Mongolian president's office worth up to 100,000 dollars a year and a Kazakhstan economic-policy engagement for which Epstein proposed "3-5 million per year"; Summers formed LHSummers Economic Consulting LLC two months after Epstein raised the idea, and an Epstein foundation paid 14,000 dollars for his 2014 first-class airfare to Kazakhstan.[^12][^43][^79]
+JPMorgan records produced in the Virgin Islands case show Epstein arranging introductions for [[Jes Staley]] to Ehud Barak, [[Peter Mandelson]] and Bill Gates, and referring Pritzker to the bank; in January 2008, months before Epstein's plea, Staley had his assistant arrange a meeting between Barak and JPMorgan executives through [[Jamie Dimon]]'s office. Epstein arranged two consulting arrangements for Larry Summers from 2013, a paid advisory seat with the Mongolian president's office worth up to 100,000 dollars a year and a Kazakhstan economic-policy engagement for which Epstein proposed "3-5 million per year"; Summers formed LHSummers Economic Consulting LLC two months after Epstein raised the idea, and an Epstein foundation paid 14,000 dollars for his 2014 first-class airfare to Kazakhstan.[^12][^43][^85]

-Howard Lutnick, who in 1998 bought 11 East 71st Street from an entity that had bought it from Epstein in 1996, signed an investment contract in the advertising company Adfin four days after a December 24, 2012 lunch on Little St. James, with Epstein signing for [[Southern Trust Company]]. A calendar alert of December 20, 2012 asked: "can Howard Lutnick do lunch Sat or Sun on JE's island?" In October 2025 Lutnick said he had cut ties with Epstein in 2005. An FBI Guardian complaint form dated April 23, 2021 and filed under the Epstein child-sex-trafficking case number records an October 2020 call from a caller describing himself as a former Cantor Fitzgerald compliance employee, who alleged money laundering by Lutnick through [[BGC Partners|BGC Financial]] and [[Cantor Fitzgerald]], claimed to hold documents linking Lutnick to Epstein and Maxwell, and alleged that "Epstein also sold Lutnick a house for $10 dollars through a trust fund." The FBI's own database query for Lutnick returned 26 results in New York case files, including a closed money-laundering case and a RICO real-estate control file, and three suspicious activity reports; the form notes that "queries were not conducted on Epstein and Maxwell due to the sensitive nature of the case." The caller's allegations are recorded in the form as his statements, without findings.[^80][^81]
+Howard Lutnick, who in 1998 bought 11 East 71st Street from an entity that had bought it from Epstein in 1996, signed an investment contract in the advertising company Adfin four days after a December 24, 2012 lunch on Little St. James, with Epstein signing for [[Southern Trust Company]]. A calendar alert of December 20, 2012 asked: "can Howard Lutnick do lunch Sat or Sun on JE's island?" In October 2025 Lutnick said he had cut ties with Epstein in 2005. An FBI Guardian complaint form dated April 23, 2021 and filed under the Epstein child-sex-trafficking case number records an October 2020 call from a caller describing himself as a former Cantor Fitzgerald compliance employee, who alleged money laundering by Lutnick through [[BGC Partners|BGC Financial]] and [[Cantor Fitzgerald]], claimed to hold documents linking Lutnick to Epstein and Maxwell, and alleged that "Epstein also sold Lutnick a house for $10 dollars through a trust fund." The FBI's own database query for Lutnick returned 26 results in New York case files, including a closed money-laundering case and a RICO real-estate control file, and three suspicious activity reports; the form notes that "queries were not conducted on Epstein and Maxwell due to the sensitive nature of the case." The caller's allegations are recorded in the form as his statements, without findings.[^86][^87]

-The political relationships were older and equally documented. Bill Clinton flew on the 727 more than two dozen times in the early 2000s, including a 2002 trip to Africa connected to the [[Clinton Foundation]], while denying any knowledge of Epstein's crimes or any visit to Little St. James. Prince Andrew, the [[Duke of York]], was photographed with Virginia Giuffre in 2001, settled her 2021 civil suit for a reported sum in 2022 without admitting liability, and was stripped of his royal and military titles between 2022 and 2025; an FBI New York email of June 8, 2020 asked about the status of the "MLAT request for Prince Andrew." Donald Trump socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before a falling out, a relationship documented in flight logs, contemporaneous quotes, and a disputed 2003 birthday letter.[^71][^82][^83]
+The political relationships were older and equally documented. Bill Clinton flew on the 727 more than two dozen times in the early 2000s, including a 2002 trip to Africa connected to the [[Clinton Foundation]], while denying any knowledge of Epstein's crimes or any visit to Little St. James. Prince Andrew, the [[Duke of York]], was photographed with Virginia Giuffre in 2001, settled her 2021 civil suit for a reported sum in 2022 without admitting liability, and was stripped of his royal and military titles between 2022 and 2025; an FBI New York email of June 8, 2020 asked about the status of the "MLAT request for Prince Andrew." Donald Trump socialized with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before a falling out, a relationship documented in flight logs, contemporaneous quotes, and a disputed 2003 birthday letter.[^77][^88][^89]

 ### Carbyne and Ehud Barak

-Epstein invested in the Israeli emergency-response company Reporty Homeland Security, renamed Carbyne in 2018 and chaired by Ehud Barak, through SUM (E.B.) Limited Partnership, whose general partner was Ergo (E.B. 2014) Ltd. In February 2019 SUM held warrants to buy 61,251 more preferred shares for 3.5 million dollars, raising its stake "from about 13% to about 26.33%, on a fully diluted basis"; the exercise was funded by Southern Trust (2.4 million dollars) and [[NJF Capital]], formerly Montilla International Corporation (1.2 million dollars), and wired through [[Bank Leumi]]. When the bank's anti-money-laundering review asked for the "controlling person" of the limited partners, Indyke asked Epstein on March 14, 2019 whether he could confirm that Epstein was the controlling person of Southern Trust, and Epstein replied "Yes." Barak wrote to Epstein on March 11 that the disclosure demands reflected "the Israeli banks paranoia after they paid the penalties they've paid to the US authorities for past mistakes," adding: "According to our experience it was never leaked out of the banks. Just kept with them as an insurance policy."[^84]
+Epstein invested in the Israeli emergency-response company Reporty Homeland Security, renamed Carbyne in 2018 and chaired by Ehud Barak, through SUM (E.B.) Limited Partnership, whose general partner was Ergo (E.B. 2014) Ltd. In February 2019 SUM held warrants to buy 61,251 more preferred shares for 3.5 million dollars, raising its stake "from about 13% to about 26.33%, on a fully diluted basis"; the exercise was funded by Southern Trust (2.4 million dollars) and [[NJF Capital]], formerly Montilla International Corporation (1.2 million dollars), and wired through [[Bank Leumi]]. When the bank's anti-money-laundering review asked for the "controlling person" of the limited partners, Indyke asked Epstein on March 14, 2019 whether he could confirm that Epstein was the controlling person of Southern Trust, and Epstein replied "Yes." Barak wrote to Epstein on March 11 that the disclosure demands reflected "the Israeli banks paranoia after they paid the penalties they've paid to the US authorities for past mistakes," adding: "According to our experience it was never leaked out of the banks. Just kept with them as an insurance policy."[^90]

-On January 1, 2019, with Epstein copied, Barak sent [[Jabor Al Thani]] a presentation of Carbyne, "public safety company of which I'm the chairman and leading investor," for the security of the 2022 World Cup in [[Qatar]]: "We can work through a European company of your choice and minimize Israeli profile." Jabor Al Thani asked for help with "any anti-drone services or technologies" and named the country manager of a Qatari security services company as his contact; Barak made Carbyne's chief executive, [[Amir Elichai]], the point of contact. On May 21, 2018 Epstein had written to Peter Thiel: "FYI trae is meeting carbyne Ehud Barak co." In February 2019 [[Nicole Junkermann]], a co-investor, wrote to Epstein that "Carbyne invested 1.5 m (1m you and 0.5m me) net of fees is 3.9m your share, Ehud carry 1.5 m and my share 2m," in a message that also concerned a separate "China" matter which she asked whether Barak could help with.[^85][^86][^87]
+On January 1, 2019, with Epstein copied, Barak sent [[Jabor Al Thani]] a presentation of Carbyne, "public safety company of which I'm the chairman and leading investor," for the security of the 2022 World Cup in [[Qatar]]: "We can work through a European company of your choice and minimize Israeli profile." Jabor Al Thani asked for help with "any anti-drone services or technologies" and named the country manager of a Qatari security services company as his contact; Barak made Carbyne's chief executive, [[Amir Elichai]], the point of contact. On May 21, 2018 Epstein had written to Peter Thiel: "FYI trae is meeting carbyne Ehud Barak co." In February 2019 [[Nicole Junkermann]], a co-investor, wrote to Epstein that "Carbyne invested 1.5 m (1m you and 0.5m me) net of fees is 3.9m your share, Ehud carry 1.5 m and my share 2m," in a message that also concerned a separate "China" matter which she asked whether Barak could help with.[^91][^92][^93]

 On November 8, 2017, as reporting broke on the lawyer [[David Boies]]'s use of former Israeli intelligence operatives, Epstein wrote to Barak: "boies said he got to the mossad guys through you? true?" and then, "Did Boies ask you to help Obtain former mossad agents to do dirty investigations. ? this is getting a lot of press." Barak replied the next morning: "Call me.. [redacted] in Paris." Barak said in February 2026: "I regret meeting him."[^14][^16]

 ### Vitaly Churkin

-Epstein's iMessage exchanges with Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the [[United Nations]], run from November 2015 to January 10, 2017. Epstein wrote in December 2015 "Oil now at the 36 $ level I suggested," and in February 2016 "Good work on Syria , markets will continue bad." He offered Churkin meals with Barak and Summers, introduced "my very close friend Tom Pritzker," and mentioned that "thorbjorn jagland will be staying with me," a reference to [[Thorbjørn Jagland]], then Secretary General of the [[Council of Europe]]. He arranged work for Churkin's son: "Any maxim help is confidential," then "First job confirmed to start day after Labor Day," and later "Maxim is scoring good grades . Thought u should know." On August 29, 2016 Epstein hosted a lunch for Barak, [[Tom Barrack]] and Churkin. Their last exchange arranged a lunch on January 10, 2017. Churkin died in New York on February 20, 2017; Epstein's office scheduled calls and a meeting with his son through August 2017.[^88]
+Epstein's iMessage exchanges with Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Permanent Representative to the [[United Nations]], run from November 2015 to January 10, 2017. Epstein wrote in December 2015 "Oil now at the 36 $ level I suggested," and in February 2016 "Good work on Syria , markets will continue bad." He offered Churkin meals with Barak and Summers, introduced "my very close friend Tom Pritzker," and mentioned that "thorbjorn jagland will be staying with me," a reference to [[Thorbjørn Jagland]], then Secretary General of the [[Council of Europe]]. He arranged work for Churkin's son: "Any maxim help is confidential," then "First job confirmed to start day after Labor Day," and later "Maxim is scoring good grades . Thought u should know." On August 29, 2016 Epstein hosted a lunch for Barak, [[Tom Barrack]] and Churkin. Their last exchange arranged a lunch on January 10, 2017. Churkin died in New York on February 20, 2017; Epstein's office scheduled calls and a meeting with his son through August 2017.[^94]

 ### The Intelligence and Blackmail Question

-The recurring claim that Epstein's operation served an intelligence or blackmail function rests on several documented strands and one contested central assertion. The documented strands include Ghislaine Maxwell's intelligence-linked paternity; Epstein's investment with Barak in Carbyne and his attempts to connect Barak with Peter Thiel over [[Palantir Technologies|Palantir]]; the instrumentation of his properties with cameras; and the 2019 search of the townhouse, which recovered a safe containing compact discs, cash, diamonds, and an expired foreign passport with Epstein's photograph under another name. The contested central assertion is the claim, attributed by Vicky Ward to a former senior [[White House]] official, that Acosta had told Trump transition vetters he was given to understand Epstein "belonged to intelligence" and to leave the case alone.[^54][^71]
+The recurring claim that Epstein's operation served an intelligence or blackmail function rests on several documented strands and one contested central assertion. The documented strands include Ghislaine Maxwell's intelligence-linked paternity; Epstein's investment with Barak in Carbyne and his attempts to connect Barak with Peter Thiel over [[Palantir Technologies|Palantir]]; the instrumentation of his properties with cameras; and the 2019 search of the townhouse, which recovered a safe containing compact discs, cash, diamonds, and an expired foreign passport with Epstein's photograph under another name. The contested central assertion is the claim, attributed by Vicky Ward to a former senior [[White House]] official, that Acosta had told Trump transition vetters he was given to understand Epstein "belonged to intelligence" and to leave the case alone.[^54][^77]

-Acosta denied the account in a voluntary transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee on September 19, 2025, saying he had no knowledge of whether Epstein was connected to any intelligence service. The "belonged to intelligence" quote traces to a single anonymous source. William Barr, Attorney General at the time of Epstein's 2019 arrest and death, was asked about the account in an August 18, 2025 deposition before the committee and answered that he knew of it only from "what's ever been reported in articles over the years." He said he had "no reason to believe he was working for the CIA or any intelligence agency, and I'm dubious about claims like that," answered "No" when asked whether Epstein had been an employee, asset, or informant of any foreign service, and said that "if he was an American asset, as opposed to some businessman who shares stuff with the government, I would've heard about it from the intelligence agency." No declassified document confirms that Epstein worked for any agency of any country.[^54][^89]
+Acosta denied the account in a voluntary transcribed interview with the House Oversight Committee on September 19, 2025, saying he had no knowledge of whether Epstein was connected to any intelligence service. The "belonged to intelligence" quote traces to a single anonymous source. William Barr, Attorney General at the time of Epstein's 2019 arrest and death, was asked about the account in an August 18, 2025 deposition before the committee and answered that he knew of it only from "what's ever been reported in articles over the years." He said he had "no reason to believe he was working for the CIA or any intelligence agency, and I'm dubious about claims like that," answered "No" when asked whether Epstein had been an employee, asset, or informant of any foreign service, and said that "if he was an American asset, as opposed to some businessman who shares stuff with the government, I would've heard about it from the intelligence agency." No declassified document confirms that Epstein worked for any agency of any country.[^54][^95]

-In July 2011 Epstein, through his lawyer [[Martin Weinberg]], had Privacy Act requests pending with both the FBI and the CIA for whatever records the agencies held on him. Weinberg wrote to him on July 18, 2011: "we filled out fbi privacy waiver with VI address last year, we filed CIA [[Freedom of Information Act|FOIA]] - they have it - we need a separate privacy waiver signed in 2011 for them to fully process."[^90]
+In July 2011 Epstein, through his lawyer [[Martin Weinberg]], had Privacy Act requests pending with both the FBI and the CIA for whatever records the agencies held on him. Weinberg wrote to him on July 18, 2011: "we filled out fbi privacy waiver with VI address last year, we filed CIA [[Freedom of Information Act|FOIA]] - they have it - we need a separate privacy waiver signed in 2011 for them to fully process."[^96]

-The earliest known report to law enforcement came on August 29, 1996, when Maria Farmer reported to the [[New York City Police Department|NYPD]]'s Sixth Precinct (complaint No. 1996-0067241, recording that Epstein "did call her and stated he was going to burn victim's painting" and "has keys to victim's apartment") and then by telephone to the FBI. She alleges that she told the Bureau of the recording devices and monitoring equipment Epstein had shown her at the New York house and of a "modeling book" of apparently underage girls kept in his safe, which Maxwell said was used in connection with Victoria's Secret; that she had been assaulted at Epstein's house in [[New Albany, Ohio]], "part of or adjacent to Les Wexner's estate," and held there by "a local Sheriff and other persons connected with Wexner"; and that the FBI hung up on her mid-sentence. FBI agents interviewed her in 2006 during the Florida investigation. The Bureau's record of the 1996 report was released on December 23, 2025. In July 2023 she and Sarah Ransome filed a 600 million dollar Federal Tort Claims Act claim against the FBI, and in May 2025 she sued the United States (No. 1:25-cv-01709-RBW (D.D.C.)). Her complaint also records that in 1992 the [[United States Department of State|State Department]] leased Epstein a New York townhouse and sued him in 1996 after he sublet it at a profit, and that he relied in his defense on communications with an official of the Office of Foreign Missions; certain documents in that case were sealed.[^91][^92][^93]
+The earliest known report to law enforcement came on August 29, 1996, when Maria Farmer reported to the [[New York City Police Department|NYPD]]'s Sixth Precinct (complaint No. 1996-0067241, recording that Epstein "did call her and stated he was going to burn victim's painting" and "has keys to victim's apartment") and then by telephone to the FBI. She alleges that she told the Bureau of the recording devices and monitoring equipment Epstein had shown her at the New York house and of a "modeling book" of apparently underage girls kept in his safe, which Maxwell said was used in connection with Victoria's Secret; that she had been assaulted at Epstein's house in [[New Albany, Ohio]], "part of or adjacent to Les Wexner's estate," and held there by "a local Sheriff and other persons connected with Wexner"; and that the FBI hung up on her mid-sentence. FBI agents interviewed her in 2006 during the Florida investigation. The Bureau's record of the 1996 report was released on December 23, 2025. In July 2023 she and Sarah Ransome filed a 600 million dollar Federal Tort Claims Act claim against the FBI, and in May 2025 she sued the United States (No. 1:25-cv-01709-RBW (D.D.C.)). Her complaint also records that in 1992 the [[United States Department of State|State Department]] leased Epstein a New York townhouse and sued him in 1996 after he sublet it at a profit, and that he relied in his defense on communications with an official of the Office of Foreign Missions; certain documents in that case were sealed.[^97][^98][^99]

-Accounts from victims and household staff describing cameras in the properties, combined with the 2019 recovery of compact discs and the foreign passport from the townhouse safe, are the documented basis for the inference that the operation was instrumented to generate leverage. In December 2009, five months after his release, a correspondent signing "Gmax" wrote to Epstein: "If you call I'd start by saying what ever you saw was fake and part of a blackmail scheme." No recordings of guests have been produced publicly, and no service of any country has acknowledged a relationship with Epstein. What the cameras recorded, and where any recordings went, is not established in the public record.[^17][^54][^94][^95]
+Accounts from victims and household staff describing cameras in the properties, combined with the 2019 recovery of compact discs and the foreign passport from the townhouse safe, are the documented basis for the inference that the operation was instrumented to generate leverage. In December 2009, five months after his release, a correspondent signing "Gmax" wrote to Epstein: "If you call I'd start by saying what ever you saw was fake and part of a blackmail scheme." No recordings of guests have been produced publicly, and no service of any country has acknowledged a relationship with Epstein. What the cameras recorded, and where any recordings went, is not established in the public record.[^17][^54][^100][^101]

 ### The Financial Structures and the Bank Settlements

-Epstein's finances ran through entities chartered in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including Financial Trust Company, incorporated in St. Thomas on November 6, 1998, and Southern Trust Company, incorporated on November 18, 2011 as Financial Informatics, Inc. and renamed in September 2012, with assets of about 391 million dollars in 2015. Both obtained territorial tax benefits under the [[Economic Development Commission]] program: Financial Trust from 1999 under a certificate signed by Industrial Development Commission director [[Frandelle Gerard]], amended in 2012 over the signature of EDC chairman [[Albert Bryan]], who also signed Southern Trust's January 24, 2014 certificate. At the November 15, 2012 EDC hearing the company described its business under oath as "cutting edge consulting services" in "biomedical and financial informatics"; the Virgin Islands later alleged that Southern Trust obtained the benefits for a business it never conducted and existed to fund Epstein's criminal activity and properties. His banking ran through JPMorgan Chase, which kept him as a client until 2013, then Deutsche Bank, and also through [[BNY Mellon]]; the June 15, 2007 7.4 million dollar wire to Maxwell for her Sikorsky helicopter came from his Mellon Bank account.[^11][^12][^20][^96][^97]
+Epstein's finances ran through entities chartered in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including Financial Trust Company, incorporated in St. Thomas on November 6, 1998, and Southern Trust Company, incorporated on November 18, 2011 as Financial Informatics, Inc. and renamed in September 2012, with assets of about 391 million dollars in 2015. Both obtained territorial tax benefits under the [[Economic Development Commission]] program: Financial Trust from 1999 under a certificate signed by Industrial Development Commission director [[Frandelle Gerard]], amended in 2012 over the signature of EDC chairman [[Albert Bryan]], who also signed Southern Trust's January 24, 2014 certificate. At the November 15, 2012 EDC hearing the company described its business under oath as "cutting edge consulting services" in "biomedical and financial informatics"; the Virgin Islands later alleged that Southern Trust obtained the benefits for a business it never conducted and existed to fund Epstein's criminal activity and properties. His banking ran through JPMorgan Chase, which kept him as a client until 2013, then Deutsche Bank, and also through [[BNY Mellon]]; the June 15, 2007 7.4 million dollar wire to Maxwell for her Sikorsky helicopter came from his Mellon Bank account.[^11][^12][^20][^102][^103]

-Southern Trust reported about 184 million dollars in revenue from 2013 to 2017 with no visible clients and one information-technology employee. The territory's 2022 complaint stated that "virtually all" of its income came "from a single source," which paid it 158 million dollars from 2013 to 2017, 85 percent of its revenue. The [[Dechert]] review commissioned by [[Apollo Global Management]] found that Leon Black signed a service agreement with Southern Trust Company, Inc. on February 13, 2013 and paid Epstein 50 million dollars in 2013, 70 million in 2014, 30 million in 2015, nothing in 2016 and 8 million in 2017, a total of 158 million dollars, plus 30.5 million dollars in 2017 loans from BV70 LLC to Plan D LLC; Dechert found no evidence Black paid for anything but "legitimate advice." Senator [[Ron Wyden]]'s staff put Black's share at 166 million dollars, or 90 percent. Black's wires came from [[Bank of America]] accounts; the bank filed its first suspicious activity report on them on February 7, 2020, flagging 156 million dollars as having "no apparent economic, business or lawful purpose." Black's January 20, 2023 settlement with the territory recites that "Jeffrey Epstein used the money Black paid him to partially fund his operations in the Virgin Islands," while disclaiming any admission of liability. Financial Trust also bought 263,257 Apollo shares in the March 2011 initial public offering through a directed-share program; the shares passed to [[Southern Financial LLC]] in 2013.[^11][^12][^98][^99][^100]
+Southern Trust reported about 184 million dollars in revenue from 2013 to 2017 with no visible clients and one information-technology employee. The territory's 2022 complaint stated that "virtually all" of its income came "from a single source," which paid it 158 million dollars from 2013 to 2017, 85 percent of its revenue. The [[Dechert]] review commissioned by [[Apollo Global Management]] found that Leon Black signed a service agreement with Southern Trust Company, Inc. on February 13, 2013 and paid Epstein 50 million dollars in 2013, 70 million in 2014, 30 million in 2015, nothing in 2016 and 8 million in 2017, a total of 158 million dollars, plus 30.5 million dollars in 2017 loans from BV70 LLC to Plan D LLC; Dechert found no evidence Black paid for anything but "legitimate advice." Senator [[Ron Wyden]]'s staff put Black's share at 166 million dollars, or 90 percent. Black's wires came from [[Bank of America]] accounts; the bank filed its first suspicious activity report on them on February 7, 2020, flagging 156 million dollars as having "no apparent economic, business or lawful purpose." Black's January 20, 2023 settlement with the territory recites that "Jeffrey Epstein used the money Black paid him to partially fund his operations in the Virgin Islands," while disclaiming any admission of liability. Financial Trust also bought 263,257 Apollo shares in the March 2011 initial public offering through a directed-share program; the shares passed to [[Southern Financial LLC]] in 2013.[^11][^12][^104][^105][^106]

-Epstein received the working papers of Black's estate planning during the years of the Southern Trust payments. A "Checklist for Leon Black Estate Planning and Restructuring" dated October 2, 2013 covered the substitution of trust assets for a promissory note, financing against Black's art collection with "Preliminary meetings with Deutsche Bank taken," the decanting of family trusts, the restructuring of Black Family Partners and other family entities, and the creation of foundations for each of Black's children. On January 21, 2014 Ada Clapp of Black Family Partners, 445 Park Avenue, sent Epstein the updated version: "Attached is what I believe you are referring to by the 9 page list. I updated to show progress." On July 24, 2017 Barry J. Cohen forwarded to Epstein a privileged [[Sullivan & Cromwell]] memorandum on "Leon Black Estate Planning," addressed by the firm to Clapp, Cohen and Brad Wechsler, with the note: "Let us know what issues you have."[^101]
+Epstein received the working papers of Black's estate planning during the years of the Southern Trust payments. A "Checklist for Leon Black Estate Planning and Restructuring" dated October 2, 2013 covered the substitution of trust assets for a promissory note, financing against Black's art collection with "Preliminary meetings with Deutsche Bank taken," the decanting of family trusts, the restructuring of Black Family Partners and other family entities, and the creation of foundations for each of Black's children. On January 21, 2014 Ada Clapp of Black Family Partners, 445 Park Avenue, sent Epstein the updated version: "Attached is what I believe you are referring to by the 9 page list. I updated to show progress." On July 24, 2017 Barry J. Cohen forwarded to Epstein a privileged [[Sullivan & Cromwell]] memorandum on "Leon Black Estate Planning," addressed by the firm to Clapp, Cohen and Brad Wechsler, with the note: "Let us know what issues you have."[^107]

-A forensic accountant retained by the Virgin Islands identified 134 JPMorgan accounts owned by Epstein or related people and entities, including accounts for Maxwell, [[Richard Kahn]], Darren Indyke, [[Harry Beller]] and Nadia Marcinkova. In September 2009 his balances were 142,867,562 dollars on the bank's internal "Wall of Cash" list. He withdrew more than 7 million dollars in cash from JPMorgan accounts from 2002 to 2013. A March 18, 2004 JPMorgan memorandum to Dimon and others described Epstein as "a founding investor in Highbridge," the hedge fund [[Highbridge Capital Management]] that JPMorgan bought into that year. On July 20, 2011 Cutler wrote to Staley and [[Mary Erdoes]] that Epstein "should not be a client." After Epstein left the bank in 2013, Erdoes approved continued dealings with him on Black's business "as long as it was through the client accounts." JPMorgan filed seven suspicious activity reports on him totaling about 4.3 million dollars between 2002 and 2016, none covering May 2003 to September 2008; after his July 2019 arrest it filed reports on August 13, 2019 (469 wires, about 201 million dollars, including payments to women in Russia, Belarus and Turkmenistan through correspondent accounts at Russian banks including [[Sberbank]] and [[Alfa-Bank]]) and September 26, 2019 (4,725 wires, 1,081,819,653 dollars). Deutsche Bank retroactively reported more than 250 million dollars in Epstein wires after his arrest.[^12][^21][^43][^97][^102]
+A forensic accountant retained by the Virgin Islands identified 134 JPMorgan accounts owned by Epstein or related people and entities, including accounts for Maxwell, [[Richard Kahn]], Darren Indyke, [[Harry Beller]] and Nadia Marcinkova. In September 2009 his balances were 142,867,562 dollars on the bank's internal "Wall of Cash" list. He withdrew more than 7 million dollars in cash from JPMorgan accounts from 2002 to 2013. A March 18, 2004 JPMorgan memorandum to Dimon and others described Epstein as "a founding investor in Highbridge," the hedge fund [[Highbridge Capital Management]] that JPMorgan bought into that year. On July 20, 2011 Cutler wrote to Staley and [[Mary Erdoes]] that Epstein "should not be a client." After Epstein left the bank in 2013, Erdoes approved continued dealings with him on Black's business "as long as it was through the client accounts." JPMorgan filed seven suspicious activity reports on him totaling about 4.3 million dollars between 2002 and 2016, none covering May 2003 to September 2008; after his July 2019 arrest it filed reports on August 13, 2019 (469 wires, about 201 million dollars, including payments to women in Russia, Belarus and Turkmenistan through correspondent accounts at Russian banks including [[Sberbank]] and [[Alfa-Bank]]) and September 26, 2019 (4,725 wires, 1,081,819,653 dollars). Deutsche Bank retroactively reported more than 250 million dollars in Epstein wires after his arrest.[^12][^21][^43][^103][^108]

-After a July 22, 2019 New York Times article on Epstein's ties to Wall Street figures, JPMorgan's global head of financial crimes compliance wrote to two chief compliance officers: "Top of house requested that we expand our analysis to related parties and put together slides.... There is a highbridge angle and one dating back to Bear." The work became an internal review called "Project Jeep," whose 22-page summary of Epstein, Staley and Erdoes emails, circulated internally in October 2019, stated that "Jes Staley appears to have a close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, regularly communicating with him and seeking advice from him including while Epstein is incarcerated," and that Epstein "appears to maintain a particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew" and "Lord Peter Mandelson, a senior member of the British Government," and "a close relationship with [[Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem|Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem]]," the chairman of [[DP World]]. The Virgin Islands argued in June 2023 that it would have asked Dimon whether the "top of house" order came from him, citing another bank email in which "top of the house ok for clients who are convicted felons" ran "to Cutler to Jaime Daimnon [sic]"; JPMorgan answered that the phrase referred to Cutler. Late-produced emails showed that the former Bear Stearns chairman Alan Greenberg had gone to Cutler "for an exception to the felony policy" for Epstein, and JPMorgan acknowledged that legacy Bear Stearns staff including Greenberg "may have attempted to speak with" Cutler about the policy, a decision "made by Mr. Cutler." At a January 7, 2011 meeting the head of the U.S. Private Bank, Catherine Keating, said that "no one on today's call was in favor of having retained him as a client. Seems it was all due to Jes's personal relationship"; twelve days later a JPMorgan Securities employee wrote to Epstein that "Ace would love to speak to Jeffrey." Dimon testified that the bank "did not need introductions to anybody." In August 2023 Judge [[Jed S. Rakoff]] denied the territory's request to compel production of all documents concerning "Project Jeep" or other investigations after Epstein's 2019 arrest.[^103]
+After a July 22, 2019 New York Times article on Epstein's ties to Wall Street figures, JPMorgan's global head of financial crimes compliance wrote to two chief compliance officers: "Top of house requested that we expand our analysis to related parties and put together slides.... There is a highbridge angle and one dating back to Bear." The work became an internal review called "Project Jeep," whose 22-page summary of Epstein, Staley and Erdoes emails, circulated internally in October 2019, stated that "Jes Staley appears to have a close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, regularly communicating with him and seeking advice from him including while Epstein is incarcerated," and that Epstein "appears to maintain a particularly close relationship with Prince Andrew" and "Lord Peter Mandelson, a senior member of the British Government," and "a close relationship with [[Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem|Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem]]," the chairman of [[DP World]]. The Virgin Islands argued in June 2023 that it would have asked Dimon whether the "top of house" order came from him, citing another bank email in which "top of the house ok for clients who are convicted felons" ran "to Cutler to Jaime Daimnon [sic]"; JPMorgan answered that the phrase referred to Cutler. Late-produced emails showed that the former Bear Stearns chairman Alan Greenberg had gone to Cutler "for an exception to the felony policy" for Epstein, and JPMorgan acknowledged that legacy Bear Stearns staff including Greenberg "may have attempted to speak with" Cutler about the policy, a decision "made by Mr. Cutler." At a January 7, 2011 meeting the head of the U.S. Private Bank, Catherine Keating, said that "no one on today's call was in favor of having retained him as a client. Seems it was all due to Jes's personal relationship"; twelve days later a JPMorgan Securities employee wrote to Epstein that "Ace would love to speak to Jeffrey." Dimon testified that the bank "did not need introductions to anybody." In August 2023 Judge [[Jed S. Rakoff]] denied the territory's request to compel production of all documents concerning "Project Jeep" or other investigations after Epstein's 2019 arrest.[^109]

-Deutsche Bank informally designated Epstein an "Honorary PEP," or politically exposed person, "because of his connections to prominent political figures," and a January 2015 compliance escalation cited his relationships with "a prominent former U.S. politician and a member of a European royal family," whom the New York regulator did not name. In October 2008, while Epstein was serving his Florida sentence, Staley sent him the term sheet for "Micawber," a proposed JPMorgan and [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation|FDIC]] vehicle to borrow from the [[Federal Reserve]] during the financial crisis; the UK Upper Tribunal found Epstein was the only recipient not involved in the proposal. In a June 4, 2026 letter Wyden wrote that unsealed Justice Department files indicated Epstein "reached out to Russian government officials" to help Black with women with whom Black had settlements or nondisclosure agreements, and acted "as a middleman for Black to pay women"; Black's counsel called the inquiry an attempt to "unfairly harass" a private citizen.[^104][^105]
+Deutsche Bank informally designated Epstein an "Honorary PEP," or politically exposed person, "because of his connections to prominent political figures," and a January 2015 compliance escalation cited his relationships with "a prominent former U.S. politician and a member of a European royal family," whom the New York regulator did not name. In October 2008, while Epstein was serving his Florida sentence, Staley sent him the term sheet for "Micawber," a proposed JPMorgan and [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation|FDIC]] vehicle to borrow from the [[Federal Reserve]] during the financial crisis; the UK Upper Tribunal found Epstein was the only recipient not involved in the proposal. In a June 4, 2026 letter Wyden wrote that unsealed Justice Department files indicated Epstein "reached out to Russian government officials" to help Black with women with whom Black had settlements or nondisclosure agreements, and acted "as a middleman for Black to pay women"; Black's counsel called the inquiry an attempt to "unfairly harass" a private citizen.[^110][^111]

-The post-death litigation produced large settlements. In 2022 Epstein's estate agreed to pay the U.S. Virgin Islands more than 105 million dollars, plus the repayment of 80,576,236 dollars in tax benefits and half the proceeds of Little St. James. In 2023 JPMorgan paid 290 million dollars to victims and 75 million dollars to the Virgin Islands, and Deutsche Bank paid 75 million dollars to victims. Staley, who managed the Epstein banking relationship at JPMorgan before becoming chief executive of Barclays, was banned from senior UK financial roles and fined by the [[Financial Conduct Authority]] in a decision dated May 30, 2023 and published that October, which the Upper Tribunal upheld in June 2025 while reducing the penalty to 1,107,306.92 pounds; the ban took effect with the Authority's Final Notice of July 23, 2025. The [[Epstein Victims' Compensation Program]]'s administrator, [[Jordana Feldman]], announced in 2021 nearly 125 million dollars in payments to 150 eligible claimants; the co-executors' lawyers later put it at 121 million dollars to 136 claimants, and the estate separately settled with 58 women for about 48 million dollars.[^11][^20][^104][^106][^107][^108]
+The post-death litigation produced large settlements. In 2022 Epstein's estate agreed to pay the U.S. Virgin Islands more than 105 million dollars, plus the repayment of 80,576,236 dollars in tax benefits and half the proceeds of Little St. James. In 2023 JPMorgan paid 290 million dollars to victims and 75 million dollars to the Virgin Islands, and Deutsche Bank paid 75 million dollars to victims. Staley, who managed the Epstein banking relationship at JPMorgan before becoming chief executive of Barclays, was banned from senior UK financial roles and fined by the [[Financial Conduct Authority]] in a decision dated May 30, 2023 and published that October, which the Upper Tribunal upheld in June 2025 while reducing the penalty to 1,107,306.92 pounds; the ban took effect with the Authority's Final Notice of July 23, 2025. The [[Epstein Victims' Compensation Program]]'s administrator, [[Jordana Feldman]], announced in 2021 nearly 125 million dollars in payments to 150 eligible claimants; the co-executors' lawyers later put it at 121 million dollars to 136 claimants, and the estate separately settled with 58 women for about 48 million dollars.[^11][^20][^110][^112][^113][^114]

 ### Payments to The New School

-Deutsche Bank statements for Epstein's account record payments to [[New School for Social Research|The New School]]. The August 2015 statement lists an outgoing transfer on August 6 of $16,083.00 to a Bank of America account with the beneficiary line "E NEW SCHOOL OPERATING ACCOUNT."[^150] The October 2016 statement lists a preauthorized debit dated October 27 of $17,030.00 described as "TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL."[^151] The May 2017 statement lists a preauthorized debit dated May 10 of $10,856.00 described as "TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL"; the same page lists an outgoing transfer on May 11 of $3,589.00 through [[Sterling National Bank]] with the beneficiary line "FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY," and, on May 19, an American Express payment of $89,103.78.[^152]
+Deutsche Bank statements for Epstein's account record payments to [[New School for Social Research|The New School]]. The August 2015 statement lists an outgoing transfer on August 6 of $16,083.00 to a Bank of America account with the beneficiary line "E NEW SCHOOL OPERATING ACCOUNT."[^115] The October 2016 statement lists a preauthorized debit dated October 27 of $17,030.00 described as "TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL."[^116] The May 2017 statement lists a preauthorized debit dated May 10 of $10,856.00 described as "TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL"; the same page lists an outgoing transfer on May 11 of $3,589.00 through [[Sterling National Bank]] with the beneficiary line "FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY," and, on May 19, an American Express payment of $89,103.78.[^117]

-A Deutsche Bank presentation to the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, dated September 12, 2019, lists nine payments to The New School from Epstein accounts in an exhibit titled "Tuition Payments on Behalf of Children / Women": $29,025 (February 4, 2014), $15,704 (January 5, 2015), $4,730 (June 12, 2015), $16,083 (August 6, 2015), $16,656 (December 9, 2015), $4,420 (June 14, 2016), $16,850 (July 8, 2016), $3,756 (January 13, 2017) and $8,790 (January 10, 2019). The beneficiary is redacted; the exhibit's background column describes the redacted beneficiary as one who "appears to be a Russian model" and as "listed as a beneficiary of the Butterfly Trust." The exhibit's only [[New York Film Academy]] entry is $3,442 on March 10, 2017.[^153]
+A Deutsche Bank presentation to the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, dated September 12, 2019, lists nine payments to The New School from Epstein accounts in an exhibit titled "Tuition Payments on Behalf of Children / Women": $29,025 (February 4, 2014), $15,704 (January 5, 2015), $4,730 (June 12, 2015), $16,083 (August 6, 2015), $16,656 (December 9, 2015), $4,420 (June 14, 2016), $16,850 (July 8, 2016), $3,756 (January 13, 2017) and $8,790 (January 10, 2019). The beneficiary is redacted; the exhibit's background column describes the redacted beneficiary as one who "appears to be a Russian model" and as "listed as a beneficiary of the Butterfly Trust." The exhibit's only [[New York Film Academy]] entry is $3,442 on March 10, 2017.[^118]

 ### The Virgin Islands Government

-According to JPMorgan's 2023 filings in the territory's suit against the bank, Epstein's local affairs were managed by [[Cecile de Jongh]], the office manager of Southern Trust and the wife of Governor [[John de Jongh]] (in office 2007 to 2015), who helped Epstein shape legislation affecting sex-offender monitoring and the Economic Development Commission benefits while Epstein-linked entities paid family expenses. On the day the commission's certificate for Southern Trust was dated, January 24, 2014, Cecile de Jongh asked Epstein to match 15,000 dollars for her husband's final State of the Territory reception and asked Richard Kahn to make out a check to the "Governor's Special Events Fund." The commission's general counsel from 2007 to 2014 was [[Stacey Plaskett]], later the territory's delegate to Congress, who acknowledged receiving about 30,000 dollars in campaign contributions from Epstein and his employees. Epstein's office also handled requests from the Mapp-Potter inaugural committee (10,000 dollars from Southern Trust, December 2014), a Mapp super PAC (75,000 dollars, September 2016), and the Bryan/Roach inaugural committee (25,000 dollars requested, December 2018; payment not shown).[^11][^109][^110]
+According to JPMorgan's 2023 filings in the territory's suit against the bank, Epstein's local affairs were managed by [[Cecile de Jongh]], the office manager of Southern Trust and the wife of Governor [[John de Jongh]] (in office 2007 to 2015), who helped Epstein shape legislation affecting sex-offender monitoring and the Economic Development Commission benefits while Epstein-linked entities paid family expenses. On the day the commission's certificate for Southern Trust was dated, January 24, 2014, Cecile de Jongh asked Epstein to match 15,000 dollars for her husband's final State of the Territory reception and asked Richard Kahn to make out a check to the "Governor's Special Events Fund." The commission's general counsel from 2007 to 2014 was [[Stacey Plaskett]], later the territory's delegate to Congress, who acknowledged receiving about 30,000 dollars in campaign contributions from Epstein and his employees. Epstein's office also handled requests from the Mapp-Potter inaugural committee (10,000 dollars from Southern Trust, December 2014), a Mapp super PAC (75,000 dollars, September 2016), and the Bryan/Roach inaugural committee (25,000 dollars requested, December 2018; payment not shown).[^11][^119][^120]

-The territory's later Attorney General, [[Denise George]], filed the 2020 suit against the estate and a 2022 suit against JPMorgan, and was removed by Governor Albert Bryan days after the bank suit was filed. According to FBI notes of an October 2, 2023 interview released in January 2026, George said Bryan asked her in 2019 to grant Epstein a waiver of the 21-day travel-notice rule, told her after Epstein's death "He's dead go for it," later pressed her to settle with the estate for 80 million dollars with the attorney [[Henry Smock]] as mediator, and said the estate "just wanted to clear people." Smock had assisted Epstein in the 1998 purchase of Little St. James and was counsel to the [[Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority|Economic Development Authority]] board; he later represented Bryan in a sealed 2023 divorce. Bryan's chief legal counsel, [[David Bornn]], a former employee of Epstein's attorney [[Erika Kellerhals]], called George to relay Kellerhals's question about what she was investigating. Bryan has said Epstein received no special privilege from his administration. The territory recovered about 180 million dollars after legal fees and, as of January 2026, had not filed the accounting of the money that a 2024 law requires.[^20][^111][^112]
+The territory's later Attorney General, [[Denise George]], filed the 2020 suit against the estate and a 2022 suit against JPMorgan, and was removed by Governor Albert Bryan days after the bank suit was filed. According to FBI notes of an October 2, 2023 interview released in January 2026, George said Bryan asked her in 2019 to grant Epstein a waiver of the 21-day travel-notice rule, told her after Epstein's death "He's dead go for it," later pressed her to settle with the estate for 80 million dollars with the attorney [[Henry Smock]] as mediator, and said the estate "just wanted to clear people." Smock had assisted Epstein in the 1998 purchase of Little St. James and was counsel to the [[Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority|Economic Development Authority]] board; he later represented Bryan in a sealed 2023 divorce. Bryan's chief legal counsel, [[David Bornn]], a former employee of Epstein's attorney [[Erika Kellerhals]], called George to relay Kellerhals's question about what she was investigating. Bryan has said Epstein received no special privilege from his administration. The territory recovered about 180 million dollars after legal fees and, as of January 2026, had not filed the accounting of the money that a 2024 law requires.[^20][^121][^122]

 ### The 2019 Federal Charges

-In the spring of 2019, months before the arrest, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York obtained the confidential discovery from Giuffre v. Maxwell by serving a grand jury subpoena on Giuffre's law firm, [[Boies Schiller Flexner]], under an April 9, 2019 order. On July 6, 2019, Epstein was arrested at [[Teterboro Airport]] in [[New Jersey]] as he returned from Paris, charged by the office under [[Geoffrey Berman]] with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy. The case was assigned to the Public Corruption Unit, which typically handles cases involving public officials; Berman declined to explain the assignment. The prosecutors were [[Alex Rossmiller]], [[Alison Moe]], and [[Maurene Comey]].[^1][^113][^114]
+In the spring of 2019, months before the arrest, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York obtained the confidential discovery from Giuffre v. Maxwell by serving a grand jury subpoena on Giuffre's law firm, [[Boies Schiller Flexner]], under an April 9, 2019 order. On July 6, 2019, Epstein was arrested at [[Teterboro Airport]] in [[New Jersey]] as he returned from Paris, charged by the office under [[Geoffrey Berman]] with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy. The case was assigned to the Public Corruption Unit, which typically handles cases involving public officials; Berman declined to explain the assignment. The prosecutors were [[Alex Rossmiller]], [[Alison Moe]], and [[Maurene Comey]].[^1][^123][^124]

-The safe in the townhouse held more than 70,000 dollars in cash, 48 loose diamonds, and an expired foreign passport with a photograph that "appears to depict the defendant, but lists a different name," issued within three years of an expired U.S. passport in Epstein's own name. The word "Austrian" entered the docket through the defense's July 16, 2019 letter, which said the passport "expired 32 years ago." The government replied that the passport "contains numerous ingress and egress stamps, including stamps that reflect use of the passport to enter France, Spain, the [[United Kingdom]], and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s." [[Marc Fernich]], Martin Weinberg, and [[Reid Weingarten]] answered that "Epstein was given the passport at issue by a friend," that "some Jewish-Americans were informally advised at the time to carry identification bearing a non-Jewish name when traveling internationally in case of hijacking," and that the stamps "predating his receipt of the document, do not reflect Mr. Epstein's entries or exits." Press reports described the passport as listing a residence in Saudi Arabia. The dispute was not resolved before Epstein's death.[^115][^116][^117]
+The safe in the townhouse held more than 70,000 dollars in cash, 48 loose diamonds, and an expired foreign passport with a photograph that "appears to depict the defendant, but lists a different name," issued within three years of an expired U.S. passport in Epstein's own name. The word "Austrian" entered the docket through the defense's July 16, 2019 letter, which said the passport "expired 32 years ago." The government replied that the passport "contains numerous ingress and egress stamps, including stamps that reflect use of the passport to enter France, Spain, the [[United Kingdom]], and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s." [[Marc Fernich]], Martin Weinberg, and [[Reid Weingarten]] answered that "Epstein was given the passport at issue by a friend," that "some Jewish-Americans were informally advised at the time to carry identification bearing a non-Jewish name when traveling internationally in case of hijacking," and that the stamps "predating his receipt of the document, do not reflect Mr. Epstein's entries or exits." Press reports described the passport as listing a residence in Saudi Arabia. The dispute was not resolved before Epstein's death.[^125][^126][^127]

-The government's July 16, 2019 detention supplement disclosed that on or about November 30, 2018, two days after the Miami Herald began its series, Epstein wired 100,000 dollars from a trust account he controlled to an individual named as a potential co-conspirator in the 2007 agreement and featured in the series, and that on or about December 3, 2018 he wired 250,000 dollars from the same account to a second potential co-conspirator protected by the agreement, an employee identified in the indictment as having scheduled victims' encounters with him. Both names were redacted with the court's consent. On July 18, 2019 Judge [[Richard M. Berman]], no relation to the U.S. Attorney, ordered him held without bail. On July 31, 2019 a Southern District prosecutor forwarded a New York magazine article on Epstein's finances to colleagues, asking: "Is our Office looking at Epstein for fraud-related offenses?"[^94][^116][^118]
+The government's July 16, 2019 detention supplement disclosed that on or about November 30, 2018, two days after the Miami Herald began its series, Epstein wired 100,000 dollars from a trust account he controlled to an individual named as a potential co-conspirator in the 2007 agreement and featured in the series, and that on or about December 3, 2018 he wired 250,000 dollars from the same account to a second potential co-conspirator protected by the agreement, an employee identified in the indictment as having scheduled victims' encounters with him. Both names were redacted with the court's consent. On July 18, 2019 Judge [[Richard M. Berman]], no relation to the U.S. Attorney, ordered him held without bail. On July 31, 2019 a Southern District prosecutor forwarded a New York magazine article on Epstein's finances to colleagues, asking: "Is our Office looking at Epstein for fraud-related offenses?"[^100][^126][^128]

 ### The Detention at the Metropolitan Correctional Center

-At the [[Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York]], Epstein's cellmate was [[Nicholas Tartaglione]], a former police officer held on capital murder charges; a later internal review stated that administrators housed them together because both had high-profile cases and Tartaglione, "a certified death penalty eligible inmate," was "less likely to assault or otherwise try to harm Mr. Epstein." At about 1:27 a.m. on July 23, 2019 officers found Epstein with "a piece of handmade orange cloth around his neck." When he became responsive he told a responding officer that he thought his cellmate "tried to kill him," that the cellmate had tried "to extort money from him," and that "this has been going on for a week," and that he had told only his lawyer. The psychologist who interviewed him that day recorded that he had not told her this. On July 31 he told the Special Investigative Services lieutenant that "he has never had any issues with Tartaglione," that he was "not threatened" by him and that he "feels safe"; Tartaglione told the same investigator that Epstein had once said "fourteen (14) is legal in most states and I don't understand what's the problem here." The investigation found "insufficient evidence" of an assault, an August 2 threat assessment was "inconclusive" as to whether Epstein harmed himself, fought his cellmate, or was assaulted, and the self-mutilation incident report was later expunged.[^119][^120]
+At the [[Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York]], Epstein's cellmate was [[Nicholas Tartaglione]], a former police officer held on capital murder charges; a later internal review stated that administrators housed them together because both had high-profile cases and Tartaglione, "a certified death penalty eligible inmate," was "less likely to assault or otherwise try to harm Mr. Epstein." At about 1:27 a.m. on July 23, 2019 officers found Epstein with "a piece of handmade orange cloth around his neck." When he became responsive he told a responding officer that he thought his cellmate "tried to kill him," that the cellmate had tried "to extort money from him," and that "this has been going on for a week," and that he had told only his lawyer. The psychologist who interviewed him that day recorded that he had not told her this. On July 31 he told the Special Investigative Services lieutenant that "he has never had any issues with Tartaglione," that he was "not threatened" by him and that he "feels safe"; Tartaglione told the same investigator that Epstein had once said "fourteen (14) is legal in most states and I don't understand what's the problem here." The investigation found "insufficient evidence" of an assault, an August 2 threat assessment was "inconclusive" as to whether Epstein harmed himself, fought his cellmate, or was assaulted, and the self-mutilation incident report was later expunged.[^129][^130]

-On July 30 a psychologist ordered that Epstein always have a cellmate. His next cellmate, according to the internal review, was an inmate held in protective housing who "was confirmed as proffering with the U.S. Attorney's Office." On August 8 Epstein signed a new will in a meeting with his lawyers, unknown to jail officials. On August 9 about 2,000 pages of the Giuffre v. Maxwell record were unsealed, including his 2016 deposition invoking the Fifth Amendment. That day his cellmate was transferred out and not replaced, and a unit manager let him place an unrecorded call on the legal line, supposedly to his mother, who had died in 2004; the Inspector General found he spoke for about 20 minutes with a woman identified as Individual 1, who declined to be interviewed and whose lawyer said she was in Belarus. One of Epstein's attorneys had earlier asked a senior officer "how Epstein could get an unmonitored call."[^113][^119][^120][^121]
+On July 30 a psychologist ordered that Epstein always have a cellmate. His next cellmate, according to the internal review, was an inmate held in protective housing who "was confirmed as proffering with the U.S. Attorney's Office." On August 8 Epstein signed a new will in a meeting with his lawyers, unknown to jail officials. On August 9 about 2,000 pages of the Giuffre v. Maxwell record were unsealed, including his 2016 deposition invoking the Fifth Amendment. That day his cellmate was transferred out and not replaced, and a unit manager let him place an unrecorded call on the legal line, supposedly to his mother, who had died in 2004; the Inspector General found he spoke for about 20 minutes with a woman identified as Individual 1, who declined to be interviewed and whose lawyer said she was in Belarus. One of Epstein's attorneys had earlier asked a senior officer "how Epstein could get an unmonitored call."[^123][^129][^130][^131]

 ### The Death

-On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell; nursing records log CPR compressions from 6:35 a.m. Dr. Kristin Roman performed the autopsy on August 11 and first listed the manner of death as "pending"; Chief Medical Examiner [[Barbara Sampson]] changed it to suicide by hanging days later. The guards [[Tova Noel]] and [[Michael Thomas]] had failed to perform required checks and admitted to falsifying records; they were charged in November 2019, entered deferred-prosecution agreements on May 25, 2021, and the charges were dismissed on December 13, 2021, while the Southern District declined to prosecute other staff who had also falsified records. The DVR recording system serving about half the jail's cameras, including those near the cell, failed on July 29 and 30, was discovered on August 8, and was not repaired; one camera on another system recorded the common area but not the cell door. The forensic pathologist [[Michael Baden]], retained by Epstein's brother [[Mark Epstein]], said the fractures of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage were more consistent with homicidal strangulation than hanging, while the Medical Examiner stood by the suicide ruling. The Inspector General's June 2023 report attributed the death to the guards' negligence and the jail's failures and "did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI's determination regarding the absence of criminality." Prison officials cited the August 9 unsealing, "combined with a lack of significant interpersonal connections," among the factors contributing to his death.[^94][^119][^120][^121]
+On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell; nursing records log CPR compressions from 6:35 a.m. Dr. Kristin Roman performed the autopsy on August 11 and first listed the manner of death as "pending"; Chief Medical Examiner [[Barbara Sampson]] changed it to suicide by hanging days later. The guards [[Tova Noel]] and [[Michael Thomas]] had failed to perform required checks and admitted to falsifying records; they were charged in November 2019, entered deferred-prosecution agreements on May 25, 2021, and the charges were dismissed on December 13, 2021, while the Southern District declined to prosecute other staff who had also falsified records. The DVR recording system serving about half the jail's cameras, including those near the cell, failed on July 29 and 30, was discovered on August 8, and was not repaired; one camera on another system recorded the common area but not the cell door. The forensic pathologist [[Michael Baden]], retained by Epstein's brother [[Mark Epstein]], said the fractures of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage were more consistent with homicidal strangulation than hanging, while the Medical Examiner stood by the suicide ruling. The Inspector General's June 2023 report attributed the death to the guards' negligence and the jail's failures and "did not uncover evidence contradicting the FBI's determination regarding the absence of criminality." Prison officials cited the August 9 unsealing, "combined with a lack of significant interpersonal connections," among the factors contributing to his death.[^100][^129][^130][^131]

-Documents released in 2026 showed that JPMorgan filed a suspicious activity report on November 22, 2019 on twelve cash deposits by Noel, the largest 5,000 dollars on July 30, 2019; she was not asked about them in her 2021 interview. A search for "latest on epstein in jail" was run on her workstation at 5:42 and 5:52 a.m. on August 10; she said she did not recall it. On August 19, 2019, a jail employee told the FBI that an inmate said Bureau of Prisons after-action staff "were shredding boxes of paperwork"; the records do not show that the dumpster was searched. The Justice Department and FBI memorandum of July 7, 2025 reaffirmed suicide, citing "the August 19, 2019 autopsy findings" (the autopsy was on August 11) and describing Epstein as locked in "at around 10:40 pm" (the Inspector General dates lock-in to about 8 p.m.); its "full raw" video had been assembled in Adobe Premiere under a Windows account "MJCOLE~1," with close to three minutes missing. Maurene Comey was fired without stated cause on July 16, 2025, nine days after the memorandum.[^120][^121][^122][^123][^124]
+Documents released in 2026 showed that JPMorgan filed a suspicious activity report on November 22, 2019 on twelve cash deposits by Noel, the largest 5,000 dollars on July 30, 2019; she was not asked about them in her 2021 interview. A search for "latest on epstein in jail" was run on her workstation at 5:42 and 5:52 a.m. on August 10; she said she did not recall it. On August 19, 2019, a jail employee told the FBI that an inmate said Bureau of Prisons after-action staff "were shredding boxes of paperwork"; the records do not show that the dumpster was searched. The Justice Department and FBI memorandum of July 7, 2025 reaffirmed suicide, citing "the August 19, 2019 autopsy findings" (the autopsy was on August 11) and describing Epstein as locked in "at around 10:40 pm" (the Inspector General dates lock-in to about 8 p.m.); its "full raw" video had been assembled in Adobe Premiere under a Windows account "MJCOLE~1," with close to three minutes missing. Maurene Comey was fired without stated cause on July 16, 2025, nine days after the memorandum.[^130][^131][^132][^133][^134]

 ### The Estate and the Executors

-Epstein's will, signed on August 8, 2019, named Indyke and Kahn as executors and [[Boris Nikolic]], formerly chief science adviser to Bill Gates, as backup executor; Nikolic said he "was not consulted in these matters and I have no intent to fulfill these duties, whatsoever." The will left Nowak 5 million dollars, which Nowak said he has not received. The co-executors valued Epstein's Virgin Islands property at 577,672,654 dollars in the August 15, 2019 probate petition; the estate's February 2021 accounting showed about 240.8 million dollars and September 2026 filings 107.6 million dollars. The 1953 Trust, signed two days before his death, leaves 100 million dollars to [[Karyna Shuliak]], 50 million to Indyke and 25 million to Kahn, paid in that order.[^11][^79][^107][^125]
+Epstein's will, signed on August 8, 2019, named Indyke and Kahn as executors and [[Boris Nikolic]], formerly chief science adviser to Bill Gates, as backup executor; Nikolic said he "was not consulted in these matters and I have no intent to fulfill these duties, whatsoever." The will left Nowak 5 million dollars, which Nowak said he has not received. The co-executors valued Epstein's Virgin Islands property at 577,672,654 dollars in the August 15, 2019 probate petition; the estate's February 2021 accounting showed about 240.8 million dollars and September 2026 filings 107.6 million dollars. The 1953 Trust, signed two days before his death, leaves 100 million dollars to [[Karyna Shuliak]], 50 million to Indyke and 25 million to Kahn, paid in that order.[^11][^85][^113][^135]

-The territory alleged that Epstein entities paid Indyke more than 16 million dollars and Kahn more than 10 million dollars net from 2011 to 2019 through companies it called shells, and that the two held at least 140 bank accounts with Epstein. Indyke testified in March 2026 that Epstein's 40 million dollars invested in 2015 and 2016 in two funds of [[Valar Ventures]], co-founded by Peter Thiel, was worth about 172 million dollars. The estate agreed in February 2026 to pay up to 35 million dollars to settle a victims' class action against the co-executors (Doe 3 v. Indyke, No. 1:24-cv-01204), and in September 2026 federal prosecutors in Manhattan were reported to be investigating both men, who deny knowing of Epstein's crimes. Wyden's August 2026 report stated that federal prosecutors never questioned Indyke, Kahn or Beller, none of whom has been charged.[^11][^12][^107][^126][^127]
+The territory alleged that Epstein entities paid Indyke more than 16 million dollars and Kahn more than 10 million dollars net from 2011 to 2019 through companies it called shells, and that the two held at least 140 bank accounts with Epstein. Indyke testified in March 2026 that Epstein's 40 million dollars invested in 2015 and 2016 in two funds of [[Valar Ventures]], co-founded by Peter Thiel, was worth about 172 million dollars. The estate agreed in February 2026 to pay up to 35 million dollars to settle a victims' class action against the co-executors (Doe 3 v. Indyke, No. 1:24-cv-01204), and in September 2026 federal prosecutors in Manhattan were reported to be investigating both men, who deny knowing of Epstein's crimes. Wyden's August 2026 report stated that federal prosecutors never questioned Indyke, Kahn or Beller, none of whom has been charged.[^11][^12][^113][^136][^137]

 ### Maxwell and the Giuffre Litigation After 2019

-Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in [[New Hampshire]] in July 2020 and convicted in December 2021 on five federal counts including sex trafficking of a minor, and sentenced to 20 years in June 2022. The Giuffre v. Maxwell summary judgment record ordered released in Brown v. Maxwell was unsealed on August 9, 2019; Maxwell's April 2016 deposition was unsealed on July 23, 2020, and further tranches followed through January 2024. On July 23, 2025 the Second Circuit vacated Preska's December 2019 and January 2020 unsealing orders. Virginia Giuffre died by suicide in Australia in April 2025; her memoir, [[Nobody's Girl]], was published posthumously in 2025. She died intestate, and in November 2025 the Supreme Court of Western Australia appointed [[Ian Torrington Blatchford]] interim administrator; his authority extends to the reopened Giuffre v. Maxwell docket, recaptioned in his name on September 3, 2026, to an arbitration involving Dershowitz, and to a defamation suit against the estate by [[Rina Oh]].[^22][^23][^113][^128][^129]
+Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in [[New Hampshire]] in July 2020 and convicted in December 2021 on five federal counts including sex trafficking of a minor, and sentenced to 20 years in June 2022. The Giuffre v. Maxwell summary judgment record ordered released in Brown v. Maxwell was unsealed on August 9, 2019; Maxwell's April 2016 deposition was unsealed on July 23, 2020, and further tranches followed through January 2024. On July 23, 2025 the Second Circuit vacated Preska's December 2019 and January 2020 unsealing orders. Virginia Giuffre died by suicide in Australia in April 2025; her memoir, [[Nobody's Girl]], was published posthumously in 2025. She died intestate, and in November 2025 the Supreme Court of Western Australia appointed [[Ian Torrington Blatchford]] interim administrator; his authority extends to the reopened Giuffre v. Maxwell docket, recaptioned in his name on September 3, 2026, to an arbitration involving Dershowitz, and to a defamation suit against the estate by [[Rina Oh]].[^22][^23][^123][^138][^139]

-On July 18, 2025, Deputy Attorney General [[Todd Blanche]], formerly Trump's personal criminal attorney, entered an appearance in Maxwell's closed criminal case and moved to unseal the grand jury transcripts; Judge [[Paul Engelmayer]] denied the motion on August 11, 2025. Blanche interviewed Maxwell under limited immunity on July 24 and 25, 2025; she said Trump "was always very cordial and very kind to me" and that she did not know how he and Epstein met. On August 1 she was moved to the minimum-security [[Federal Prison Camp Bryan]], and Senator [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] wrote that the transfer "raises questions about whether she has been given special treatment in exchange for political favors."[^130][^131][^132]
+On July 18, 2025, Deputy Attorney General [[Todd Blanche]], formerly Trump's personal criminal attorney, entered an appearance in Maxwell's closed criminal case and moved to unseal the grand jury transcripts; Judge [[Paul Engelmayer]] denied the motion on August 11, 2025. Blanche interviewed Maxwell under limited immunity on July 24 and 25, 2025; she said Trump "was always very cordial and very kind to me" and that she did not know how he and Epstein met. On August 1 she was moved to the minimum-security [[Federal Prison Camp Bryan]], and Senator [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] wrote that the transfer "raises questions about whether she has been given special treatment in exchange for political favors."[^140][^141][^142]

 ### The Epstein Files, 2025 and 2026

-On February 27, 2025, Attorney General [[Pam Bondi]] released a "first phase" of [[Epstein Files|Epstein files]] that the department itself described as "largely" previously leaked, and on July 7, 2025, the department and the FBI issued an unsigned memorandum stating that their review "revealed no incriminating 'client list'" and that "no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted." Senator [[Dick Durbin]] wrote on July 18 that, according to information his office received, FBI records staff reviewing some 100,000 Epstein records in March 2025 "were instructed to 'flag' any records in which President Trump was mentioned." Treasury Secretary [[Scott Bessent]] declined Wyden's March 11, June 16 and September 2, 2025 requests for the Treasury's Epstein suspicious-activity file and on January 22, 2026 said it had given the records to the House Oversight Committee instead.[^12][^122][^133][^134]
+On February 27, 2025, Attorney General [[Pam Bondi]] released a "first phase" of [[Epstein Files|Epstein files]] that the department itself described as "largely" previously leaked, and on July 7, 2025, the department and the FBI issued an unsigned memorandum stating that their review "revealed no incriminating 'client list'" and that "no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted." Senator [[Dick Durbin]] wrote on July 18 that, according to information his office received, FBI records staff reviewing some 100,000 Epstein records in March 2025 "were instructed to 'flag' any records in which President Trump was mentioned." Treasury Secretary [[Scott Bessent]] declined Wyden's March 11, June 16 and September 2, 2025 requests for the Treasury's Epstein suspicious-activity file and on January 22, 2026 said it had given the records to the House Oversight Committee instead.[^12][^132][^143][^144]

-A separate strand concerned the 2003 "birthday book" assembled for Epstein's 50th birthday, which the [[The Wall Street Journal|Wall Street Journal]] reported in July 2025 contained a bawdy letter bearing Donald Trump's signature; Trump denied authorship and sued the paper, and the House Oversight Committee released the book on September 8, 2025 under an August 25 subpoena to the estate.[^82]
+A separate strand concerned the 2003 "birthday book" assembled for Epstein's 50th birthday, which the [[The Wall Street Journal|Wall Street Journal]] reported in July 2025 contained a bawdy letter bearing Donald Trump's signature; Trump denied authorship and sued the paper, and the House Oversight Committee released the book on September 8, 2025 under an August 25 subpoena to the estate.[^88]

-On November 14, 2025, at Trump's request, Bondi assigned [[Jay Clayton]] to investigate Epstein's dealings with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman and JPMorgan Chase. Five days later Trump signed the [[Epstein Files Transparency Act]] (H.R. 4405, Pub. L. No. 119-38), which the House had passed 427 to 1 after a discharge petition by Thomas Massie and [[Ro Khanna]], and which permits withholding records that "would jeopardize an active federal investigation." The department missed the December 19, 2025 deadline, disclosed on December 24 that it had found more than a million additional documents, and on January 30, 2026 published the bulk of the material, bringing the total to nearly 3.5 million pages, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images; its letter to Congress that day stated that about 200,000 pages had been withheld or redacted under privileges the statute does not list.[^32][^135][^136][^137][^138]
+On November 14, 2025, at Trump's request, Bondi assigned [[Jay Clayton]] to investigate Epstein's dealings with Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman and JPMorgan Chase. Five days later Trump signed the [[Epstein Files Transparency Act]] (H.R. 4405, Pub. L. No. 119-38), which the House had passed 427 to 1 after a discharge petition by Thomas Massie and [[Ro Khanna]], and which permits withholding records that "would jeopardize an active federal investigation." The department missed the December 19, 2025 deadline, disclosed on December 24 that it had found more than a million additional documents, and on January 30, 2026 published the bulk of the material, bringing the total to nearly 3.5 million pages, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images; its letter to Congress that day stated that about 200,000 pages had been withheld or redacted under privileges the statute does not list.[^32][^145][^146][^147][^148]

-The January 2026 release stated that "notable individuals and politicians were not redacted"; four senators called that "plainly false" in asking the [[Government Accountability Office]] to review the department's redaction and release process, which the GAO agreed to do in late April 2026, days after the department's inspector general opened its own audit. In February and March 2026 NPR and CNN reported that FBI interview records of a woman who accused both Epstein and Trump were missing from the public library; the department said nothing had been deleted, later published three of the interviews as records mistakenly tagged as duplicates, and NPR counted 37 pages still missing. A White House spokeswoman said Trump "has been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein." On January 13, 2026 Massie and Khanna asked Engelmayer to appoint a special master, reporting that the department had "publicly released only 12,285 documents" of "more than 2 million" under review; he denied the motion on January 21, 2026 for want of jurisdiction. On August 11, 2026 Preska authorized the government to release under the Act the Boies Schiller material obtained by the 2019 subpoena, over Maxwell's opposition.[^113][^139][^140][^141][^142]
+The January 2026 release stated that "notable individuals and politicians were not redacted"; four senators called that "plainly false" in asking the [[Government Accountability Office]] to review the department's redaction and release process, which the GAO agreed to do in late April 2026, days after the department's inspector general opened its own audit. In February and March 2026 NPR and CNN reported that FBI interview records of a woman who accused both Epstein and Trump were missing from the public library; the department said nothing had been deleted, later published three of the interviews as records mistakenly tagged as duplicates, and NPR counted 37 pages still missing. A White House spokeswoman said Trump "has been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein." On January 13, 2026 Massie and Khanna asked Engelmayer to appoint a special master, reporting that the department had "publicly released only 12,285 documents" of "more than 2 million" under review; he denied the motion on January 21, 2026 for want of jurisdiction. On August 11, 2026 Preska authorized the government to release under the Act the Boies Schiller material obtained by the 2019 subpoena, over Maxwell's opposition.[^123][^149][^150][^151][^152]

-The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondi on March 4, 2026; Trump removed her on April 2 and named Blanche acting Attorney General. On March 3, 2026 Finance Committee chairman [[Mike Crapo]] objected to Wyden's request to pass the Produce Epstein Treasury Records Act (S. 2746), citing the House review and the Banking Committee's jurisdiction. Wyden's August 4, 2026 report, "Looking the Other Way," stated that Blanche had intervened to block the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] from answering his request about a federal investigation in which Epstein and associates had been targets, and that a 60 Minutes interview Wyden taped on March 26, 2026 was not aired after CBS News fired correspondent [[Sharyn Alfonsi]].[^12][^143][^144][^145][^146]
+The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Bondi on March 4, 2026; Trump removed her on April 2 and named Blanche acting Attorney General. On March 3, 2026 Finance Committee chairman [[Mike Crapo]] objected to Wyden's request to pass the Produce Epstein Treasury Records Act (S. 2746), citing the House review and the Banking Committee's jurisdiction. Wyden's August 4, 2026 report, "Looking the Other Way," stated that Blanche had intervened to block the [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] from answering his request about a federal investigation in which Epstein and associates had been targets, and that a 60 Minutes interview Wyden taped on March 26, 2026 was not aired after CBS News fired correspondent [[Sharyn Alfonsi]].[^12][^153][^154][^155][^156]

-The 2025 and 2026 releases produced resignations and removals without prosecutions. Summers left the [[OpenAI]] board on November 19, 2025, was banned for life by the [[American Economic Association]] on December 2, 2025, and resigned from Harvard on February 25, 2026, the day after The Boston Globe sent the university its questions; Harvard placed Nowak on leave the same day. Pritzker retired as executive chairman of [[Hyatt Hotels Corporation|Hyatt]] on February 17, 2026, and Ruemmler resigned as general counsel of [[Goldman Sachs]].[^79][^147][^148][^149]
+The 2025 and 2026 releases produced resignations and removals without prosecutions. Summers left the [[OpenAI]] board on November 19, 2025, was banned for life by the [[American Economic Association]] on December 2, 2025, and resigned from Harvard on February 25, 2026, the day after The Boston Globe sent the university its questions; Harvard placed Nowak on leave the same day. Pritzker retired as executive chairman of [[Hyatt Hotels Corporation|Hyatt]] on February 17, 2026, and Ruemmler resigned as general counsel of [[Goldman Sachs]].[^85][^157][^158][^159]

 ### Footnotes

@ -487,96 +499,102 @@ The 2025 and 2026 releases produced resignations and removals without prosecutio
 [^58]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: email from an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York, subject "memos," May 6, 2020, EFTA00030339 (DataSet 8). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%208/EFTA00030339.pdf
 [^59]: Lopez, Diane E., Ara B. Gershengorn, and Martin F. Murphy. *Report Concerning Jeffrey E. Epstein's Connections to Harvard University.* Harvard University Office of the General Counsel and Foley Hoag LLP, May 1, 2020, pp. 3-5, 10-17, 20-23 and nn. 8-10. https://www.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Reportconcerning-Jeffrey-Epstein.pdf ; https://ogc.harvard.edu/report-concerning-Epstein
 [^60]: Aldhous, Peter. "Jeffrey Epstein Called Himself A 'Science Philanthropist' And Donated Millions To These Researchers," *BuzzFeed News,* July 11, 2019. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking-science-donations
-[^61]: Neuman, Scott, and Ava Berger. "Epstein paid for a conference of top scientists in 2006. His motives are now clear," *NPR,* March 9, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/09/nx-s1-5721150/epstein-scientists-physics-virgin-islands-conference
-[^62]: Minsky, Marvin L., Push Singh, and Aaron Sloman. "The St. Thomas Common Sense Symposium: Designing Architectures for Human-Level Intelligence," *AI Magazine* 25, no. 2 (2004): 113. https://doi.org/10.1609/aimag.v25i2.1764 ; Brandom, Russell. "AI pioneer accused of having sex with trafficking victim on Jeffrey Epstein's island," *The Verge,* August 9, 2019. https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/9/20798900/marvin-minsky-jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking-island-court-records-unsealed
-[^63]: EFTA00328899, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9, https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00328899.pdf; EFTA00714297, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9, https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00714297.pdf; EFTA00337558, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9, https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00337558.pdf.
-[^64]: Aldhous, Peter. "Jeffrey Epstein's Links To Scientists Are Even More Extensive Than We Thought," *BuzzFeed News,* August 27, 2019. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/jeffrey-epstein-science-donations-apologies-statements
-[^65]: Goodwin Procter LLP. *Report Concerning Jeffrey Epstein's Interactions with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.* January 10, 2020, pp. 5, 10, 28 n. 28. https://facultygovernance.mit.edu/sites/default/files/20200121GoodwinProcterReport.pdf
-[^66]: "Billionaire Leon Black made a $158 million payment to Jeffrey Epstein. Senators want to know why," *CNN Business,* July 25, 2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/25/business/leon-black-jeffrey-epstein-senate-investigation
-[^67]: Owermohle, Sarah, and Austin Culpepper. "How Epstein enlisted Harvard scientists to burnish his reputation, and try to make a profit," *CNN,* February 19, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/19/politics/harvard-epstein-donations-influence-exclusive
-[^68]: Molteni, Megan. "Jeffrey Epstein's tissue samples ignited a furor in the Harvard lab of George Church," *STAT,* February 24, 2026. https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/24/epstein-cell-line-george-church-harvard-personal-genome-project/
-[^69]: Farrow, Ronan. "How an Elite University Research Center Concealed Its Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein," *The New Yorker,* September 6, 2019. https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-an-elite-university-research-center-concealed-its-relationship-with-jeffrey-epstein
-[^70]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Peggy Siegal and George Stephanopoulos, "Thursday small dinner for Prince Andrew," November and December 2010, EFTA02411832 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02411832.pdf
-[^71]: Ponieman, Natan. *Benzinga,* May 2023, on Epstein's private calendar, summarizing the *Wall Street Journal.* https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/05/32134015/private-calendar-reveals-jeffrey-epsteins-meetings-with-cia-director-noamchomsky-and-goldman-sachs ; *The Daily Beast,* May 2023, on Epstein's calendar meetings with Noam Chomsky and William Burns. https://www.thedailybeast.com/epstein-calendar-reveals-meetings-with-noam-chomsky-and-former-cia-chief-william-burns/ ; "The Former Biglaw Partner In Jeffrey Epstein's Private Calendar." *Above the Law,* May 2023, summarizing the *Wall Street Journal.* https://abovethelaw.com/2023/05/the-former-biglaw-partner-in-jeffrey-epsteins-private-calendar/
-[^72]: Hamilton, Katherine. "Jeffrey Epstein Moved Money For Noam Chomsky, Paid Bard President Botstein $150,000, Report Says." *Forbes,* May 17, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/05/17/jeffrey-epstein-moved-money-for-noam-chomsky-paid-bard-president-botstein-150000-report-says/
-[^73]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Kathy Ruemmler to Jeffrey Epstein, January 8, 2015, EFTA02386175 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02386175.pdf
-[^74]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01348714, DataSet 10, check image, Gratitude America, Ltd, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, to Leon Botstein, August 1, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01348714.pdf ; EFTA01348725, DataSet 10, check image, February 3, 2016 (Bates DB-SDNY-0035646). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01348725.pdf ; "Leon Botstein received $150,000 from Jeffrey Epstein," *Inside Higher Ed,* May 18, 2023. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/18/leon-botstein-received-150000-jeffrey-epstein
-[^75]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01615267, DataSet 10, iMessage log with the contact "Steve Bannon," August 23, 2018, EFTA01615267 to EFTA01615272. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01615267.pdf ; "'Let me see the videotapes': Mark Epstein wants Steve Bannon's 15 hours of unseen footage of his brother," *NBC News,* 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/mark-epstein-steve-bannon-15-hours-brother-jeffrey-epstein-rcna219630
-[^76]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Tom Pritzker to Jeffrey Epstein, "RE: Re:," August 8, 2016, EFTA01783338 (DataSet 10). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01783338.pdf
-[^77]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: email to Jeffrey Epstein, sender redacted, "Any other," August 12, 2010, EFTA02407727 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02407727.pdf ; Saida Sapieva to Lesley Groff, "CONFIRMED: DINNER: Sunday, 8/2," July 31, 2015, EFTA00344556, and reply chain, EFTA00344564 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00344556.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00344564.pdf ; email chain, Jeffrey Epstein and a redacted correspondent, February 6, 2016, EFTA01738574 (DataSet 10). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01738574.pdf
-[^78]: "Epstein's Silicon Valley ties extended beyond just Musk and Gates." *CNBC,* February 9, 2026. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/09/tech-leaders-epstein-records-silicon-valley-sergey-brin-thiel-sinofsky-reid-hoffman-musk-gates.html
-[^79]: Fernandes, Deirdre, and Tricia L. Nadolny. "Introductions to women. Free flights. Business deals. Jeffrey Epstein's ties to Harvard run deeper than previously known," *The Boston Globe,* February 25, 2026. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/25/metro/jeffrey-epstein-harvard-spotlight-report/
-[^80]: Ruetenik, Daniel, and Graham Kates. "Lutnick and Epstein were in business together, Epstein files show." *CBS News,* February 7, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-lutnick-jeffrey-epstein-in-business-together/
-[^81]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: FBI Form FD-71A Guardian Complaint Form, "Alleged Money Laundering by Howard Lutnick via BGC Financial and Cantor Fitzgerald," case 50D-NY-3027571, April 23, 2021, EFTA01249210 (DataSet 9); calendar alert, December 20, 2012, EFTA02152992 (DataSet 10). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249210.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152992.pdf
-[^82]: "Birthday letter to Epstein bore Trump's signature, drawing of naked woman, Wall Street Journal reports." *CNN,* July 17, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/17/politics/epstein-birthday-letter-trump ; "Trump Epstein letter and drawing from 'birthday book' released." *CNBC,* September 8, 2025. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/08/trump-epstein-birthday-book-oversight.html
-[^83]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: FBI New York internal email on the Prince Andrew MLAT request, June 8, 2020, EFTA00149598 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00149598.pdf
-[^84]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: correspondence of Tomer Toor, Darren Indyke, Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein on the exercise of Carbyne warrants, February and March 2019, EFTA02632339 and EFTA02634615 (DataSet 11); Richard Kahn and Darren Indyke on Carbyne financial statements, March 2019, EFTA01035810 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02632339.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02634615.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01035810.pdf
-[^85]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Ehud Barak to Jabor Al Thani, copied to Jeffrey Epstein, "Qatar Presentation <> Carbyne 911," January 1, 2019, EFTA02607775, and continuing thread to February 4, 2019, EFTA02628648 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02607775.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02628648.pdf
-[^86]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Jeffrey Epstein to Peter Thiel, May 21, 2018, EFTA01052344 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01052344.pdf
-[^87]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Jeffrey Epstein and Nicole Junkermann, February 18, 2019, EFTA02630791 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02630791.pdf
-[^88]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: iMessage logs with the contact "Vitaly Churkin," November 16, 2015 to January 10, 2017, EFTA01619434, EFTA01619438 and EFTA01619444 (DataSet 10); Lesley Groff, "Churkin to join lunch tomorrow as well," August 28, 2016, EFTA02044775 (DataSet 10); scheduling of Maxim Churkin, July and August 2017, EFTA02219806 (DataSet 11) and EFTA00676901 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01619434.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01619438.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01619444.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02044775.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02219806.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00676901.pdf
-[^89]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, deposition of William P. Barr, August 18, 2025, transcript released September 2025. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Barr-Transcript.pdf
-[^90]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Jeffrey Epstein to Martin Weinberg, "Re: CIA FOIA Request," July 18, 2011, EFTA00915248; Weinberg to Epstein, same date, EFTA00687827; FBI Privacy Waiver and Certification of Identity, EFTA00624683 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00915248.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00687827.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00624683.pdf
-[^91]: Complaint, Farmer v. United States, No. 1:25-cv-01709-RBW (D.D.C. May 29, 2025), paras. 80, 85-126, 176-185, citing United States v. Epstein, 27 F. Supp. 2d 404 (S.D.N.Y. 1998). https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Doc-1-Complaint-05-29-2025.pdf
-[^92]: Maria Farmer and Sarah Ransome, Claim for Damage, Injury, or Death (Standard Form 95), signed July 20, 2023. https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Farmer-and-Ransome-Jeffrey-Epstein-Notice-of-Claim-FBI-07-20-2023.pdf
-[^93]: "Maria Farmer and Marsh Law Firm's Persistent Advocacy Vindicated as FBI Releases Farmer's 1996 Report on Jeffrey Epstein," *Marsh Law Firm,* December 23, 2025. https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/persistent-advocacy-vindicated/
-[^94]: "NYC medical examiner rejects claim that Jeffrey Epstein's death was a homicide." *CNN,* October 30, 2019. https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/30/us/jeffrey-epstein-autopsy-fox ; "Jeffrey Epstein autopsy finds broken bones in his neck." *CNN,* August 15, 2019. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/15/us/jeffrey-epstein-autopsy-broken-neck
-[^95]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: "Gmax" to Jeffrey Epstein, December 8, 2009, EFTA02434764 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02434764.pdf
-[^96]: Suzanne Carlson, "Epstein estate could be ordered to repay more than $144 million in tax breaks," *Virgin Islands Daily News,* February 13, 2020 (ECF No. 158-36 in No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR). http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/epstein-estate-could-be-ordered-to-repay-more-than-144-million-in-tax-breaks/article_b84d9710-14af-5e69-a890-bcf8265cf8f9.html
-[^97]: Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR (S.D.N.Y.), Expert Report of Jorge Amador, ECF No. 238-31 (filed July 25, 2023), report pp. 6, 16-17, 24, 46, 74. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.591653/gov.uscourts.nysd.591653.238.31.pdf
-[^98]: Dechert LLP, Memorandum to the Apollo Conflicts Committee, January 22, 2021, Exhibit 99.1 to Apollo Global Management Form 8-K (January 25, 2021), pp. 3 to 5, 16 to 17. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1411494/000119312521016405/d118102dex991.htm
-[^99]: Letter from Senator Ron Wyden to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and FBI Director Kash Patel, March 11, 2025. https://www.finance.senate.gov/download/wyden-letter-to-doj-treasury-fbi-on-epsteinpdf?download=1
-[^100]: Settlement Agreement and Release between the Government of the United States Virgin Islands and Leon Black, executed January 20, 2023. https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/usvi_black_settlement_agreement_-_executedpdf.pdf
-[^101]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01071282, DataSet 9, "Checklist for Leon Black Estate Planning and Restructuring," as of October 2, 2013. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01071282.pdf ; EFTA00982173, DataSet 9, email, Ada Clapp to Jeffrey Epstein, "6.7.13 Checklist for Leon Black Estate Planning and Restructuring-updated 1.14.14," January 21, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00982173.pdf ; EFTA00702518, DataSet 9, email, Barry J. Cohen to Jeffrey Epstein, "S&C: Leon Black Estate Planning," July 24, 2017. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00702518.pdf
-[^102]: Deposition of James Dimon, May 26, 2023, No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR (S.D.N.Y.), transcript pp. 261-269. https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/rQOuhi8KqiM0/v0
-[^103]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02808715, Court Records, Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904 (S.D.N.Y.), letter motion of Motley Rice to Judge Jed S. Rakoff seeking leave to reopen depositions, June 7, 2023 (ECF No. 191). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02808715.pdf ; EFTA02808625, Court Records, same case, letter of JPMorgan's counsel in opposition, June 9, 2023. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02808625.pdf ; EFTA02814941, Court Records, same case, Order of Judge Jed S. Rakoff, August 2023. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02814941.pdf
-[^104]: Staley v The Financial Conduct Authority [2025] UKUT 00203 (TCC), decision released June 26, 2025. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685d21fec2633bd820a92a52/Staley_v_FCA_decision_for_release.pdf
-[^105]: New York State Department of Financial Services, Consent Order in the Matter of Deutsche Bank AG et al., July 6, 2020, paras. 26, 33. https://www.dfs.ny.gov/industry_guidance/enforcement_discipline/ea20200706_deutsche_bank ; Letter from Senator Ron Wyden to Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member Robert Garcia, June 4, 2026. https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/wyden_letter_to_house_oversight_on_leon_black-epstein_060426.pdf
-[^106]: "JPMorgan settles with Jeffrey Epstein victims for $290 million." *WHYY,* 2023. https://whyy.org/articles/jpmorgan-settlement/ ; "Ex-Barclays CEO Jes Staley fined and banned by UK regulator for Epstein ties." *AP/AOL,* 2023. https://www.aol.com/finance/ex-barclays-ceo-jes-staley-142727090.html
-[^107]: Em Steck, "Epstein left millions to his closest advisers. A shrinking estate and new lawsuits may stand in the way," *CNN,* September 21, 2026. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/21/politics/jeffrey-epstein-estate-lawsuit-vis
-[^108]: Financial Conduct Authority, Final Notice to James Edward Staley, July 23, 2025. https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/final-notices/james-edward-staley-2025.pdf
-[^109]: "V.I. Officials Enabled Epstein to Act With Impunity, JPMorgan Alleges in Latest Salvo." *St. Thomas Source,* June 16, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20240721172424/https://stthomassource.com/content/2023/06/16/v-i-officials-enabled-epstein-to-act-with-impunity-jpmorgan-alleges-in-latest-salvo/
-[^110]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Court filings show V.I. First Lady's loyalty to Epstein." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* June 21, 2023. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/court-filings-show-v-i-first-ladys-loyalty-to-epstein/article_c2dca0a7-a243-5365-88c0-389c576ad022.html
-[^111]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Docs confirm Bryan pressed for special treatment of sex offender." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* February 2, 2026. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/docs-confirm-bryan-pressed-for-special-treatment-of-sex-offender/article_5e9483c9-38d2-406c-8bb0-e5757ce287f2.html
-[^112]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Bryan unapologetic for texts with Epstein, doubles down on denial of wrongdoing." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* March 3, 2026. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/bryan-unapologetic-for-texts-with-epstein-doubles-down-on-denial-of-wrongdoing/article_8bab46a1-6075-4c7c-abec-6efb19622e62.html
-[^113]: Giuffre v. Maxwell, No. 1:15-cv-07433 (S.D.N.Y.), ECF No. 1360 with Exhibits 2-9 (Feb. 20, 2026), describing In re Grand Jury Subpoena, No. 19-MC-149 (CM) (April 9, 2019 order); Order, ECF No. 1367 (Aug. 11, 2026); Order, ECF No. 1370 (Sept. 3, 2026). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4355835/ian-torrington-blatchford-as-interim-administrator-of-virginia-giuffres/
-[^114]: "Jeffrey Epstein operated a vast sex-trafficking network of underage girls who recruited other victims, prosecutors say." *CNN,* July 8, 2019. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/08/us/jeffrey-epstein-monday-court-appearance
-[^115]: "Jeffrey Epstein used foreign passport with fake name to enter Saudi Arabia: prosecutors." *NBC News,* July 17, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jeffrey-epstein-used-foreign-passport-fake-name-enter-saudi-arabia-n1031046
-[^116]: *United States v. Epstein,* No. 1:19-cr-00490-RMB (S.D.N.Y.), ECF No. 23, Letter from AUSA Alison Moe to Judge Richard M. Berman (Supplement to Detention Memorandum), July 16, 2019, pp. 1-3. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.518649/gov.uscourts.nysd.518649.23.0_2.pdf
-[^117]: *United States v. Epstein,* No. 1:19-cr-00490-RMB (S.D.N.Y.), ECF No. 30, Letter from AUSA Alison Moe, July 17, 2019 (quoting ECF No. 24 at 7); ECF No. 31, Letter from Marc Fernich, Martin Weinberg, and Reid Weingarten, July 18, 2019. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/15887848/united-states-v-epstein/
-[^118]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: internal USANYS email, "FW: Fraud and Blackmail: Jeffrey Epstein's Finances," July 31, 2019, EFTA00086657 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00086657.pdf
-[^119]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Federal Bureau of Prisons records of Jeffrey Epstein's detention at MCC New York, July 8 to August 10, 2019, including staff memoranda of July 23, 2019, SIS Inmate Investigative Report NYM-19-0061 (July 31, 2019, pp. EFTA00049239 to 43), and an institution response on cellmate assignments and documentation, EFTA00048963 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00048963.pdf
-[^120]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. *Investigation and Review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Custody, Care, and Supervision of Jeffrey Epstein at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, New York.* Report 23-085, June 2023, pp. iii to iv, 1 to 6, 14 to 20, 58 to 60. https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-085.pdf
-[^121]: Khurshudyan, Isabelle. "Epstein files shed new light on what prison officials were doing the night he died." *CNN,* March 26, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/26/politics/epstein-files-prison-officials-night-he-died ; "Jeffrey Epstein's autopsy: A closer look." *CBS News, 60 Minutes,* January 5, 2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-autopsy-a-closer-look-60-minutes-2020-01-05/
-[^122]: U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation, unsigned memorandum on review of investigative holdings relating to Jeffrey Epstein, July 7, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline
-[^123]: Eastham, Janet. "'Suspicious' payments to last guard who saw Epstein." *The Telegraph* via *Yahoo News,* March 8, 2026. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/epstein-prison-guard-made-suspicious-132416347.html ; "Hany Farid and WIRED Analyze the Department of Justice's Released Epstein Video, Find Anomalies with Metadata." *UC Berkeley School of Information,* July 2025. https://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/news/2025/hany-farid-and-wired-analyze-department-justices-released-epstein-video-find-anomalies ; "Jeffrey Epstein prison video had nearly 3 minutes cut from it: report." *LiveNOW from FOX,* July 2025. https://www.livenowfox.com/news/epstein-prison-video-edit-discrepancy
-[^124]: "Maurene Comey, prosecutor in Epstein and Combs cases and daughter of former FBI director, sues after being fired." *CNN,* September 15, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/15/politics/maurene-comey-justice-department-lawsuit ; Comey v. United States Department of Justice, No. 1:25-cv-07625 (S.D.N.Y.). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71348216/comey-v-united-states-department-of-justice/
-[^125]: "Jeffrey Epstein's Executor Is Ex-Science Adviser to Bill Gates." *Bloomberg,* August 19, 2019. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-19/epstein-s-11th-hour-executor-is-ex-science-adviser-to-bill-gates
-[^126]: Reuters, "Epstein estate agrees to $35 million settlement in victim class action," *NBC News,* February 20, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/epstein-estate-agrees-35-million-settlement-victim-class-action-rcna259863 ; Doe 3 v. Indyke, No. 1:24-cv-01204 (S.D.N.Y.). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68260876/doe-3-v-indyke/
-[^127]: Kaelan Deese, "Two Jeffrey Epstein associates under investigation by New York federal prosecutors," *Washington Examiner,* September 23, 2026. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/4739210/jeffrey-epstein-associates-under-investigation-new-york-federal-prosecutors/
-[^128]: "Ghislaine Maxwell Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison." *U.S. Department of Justice, Southern District of New York,* June 28, 2022. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ghislaine-maxwell-sentenced-20-years-prison-conspiring-jeffrey-epstein-sexually-abuse
-[^129]: "Court Rules Virginia Giuffre Died Without a Will, Appoints Administrator," *Newsweek,* November 26, 2025. https://www.newsweek.com/court-rules-virginia-giuffre-died-without-will-11110482
-[^130]: United States v. Maxwell, No. 1:20-cr-00330 (S.D.N.Y.), ECF Nos. 784, 785 (July 18, 2025); ECF No. 809 (Aug. 11, 2025), 794 F. Supp. 3d 215. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17318376/united-states-v-maxwell/
-[^131]: U.S. Department of Justice, "Interview Transcript, Maxwell, 2025.07.24 (Redacted)." https://www.justice.gov/storage/audio-files/Interview%20Transcript/Interview%20Transcript%20-%20Maxwell%202025.07.24%20(Redacted).pdf
-[^132]: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, letter to William K. Marshall III, Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, August 7, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-07-Letter-to-BOP-Maxwell-Transfer.pdf
-[^133]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, "Attorney General Pamela Bondi Releases First Phase of Declassified Epstein Files," Press Release No. 25-201, February 27, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-releases-first-phase-declassified-epstein-files
-[^134]: Senator Richard J. Durbin, letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, July 18, 2025. https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/download/2025-07-18-rjd-letter-to-ag-bondi-re-epstein?download=1
-[^135]: "Bondi taps acting U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to probe Democrats' ties to Epstein," *The Washington Times,* November 14, 2025. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/nov/14/bondi-taps-acting-us-attorney-jay-clayton-probe-democrats-ties/
-[^136]: Epstein Files Transparency Act, Pub. L. No. 119-38, § 2(c)(1)(C), 139 Stat. 656. https://www.congress.gov/119/plaws/publ38/PLAW-119publ38.pdf ; Office of the Clerk, Roll Call 289, November 18, 2025. https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025289
-[^137]: U.S. Department of Justice, Press Release No. 26-84, January 30, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-publishes-35-million-responsive-pages-compliance-epstein-files
-[^138]: Pamela J. Bondi and Todd Blanche, letter to Congress, January 30, 2026, p. 4. https://www.justice.gov/letter-to-congress.pdf
-[^139]: United States v. Maxwell, No. 20 Cr. 330 (PAE) (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 21, 2026), Opinion and Order, ECF No. 844. https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/Maxwell%2020cr330%20-%20Opinion%20%26%20Order%201.21.26.pdf
-[^140]: Senators Jeffrey A. Merkley, Lisa Murkowski, Ben Ray Luján and Richard J. Durbin, letter to Acting Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown, March 11, 2026. https://www.merkley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/GAO-Epstein-Files-Redactions-Review-Letter.pdf
-[^141]: "Government watchdog to review DOJ's handling of the Epstein files," *NBC News,* April 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/government-watchdog-review-dojs-handling-epstein-files-rcna342513
-[^142]: "DOJ removed, withheld Epstein files related to accusations about Trump," *NPR,* February 24, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5723968/epstein-files-trump-accusation-maxwell ; "Justice Department posts more Epstein files related to accusations about Trump," *NPR,* March 5, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/05/nx-s1-5737562/justice-department-missing-epstein-files-trump ; *CNN,* February 24, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/24/us/epstein-files-trump-accuser-missing-files-invs
-[^143]: Congressional Record, vol. 172, no. 40 (March 3, 2026), pp. S748 ff. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2026-03-03/html/CREC-2026-03-03-pt1-PgS748-2.htm
-[^144]: U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, "Wyden Releases New Report on Failure of Wall Street Banks to Blow the Whistle on Jeffrey Epstein's Sex Trafficking and Money Laundering Schemes," August 4, 2026. https://www.finance.senate.gov/ranking-members-news/wyden-releases-new-report-on-failure-of-wall-street-banks-to-blow-the-whistle-on-jeffrey-epsteins-sex-trafficking-and-money-laundering-schemes
-[^145]: Dareh Gregorian et al., "House Oversight Committee votes to subpoena Pam Bondi for testimony on Epstein files," *NBC News,* March 4, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/pam-bondi-subpoenaed-testify-epstein-files-house-oversight-committee-rcna261779
-[^146]: "Trump fires Pam Bondi as attorney general, installs Todd Blanche as acting AG," *CBS News,* April 2, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-pam-bondi-attorney-general/
-[^147]: "Summers Resigns From OpenAI Board Amid Backlash Over Epstein Emails." *The Harvard Crimson,* November 19, 2025. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/11/19/summers-resigns-open-ai/ ; "Larry Summers banned for life from American Economic Association." Associated Press via *Fortune,* December 3, 2025. https://fortune.com/2025/12/03/larry-summers-banned-for-life-from-american-economic-association
-[^148]: Chapman, Michelle. "Thomas Pritzker steps down from Hyatt board, saying he deeply regrets association with Epstein." Associated Press via *PBS NewsHour,* February 17, 2026. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/thomas-pritzker-steps-down-from-hyatt-board-saying-he-deeply-regrets-association-with-epstein
-[^149]: *CBS News,* February 2026, on Ruemmler's resignation as Goldman Sachs general counsel. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kathryn-ruemmler-resigning-from-goldman-sachs-epstein-files/
-[^150]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01285659, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas statement for Jeffrey Epstein, August 1 to 31, 2015, page 1 of 5: "08-06 Outgoing Money Trnsf TO BANK OF AMERICA A/C [redacted] TH E NEW SCHOOL OPERATING ACCOUNT (16,083.00)."
-[^151]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01286417 (Bates EFTA01286419), Deutsche Bank statement for October 1 to 31, 2016, page 3 of 5: "10-27 Preauthorized Debit ... TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL (17,030.00)."
-[^152]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01299344 (Bates EFTA01299345), Deutsche Bank statement for May 1 to 31, 2017, page 2 of 5: "05-10 Preauthorized Debit ... TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL (10,856.00)"; "05-11 Outgoing Money Trnsf TO STERLING NATIONAL BANK A/C [redacted] FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (3,589.00)"; "05-19 Preauthorized Debit ... ACH PMT AMEX EPAYMENT (89,103.78)."
-[^153]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01681865, page marked EFTA01681912 (printed page 49), Deutsche Bank presentation to the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, September 12, 2019, Exhibit R, "Tuition Payments on Behalf of Children / Women."
+[^61]: Harvard University, Office of the General Counsel, "Report Concerning Jeffrey E. Epstein's Connections to Harvard University," May 2020, pp. 4-8. https://ogc.harvard.edu/files/ogc/files/report_concerning_jeffrey_e._epsteins_connections_to_harvard_university.pdf
+[^62]: Epstein schedule email for February 22, 2013, EFTA00395264 and EFTA01905308, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00395264.pdf
+[^63]: Stephen M. Kosslyn email to Jeffrey Epstein, "thanks," February 23, 2013, EFTA01760981, Data Set 10, and Jeffrey Epstein email reply, "Re: thanks," February 22 to 23, 2013, EFTA00955209, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01760981.pdf
+[^64]: Jeffrey Epstein and Stephen M. Kosslyn emails, September 15, 2014, EFTA00996933 and EFTA00704445, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00704445.pdf
+[^65]: Bob Kerrey and Jeffrey Epstein, "Brunch," September 16, 2014, EFTA02590901 and EFTA02591244, Data Set 11, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02591244.pdf
+[^66]: Form D, Minerva Project, Inc., filed November 14, 2014, accession 0001546672-14-000002, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, EDGAR. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546672/000154667214000002/primary_doc.xml
+[^67]: Neuman, Scott, and Ava Berger. "Epstein paid for a conference of top scientists in 2006. His motives are now clear," *NPR,* March 9, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/09/nx-s1-5721150/epstein-scientists-physics-virgin-islands-conference
+[^68]: Minsky, Marvin L., Push Singh, and Aaron Sloman. "The St. Thomas Common Sense Symposium: Designing Architectures for Human-Level Intelligence," *AI Magazine* 25, no. 2 (2004): 113. https://doi.org/10.1609/aimag.v25i2.1764 ; Brandom, Russell. "AI pioneer accused of having sex with trafficking victim on Jeffrey Epstein's island," *The Verge,* August 9, 2019. https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/9/20798900/marvin-minsky-jeffrey-epstein-sex-trafficking-island-court-records-unsealed
+[^69]: EFTA00328899, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9, https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00328899.pdf; EFTA00714297, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9, https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00714297.pdf; EFTA00337558, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9, https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00337558.pdf.
+[^70]: Aldhous, Peter. "Jeffrey Epstein's Links To Scientists Are Even More Extensive Than We Thought," *BuzzFeed News,* August 27, 2019. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/peteraldhous/jeffrey-epstein-science-donations-apologies-statements
+[^71]: Goodwin Procter LLP. *Report Concerning Jeffrey Epstein's Interactions with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.* January 10, 2020, pp. 5, 10, 28 n. 28. https://facultygovernance.mit.edu/sites/default/files/20200121GoodwinProcterReport.pdf
+[^72]: "Billionaire Leon Black made a $158 million payment to Jeffrey Epstein. Senators want to know why," *CNN Business,* July 25, 2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/25/business/leon-black-jeffrey-epstein-senate-investigation
+[^73]: Owermohle, Sarah, and Austin Culpepper. "How Epstein enlisted Harvard scientists to burnish his reputation, and try to make a profit," *CNN,* February 19, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/19/politics/harvard-epstein-donations-influence-exclusive
+[^74]: Molteni, Megan. "Jeffrey Epstein's tissue samples ignited a furor in the Harvard lab of George Church," *STAT,* February 24, 2026. https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/24/epstein-cell-line-george-church-harvard-personal-genome-project/
+[^75]: Farrow, Ronan. "How an Elite University Research Center Concealed Its Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein," *The New Yorker,* September 6, 2019. https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/how-an-elite-university-research-center-concealed-its-relationship-with-jeffrey-epstein
+[^76]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Peggy Siegal and George Stephanopoulos, "Thursday small dinner for Prince Andrew," November and December 2010, EFTA02411832 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02411832.pdf
+[^77]: Ponieman, Natan. *Benzinga,* May 2023, on Epstein's private calendar, summarizing the *Wall Street Journal.* https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/05/32134015/private-calendar-reveals-jeffrey-epsteins-meetings-with-cia-director-noamchomsky-and-goldman-sachs ; *The Daily Beast,* May 2023, on Epstein's calendar meetings with Noam Chomsky and William Burns. https://www.thedailybeast.com/epstein-calendar-reveals-meetings-with-noam-chomsky-and-former-cia-chief-william-burns/ ; "The Former Biglaw Partner In Jeffrey Epstein's Private Calendar." *Above the Law,* May 2023, summarizing the *Wall Street Journal.* https://abovethelaw.com/2023/05/the-former-biglaw-partner-in-jeffrey-epsteins-private-calendar/
+[^78]: Hamilton, Katherine. "Jeffrey Epstein Moved Money For Noam Chomsky, Paid Bard President Botstein $150,000, Report Says." *Forbes,* May 17, 2023. https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/05/17/jeffrey-epstein-moved-money-for-noam-chomsky-paid-bard-president-botstein-150000-report-says/
+[^79]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Kathy Ruemmler to Jeffrey Epstein, January 8, 2015, EFTA02386175 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02386175.pdf
+[^80]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01348714, DataSet 10, check image, Gratitude America, Ltd, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, to Leon Botstein, August 1, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01348714.pdf ; EFTA01348725, DataSet 10, check image, February 3, 2016 (Bates DB-SDNY-0035646). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01348725.pdf ; "Leon Botstein received $150,000 from Jeffrey Epstein," *Inside Higher Ed,* May 18, 2023. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2023/05/18/leon-botstein-received-150000-jeffrey-epstein
+[^81]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01615267, DataSet 10, iMessage log with the contact "Steve Bannon," August 23, 2018, EFTA01615267 to EFTA01615272. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01615267.pdf ; "'Let me see the videotapes': Mark Epstein wants Steve Bannon's 15 hours of unseen footage of his brother," *NBC News,* 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/mark-epstein-steve-bannon-15-hours-brother-jeffrey-epstein-rcna219630
+[^82]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Tom Pritzker to Jeffrey Epstein, "RE: Re:," August 8, 2016, EFTA01783338 (DataSet 10). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01783338.pdf
+[^83]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: email to Jeffrey Epstein, sender redacted, "Any other," August 12, 2010, EFTA02407727 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02407727.pdf ; Saida Sapieva to Lesley Groff, "CONFIRMED: DINNER: Sunday, 8/2," July 31, 2015, EFTA00344556, and reply chain, EFTA00344564 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00344556.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00344564.pdf ; email chain, Jeffrey Epstein and a redacted correspondent, February 6, 2016, EFTA01738574 (DataSet 10). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01738574.pdf
+[^84]: "Epstein's Silicon Valley ties extended beyond just Musk and Gates." *CNBC,* February 9, 2026. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/09/tech-leaders-epstein-records-silicon-valley-sergey-brin-thiel-sinofsky-reid-hoffman-musk-gates.html
+[^85]: Fernandes, Deirdre, and Tricia L. Nadolny. "Introductions to women. Free flights. Business deals. Jeffrey Epstein's ties to Harvard run deeper than previously known," *The Boston Globe,* February 25, 2026. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/25/metro/jeffrey-epstein-harvard-spotlight-report/
+[^86]: Ruetenik, Daniel, and Graham Kates. "Lutnick and Epstein were in business together, Epstein files show." *CBS News,* February 7, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-lutnick-jeffrey-epstein-in-business-together/
+[^87]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: FBI Form FD-71A Guardian Complaint Form, "Alleged Money Laundering by Howard Lutnick via BGC Financial and Cantor Fitzgerald," case 50D-NY-3027571, April 23, 2021, EFTA01249210 (DataSet 9); calendar alert, December 20, 2012, EFTA02152992 (DataSet 10). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01249210.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02152992.pdf
+[^88]: "Birthday letter to Epstein bore Trump's signature, drawing of naked woman, Wall Street Journal reports." *CNN,* July 17, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/17/politics/epstein-birthday-letter-trump ; "Trump Epstein letter and drawing from 'birthday book' released." *CNBC,* September 8, 2025. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/08/trump-epstein-birthday-book-oversight.html
+[^89]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: FBI New York internal email on the Prince Andrew MLAT request, June 8, 2020, EFTA00149598 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00149598.pdf
+[^90]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: correspondence of Tomer Toor, Darren Indyke, Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein on the exercise of Carbyne warrants, February and March 2019, EFTA02632339 and EFTA02634615 (DataSet 11); Richard Kahn and Darren Indyke on Carbyne financial statements, March 2019, EFTA01035810 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02632339.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02634615.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01035810.pdf
+[^91]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Ehud Barak to Jabor Al Thani, copied to Jeffrey Epstein, "Qatar Presentation <> Carbyne 911," January 1, 2019, EFTA02607775, and continuing thread to February 4, 2019, EFTA02628648 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02607775.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02628648.pdf
+[^92]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Jeffrey Epstein to Peter Thiel, May 21, 2018, EFTA01052344 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01052344.pdf
+[^93]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Jeffrey Epstein and Nicole Junkermann, February 18, 2019, EFTA02630791 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02630791.pdf
+[^94]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: iMessage logs with the contact "Vitaly Churkin," November 16, 2015 to January 10, 2017, EFTA01619434, EFTA01619438 and EFTA01619444 (DataSet 10); Lesley Groff, "Churkin to join lunch tomorrow as well," August 28, 2016, EFTA02044775 (DataSet 10); scheduling of Maxim Churkin, July and August 2017, EFTA02219806 (DataSet 11) and EFTA00676901 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01619434.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01619438.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01619444.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02044775.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02219806.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00676901.pdf
+[^95]: U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, deposition of William P. Barr, August 18, 2025, transcript released September 2025. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Barr-Transcript.pdf
+[^96]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Jeffrey Epstein to Martin Weinberg, "Re: CIA FOIA Request," July 18, 2011, EFTA00915248; Weinberg to Epstein, same date, EFTA00687827; FBI Privacy Waiver and Certification of Identity, EFTA00624683 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00915248.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00687827.pdf ; https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00624683.pdf
+[^97]: Complaint, Farmer v. United States, No. 1:25-cv-01709-RBW (D.D.C. May 29, 2025), paras. 80, 85-126, 176-185, citing United States v. Epstein, 27 F. Supp. 2d 404 (S.D.N.Y. 1998). https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Doc-1-Complaint-05-29-2025.pdf
+[^98]: Maria Farmer and Sarah Ransome, Claim for Damage, Injury, or Death (Standard Form 95), signed July 20, 2023. https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Farmer-and-Ransome-Jeffrey-Epstein-Notice-of-Claim-FBI-07-20-2023.pdf
+[^99]: "Maria Farmer and Marsh Law Firm's Persistent Advocacy Vindicated as FBI Releases Farmer's 1996 Report on Jeffrey Epstein," *Marsh Law Firm,* December 23, 2025. https://www.jamesmarshlaw.com/persistent-advocacy-vindicated/
+[^100]: "NYC medical examiner rejects claim that Jeffrey Epstein's death was a homicide." *CNN,* October 30, 2019. https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/30/us/jeffrey-epstein-autopsy-fox ; "Jeffrey Epstein autopsy finds broken bones in his neck." *CNN,* August 15, 2019. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/15/us/jeffrey-epstein-autopsy-broken-neck
+[^101]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: "Gmax" to Jeffrey Epstein, December 8, 2009, EFTA02434764 (DataSet 11). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02434764.pdf
+[^102]: Suzanne Carlson, "Epstein estate could be ordered to repay more than $144 million in tax breaks," *Virgin Islands Daily News,* February 13, 2020 (ECF No. 158-36 in No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR). http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/epstein-estate-could-be-ordered-to-repay-more-than-144-million-in-tax-breaks/article_b84d9710-14af-5e69-a890-bcf8265cf8f9.html
+[^103]: Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR (S.D.N.Y.), Expert Report of Jorge Amador, ECF No. 238-31 (filed July 25, 2023), report pp. 6, 16-17, 24, 46, 74. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.591653/gov.uscourts.nysd.591653.238.31.pdf
+[^104]: Dechert LLP, Memorandum to the Apollo Conflicts Committee, January 22, 2021, Exhibit 99.1 to Apollo Global Management Form 8-K (January 25, 2021), pp. 3 to 5, 16 to 17. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1411494/000119312521016405/d118102dex991.htm
+[^105]: Letter from Senator Ron Wyden to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and FBI Director Kash Patel, March 11, 2025. https://www.finance.senate.gov/download/wyden-letter-to-doj-treasury-fbi-on-epsteinpdf?download=1
+[^106]: Settlement Agreement and Release between the Government of the United States Virgin Islands and Leon Black, executed January 20, 2023. https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/usvi_black_settlement_agreement_-_executedpdf.pdf
+[^107]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01071282, DataSet 9, "Checklist for Leon Black Estate Planning and Restructuring," as of October 2, 2013. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA01071282.pdf ; EFTA00982173, DataSet 9, email, Ada Clapp to Jeffrey Epstein, "6.7.13 Checklist for Leon Black Estate Planning and Restructuring-updated 1.14.14," January 21, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00982173.pdf ; EFTA00702518, DataSet 9, email, Barry J. Cohen to Jeffrey Epstein, "S&C: Leon Black Estate Planning," July 24, 2017. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00702518.pdf
+[^108]: Deposition of James Dimon, May 26, 2023, No. 1:22-cv-10904-JSR (S.D.N.Y.), transcript pp. 261-269. https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/rQOuhi8KqiM0/v0
+[^109]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02808715, Court Records, Government of the United States Virgin Islands v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., No. 1:22-cv-10904 (S.D.N.Y.), letter motion of Motley Rice to Judge Jed S. Rakoff seeking leave to reopen depositions, June 7, 2023 (ECF No. 191). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02808715.pdf ; EFTA02808625, Court Records, same case, letter of JPMorgan's counsel in opposition, June 9, 2023. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02808625.pdf ; EFTA02814941, Court Records, same case, Order of Judge Jed S. Rakoff, August 2023. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/Court%20Records/Government%20of%20the%20United%20States%20Virgin%20Islands%20v.%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20Bank%2C%20N.A.%2C%20No.%20122-cv-10904%20(S.D.N.Y.%202022)/EFTA02814941.pdf
+[^110]: Staley v The Financial Conduct Authority [2025] UKUT 00203 (TCC), decision released June 26, 2025. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685d21fec2633bd820a92a52/Staley_v_FCA_decision_for_release.pdf
+[^111]: New York State Department of Financial Services, Consent Order in the Matter of Deutsche Bank AG et al., July 6, 2020, paras. 26, 33. https://www.dfs.ny.gov/industry_guidance/enforcement_discipline/ea20200706_deutsche_bank ; Letter from Senator Ron Wyden to Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member Robert Garcia, June 4, 2026. https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/wyden_letter_to_house_oversight_on_leon_black-epstein_060426.pdf
+[^112]: "JPMorgan settles with Jeffrey Epstein victims for $290 million." *WHYY,* 2023. https://whyy.org/articles/jpmorgan-settlement/ ; "Ex-Barclays CEO Jes Staley fined and banned by UK regulator for Epstein ties." *AP/AOL,* 2023. https://www.aol.com/finance/ex-barclays-ceo-jes-staley-142727090.html
+[^113]: Em Steck, "Epstein left millions to his closest advisers. A shrinking estate and new lawsuits may stand in the way," *CNN,* September 21, 2026. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/21/politics/jeffrey-epstein-estate-lawsuit-vis
+[^114]: Financial Conduct Authority, Final Notice to James Edward Staley, July 23, 2025. https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/final-notices/james-edward-staley-2025.pdf
+[^115]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01285659, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas statement for Jeffrey Epstein, August 1 to 31, 2015, page 1 of 5: "08-06 Outgoing Money Trnsf TO BANK OF AMERICA A/C [redacted] TH E NEW SCHOOL OPERATING ACCOUNT (16,083.00)."
+[^116]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01286417 (Bates EFTA01286419), Deutsche Bank statement for October 1 to 31, 2016, page 3 of 5: "10-27 Preauthorized Debit ... TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL (17,030.00)."
+[^117]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01299344 (Bates EFTA01299345), Deutsche Bank statement for May 1 to 31, 2017, page 2 of 5: "05-10 Preauthorized Debit ... TUITION THE NEW SCHOOL (10,856.00)"; "05-11 Outgoing Money Trnsf TO STERLING NATIONAL BANK A/C [redacted] FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (3,589.00)"; "05-19 Preauthorized Debit ... ACH PMT AMEX EPAYMENT (89,103.78)."
+[^118]: DOJ Epstein Library, file EFTA01681865, page marked EFTA01681912 (printed page 49), Deutsche Bank presentation to the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, September 12, 2019, Exhibit R, "Tuition Payments on Behalf of Children / Women."
+[^119]: "V.I. Officials Enabled Epstein to Act With Impunity, JPMorgan Alleges in Latest Salvo." *St. Thomas Source,* June 16, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20240721172424/https://stthomassource.com/content/2023/06/16/v-i-officials-enabled-epstein-to-act-with-impunity-jpmorgan-alleges-in-latest-salvo/
+[^120]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Court filings show V.I. First Lady's loyalty to Epstein." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* June 21, 2023. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/court-filings-show-v-i-first-ladys-loyalty-to-epstein/article_c2dca0a7-a243-5365-88c0-389c576ad022.html
+[^121]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Docs confirm Bryan pressed for special treatment of sex offender." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* February 2, 2026. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/docs-confirm-bryan-pressed-for-special-treatment-of-sex-offender/article_5e9483c9-38d2-406c-8bb0-e5757ce287f2.html
+[^122]: Carlson, Suzanne. "Bryan unapologetic for texts with Epstein, doubles down on denial of wrongdoing." *Virgin Islands Daily News,* March 3, 2026. https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/bryan-unapologetic-for-texts-with-epstein-doubles-down-on-denial-of-wrongdoing/article_8bab46a1-6075-4c7c-abec-6efb19622e62.html
+[^123]: Giuffre v. Maxwell, No. 1:15-cv-07433 (S.D.N.Y.), ECF No. 1360 with Exhibits 2-9 (Feb. 20, 2026), describing In re Grand Jury Subpoena, No. 19-MC-149 (CM) (April 9, 2019 order); Order, ECF No. 1367 (Aug. 11, 2026); Order, ECF No. 1370 (Sept. 3, 2026). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4355835/ian-torrington-blatchford-as-interim-administrator-of-virginia-giuffres/
+[^124]: "Jeffrey Epstein operated a vast sex-trafficking network of underage girls who recruited other victims, prosecutors say." *CNN,* July 8, 2019. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/08/us/jeffrey-epstein-monday-court-appearance
+[^125]: "Jeffrey Epstein used foreign passport with fake name to enter Saudi Arabia: prosecutors." *NBC News,* July 17, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jeffrey-epstein-used-foreign-passport-fake-name-enter-saudi-arabia-n1031046
+[^126]: *United States v. Epstein,* No. 1:19-cr-00490-RMB (S.D.N.Y.), ECF No. 23, Letter from AUSA Alison Moe to Judge Richard M. Berman (Supplement to Detention Memorandum), July 16, 2019, pp. 1-3. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.518649/gov.uscourts.nysd.518649.23.0_2.pdf
+[^127]: *United States v. Epstein,* No. 1:19-cr-00490-RMB (S.D.N.Y.), ECF No. 30, Letter from AUSA Alison Moe, July 17, 2019 (quoting ECF No. 24 at 7); ECF No. 31, Letter from Marc Fernich, Martin Weinberg, and Reid Weingarten, July 18, 2019. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/15887848/united-states-v-epstein/
+[^128]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: internal USANYS email, "FW: Fraud and Blackmail: Jeffrey Epstein's Finances," July 31, 2019, EFTA00086657 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00086657.pdf
+[^129]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library: Federal Bureau of Prisons records of Jeffrey Epstein's detention at MCC New York, July 8 to August 10, 2019, including staff memoranda of July 23, 2019, SIS Inmate Investigative Report NYM-19-0061 (July 31, 2019, pp. EFTA00049239 to 43), and an institution response on cellmate assignments and documentation, EFTA00048963 (DataSet 9). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00048963.pdf
+[^130]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. *Investigation and Review of the Federal Bureau of Prisons' Custody, Care, and Supervision of Jeffrey Epstein at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, New York.* Report 23-085, June 2023, pp. iii to iv, 1 to 6, 14 to 20, 58 to 60. https://oig.justice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/23-085.pdf
+[^131]: Khurshudyan, Isabelle. "Epstein files shed new light on what prison officials were doing the night he died." *CNN,* March 26, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/26/politics/epstein-files-prison-officials-night-he-died ; "Jeffrey Epstein's autopsy: A closer look." *CBS News, 60 Minutes,* January 5, 2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jeffrey-epstein-autopsy-a-closer-look-60-minutes-2020-01-05/
+[^132]: U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation, unsigned memorandum on review of investigative holdings relating to Jeffrey Epstein, July 7, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline
+[^133]: Eastham, Janet. "'Suspicious' payments to last guard who saw Epstein." *The Telegraph* via *Yahoo News,* March 8, 2026. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/epstein-prison-guard-made-suspicious-132416347.html ; "Hany Farid and WIRED Analyze the Department of Justice's Released Epstein Video, Find Anomalies with Metadata." *UC Berkeley School of Information,* July 2025. https://www.ischool.berkeley.edu/news/2025/hany-farid-and-wired-analyze-department-justices-released-epstein-video-find-anomalies ; "Jeffrey Epstein prison video had nearly 3 minutes cut from it: report." *LiveNOW from FOX,* July 2025. https://www.livenowfox.com/news/epstein-prison-video-edit-discrepancy
+[^134]: "Maurene Comey, prosecutor in Epstein and Combs cases and daughter of former FBI director, sues after being fired." *CNN,* September 15, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/15/politics/maurene-comey-justice-department-lawsuit ; Comey v. United States Department of Justice, No. 1:25-cv-07625 (S.D.N.Y.). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71348216/comey-v-united-states-department-of-justice/
+[^135]: "Jeffrey Epstein's Executor Is Ex-Science Adviser to Bill Gates." *Bloomberg,* August 19, 2019. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-08-19/epstein-s-11th-hour-executor-is-ex-science-adviser-to-bill-gates
+[^136]: Reuters, "Epstein estate agrees to $35 million settlement in victim class action," *NBC News,* February 20, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/epstein-estate-agrees-35-million-settlement-victim-class-action-rcna259863 ; Doe 3 v. Indyke, No. 1:24-cv-01204 (S.D.N.Y.). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68260876/doe-3-v-indyke/
+[^137]: Kaelan Deese, "Two Jeffrey Epstein associates under investigation by New York federal prosecutors," *Washington Examiner,* September 23, 2026. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/4739210/jeffrey-epstein-associates-under-investigation-new-york-federal-prosecutors/
+[^138]: "Ghislaine Maxwell Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison." *U.S. Department of Justice, Southern District of New York,* June 28, 2022. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ghislaine-maxwell-sentenced-20-years-prison-conspiring-jeffrey-epstein-sexually-abuse
+[^139]: "Court Rules Virginia Giuffre Died Without a Will, Appoints Administrator," *Newsweek,* November 26, 2025. https://www.newsweek.com/court-rules-virginia-giuffre-died-without-will-11110482
+[^140]: United States v. Maxwell, No. 1:20-cr-00330 (S.D.N.Y.), ECF Nos. 784, 785 (July 18, 2025); ECF No. 809 (Aug. 11, 2025), 794 F. Supp. 3d 215. https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/17318376/united-states-v-maxwell/
+[^141]: U.S. Department of Justice, "Interview Transcript, Maxwell, 2025.07.24 (Redacted)." https://www.justice.gov/storage/audio-files/Interview%20Transcript/Interview%20Transcript%20-%20Maxwell%202025.07.24%20(Redacted).pdf
+[^142]: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, letter to William K. Marshall III, Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, August 7, 2025. https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-08-07-Letter-to-BOP-Maxwell-Transfer.pdf
+[^143]: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, "Attorney General Pamela Bondi Releases First Phase of Declassified Epstein Files," Press Release No. 25-201, February 27, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-releases-first-phase-declassified-epstein-files
+[^144]: Senator Richard J. Durbin, letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, July 18, 2025. https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/download/2025-07-18-rjd-letter-to-ag-bondi-re-epstein?download=1
+[^145]: "Bondi taps acting U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to probe Democrats' ties to Epstein," *The Washington Times,* November 14, 2025. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/nov/14/bondi-taps-acting-us-attorney-jay-clayton-probe-democrats-ties/
+[^146]: Epstein Files Transparency Act, Pub. L. No. 119-38, § 2(c)(1)(C), 139 Stat. 656. https://www.congress.gov/119/plaws/publ38/PLAW-119publ38.pdf ; Office of the Clerk, Roll Call 289, November 18, 2025. https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025289
+[^147]: U.S. Department of Justice, Press Release No. 26-84, January 30, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-publishes-35-million-responsive-pages-compliance-epstein-files
+[^148]: Pamela J. Bondi and Todd Blanche, letter to Congress, January 30, 2026, p. 4. https://www.justice.gov/letter-to-congress.pdf
+[^149]: United States v. Maxwell, No. 20 Cr. 330 (PAE) (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 21, 2026), Opinion and Order, ECF No. 844. https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2026-01/Maxwell%2020cr330%20-%20Opinion%20%26%20Order%201.21.26.pdf
+[^150]: Senators Jeffrey A. Merkley, Lisa Murkowski, Ben Ray Luján and Richard J. Durbin, letter to Acting Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown, March 11, 2026. https://www.merkley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/GAO-Epstein-Files-Redactions-Review-Letter.pdf
+[^151]: "Government watchdog to review DOJ's handling of the Epstein files," *NBC News,* April 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/government-watchdog-review-dojs-handling-epstein-files-rcna342513
+[^152]: "DOJ removed, withheld Epstein files related to accusations about Trump," *NPR,* February 24, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5723968/epstein-files-trump-accusation-maxwell ; "Justice Department posts more Epstein files related to accusations about Trump," *NPR,* March 5, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2026/03/05/nx-s1-5737562/justice-department-missing-epstein-files-trump ; *CNN,* February 24, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/24/us/epstein-files-trump-accuser-missing-files-invs
+[^153]: Congressional Record, vol. 172, no. 40 (March 3, 2026), pp. S748 ff. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2026-03-03/html/CREC-2026-03-03-pt1-PgS748-2.htm
+[^154]: U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, "Wyden Releases New Report on Failure of Wall Street Banks to Blow the Whistle on Jeffrey Epstein's Sex Trafficking and Money Laundering Schemes," August 4, 2026. https://www.finance.senate.gov/ranking-members-news/wyden-releases-new-report-on-failure-of-wall-street-banks-to-blow-the-whistle-on-jeffrey-epsteins-sex-trafficking-and-money-laundering-schemes
+[^155]: Dareh Gregorian et al., "House Oversight Committee votes to subpoena Pam Bondi for testimony on Epstein files," *NBC News,* March 4, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/pam-bondi-subpoenaed-testify-epstein-files-house-oversight-committee-rcna261779
+[^156]: "Trump fires Pam Bondi as attorney general, installs Todd Blanche as acting AG," *CBS News,* April 2, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-pam-bondi-attorney-general/
+[^157]: "Summers Resigns From OpenAI Board Amid Backlash Over Epstein Emails." *The Harvard Crimson,* November 19, 2025. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/11/19/summers-resigns-open-ai/ ; "Larry Summers banned for life from American Economic Association." Associated Press via *Fortune,* December 3, 2025. https://fortune.com/2025/12/03/larry-summers-banned-for-life-from-american-economic-association
+[^158]: Chapman, Michelle. "Thomas Pritzker steps down from Hyatt board, saying he deeply regrets association with Epstein." Associated Press via *PBS NewsHour,* February 17, 2026. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/thomas-pritzker-steps-down-from-hyatt-board-saying-he-deeply-regrets-association-with-epstein
+[^159]: *CBS News,* February 2026, on Ruemmler's resignation as Goldman Sachs general counsel. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kathryn-ruemmler-resigning-from-goldman-sachs-epstein-files/
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Leonid
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Leonid
@ -26,5 +26,5 @@ During the 1973 [[Yom Kippur War]], as the continued encirclement of the Egyptia

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
 [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. _The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy_. Random House, 1991. Chapter 17.
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Lesley
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Lesley
@ -47,28 +47,28 @@ relations:
    reverse: true
    role: "grand jury subpoena resolved by interview"
    start: 2007-09-12
-    fn: 22
+    fn: 24
  - type: represented
    with: "[[Jonathan Whitcomb]]"
    reverse: true
    role: "counsel in Doe v. Indyke and before the House Oversight Committee"
    start: 2021-10-24
-    fn: 20
+    fn: 22
  - type: investigated
    with: "[[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida]]"
    reverse: true
    role: "grand jury subpoena OLY-73 for her and Epstein's calendars, contacts, communications and devices"
    start: 2007-08-16
-    fn: 21
+    fn: 23
  - type: investigated
    with: "[[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York]]"
    reverse: true
    role: "FBI interviews, attorney proffers and a signed proffer agreement"
    start: 2019-07-06
    end: 2021-07-23
-    fn: 23
+    fn: 25
 created: 2026-09-25
-updated: 2026-10-08
+updated: 2026-10-09
 ---

 Lesley Groff is an American former executive assistant to [[Jeffrey Epstein]], who worked for him in his [[New York City|New York]] office for more than eighteen years, from 2001 until she resigned after his arrest in July 2019. She is one of the four women named in the co-conspirator clause of Epstein's September 2007 [[Epstein non-prosecution agreement|non-prosecution agreement]] with the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida]], a clause she has called her "scarlet letter." Victims have said she scheduled their appointments with Epstein; she has denied any knowledge of his crimes and has never been charged.[^1][^2]
@ -79,33 +79,35 @@ Groff began working for Epstein in February 2001, at the age of 35, as his execu

 Groff managed Epstein's calendar and travel from New York. A 2005 [[Chicago Tribune]] article reported salaries of about 200,000 dollars for Epstein's assistants and quoted Epstein describing them as "an extension of my brain."[^4] Groff told the [[House Oversight Committee]] that she was paid 50,000 dollars until 2005, with a 10,000 dollar bonus in her first year, 120,000 dollars until 2009, 108,000 dollars thereafter, and from 2015 about 130,000 dollars and perhaps as much as 150,000 dollars. Asked about correspondence in the released files showing that she had been paid "through a loan that you arranged with Richard Kahn," which "says in the correspondence that it was forgivable upon his death," she answered "Yes." She testified that "in 2016, I believe that my salary did change to a loan plus a small paycheck," that she "was told it was a new structure," and that the loan was 100,000 dollars in 2016, "the same for 2017, 2018," and 110,000 dollars in 2019, while "the salary portion became less."[^3] A [[Deutsche Bank]] know-your-customer page for "The 2013 Butterfly Trust," produced to the federal grand jury in New York, listed her among the trust's "Current Potential Beneficiaries," with Indyke and Epstein's pilot [[Larry Visoski]].[^5]

+Groff handled the scheduling of the Minerva lunch in February 2013. On February 21, 2013 [[Stephen Kosslyn]] wrote that "Ben wants to bring Senator Bob Kerrey with him. Would that be OK with JEE?" for a lunch the next day, and the reply read: "Jeffrey says YES to all! 12:00 and bring along Sen. Bob Kerrey."[^6] On March 12, 2013 she asked Epstein: "Did you want me to touch base with Bob Kerrey of the Minvera [sic] Project and see if he might be free 19th, 20th?" Epstein answered "ok."[^7]
+
 ### Duties and the Scheduling Record

 Groff described her duties to the committee: "I scheduled his business meetings. I scheduled breakfasts, lunches, dinners. If he was going to have a party, I might coordinate with that. I coordinated with his staff at all the homes. On his island, I coordinated with his pilots. I would sometimes coordinate trips to, say, a TED conference." She said she informed the pilots of departure times and could have told them who would be traveling, that she never traveled on Epstein's airplanes, and that she took "the one helicopter ride," from [[St. Thomas]] to his island to see a construction project. She recalled Epstein speaking with Senator [[John Kerry]], General [[Wesley Clark]], [[George Mitchell]] and the governor of [[New Mexico]]; of [[Donald Trump]] she said that "early on, he spoke with Trump, but that was before he became President," and "I would connect phone calls. That was it." She said Epstein spoke with [[Prince Andrew]] when Andrew was in town.[^3]

 Messages from her desk in the [[Epstein Files]] released by the [[Department of Justice|Justice Department]] include:

- April 27, 2011: "Howard Lutnick will come see" Epstein on a Sunday at 5 p.m., a visit by the chief executive of [[Cantor Fitzgerald]], [[Howard Lutnick]].[^6]
- February 22, 2012: to the defense lawyer [[Roy Black]], "Jeffrey would like to meet with you along with [[Reid Weingarten]] on Friday March 2nd in Miami"; Black replied, "No problem I can do Friday afternoon."[^7]
- October 1, 2012: to Epstein, copying Larry Visoski, "Todd Meister called to confirm he will be going to the island tomorrow with his Venezuelan friend and that Larry is to pick them up in the helicopter upon arrival," after [[Todd Meister]] had forwarded her a message from Francisco D'Agostino giving a landing time at "St. Thomas FBO: Alliance Aviation" and the tail number N3FD. An addressee whose name is redacted asked her that evening whether the party would stay overnight on "lsj" or whether it was "just a drop."[^8][^9]
- June 24, 2013: "[[Julian Leese]] is in NY... OK to schedule in Julian Leese?"[^10]
- March 24, 2014: arranging a call between Epstein and [[Jacqui Safra]] on a Swiss mobile number.[^11]
- August 14, 2014: to the Virgin Islands lawyer [[Stacey Plaskett]], copying [[Erika Kellerhals]], "will you be able to meet with Jeffrey on his island on Monday Aug. 18th at 11am?"; Plaskett replied, "Please share details on time and transportation to Jeffrey." Plaskett was elected the territory's delegate to Congress that November.[^12]
- April 21, 2015: "Carlton Dowe returned your call," a reference to the executive director of the [[Virgin Islands Port Authority]], [[Carlton Dowe]].[^13]
- August 5, 2015: "Jeffrey Epstein attended Reid Hoffman/Peter Thiel's dinner party this past Sunday night at Baume Restaurant. At the party Mark requested Jeffrey send his contact details to him," with [[Mark Zuckerberg]] named among the recipients; the hosts were [[Reid Hoffman]] and [[Peter Thiel]].[^14]
- August 28, 2016: "Vitaly Churkin will also join the lunch tomorrow...it is now JE, [redacted], Tom Barrack and Churkin. 4 total," a lunch with the Russian ambassador to the [[United Nations]], [[Vitaly Churkin]], and [[Tom Barrack]].[^15]
- November 29, 2016: to [[Joi Ito]] of the [[MIT Media Lab]], arranging a visit by [[Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem]], chairman of [[DP World]], to Epstein at [[Martin Nowak]]'s office at [[Harvard University|Harvard]], "1 Brattle Square."[^16]
- June 13, 2019: a calendar entry routed to her, "need Thorbjorn Jagland to confirm dinner on June 20th," with the former Norwegian prime minister and secretary general of the [[Council of Europe]], [[Thorbjørn Jagland]], three weeks before Epstein's arrest.[^17]
+- April 27, 2011: "Howard Lutnick will come see" Epstein on a Sunday at 5 p.m., a visit by the chief executive of [[Cantor Fitzgerald]], [[Howard Lutnick]].[^8]
+- February 22, 2012: to the defense lawyer [[Roy Black]], "Jeffrey would like to meet with you along with [[Reid Weingarten]] on Friday March 2nd in Miami"; Black replied, "No problem I can do Friday afternoon."[^9]
+- October 1, 2012: to Epstein, copying Larry Visoski, "Todd Meister called to confirm he will be going to the island tomorrow with his Venezuelan friend and that Larry is to pick them up in the helicopter upon arrival," after [[Todd Meister]] had forwarded her a message from Francisco D'Agostino giving a landing time at "St. Thomas FBO: Alliance Aviation" and the tail number N3FD. An addressee whose name is redacted asked her that evening whether the party would stay overnight on "lsj" or whether it was "just a drop."[^10][^11]
+- June 24, 2013: "[[Julian Leese]] is in NY... OK to schedule in Julian Leese?"[^12]
+- March 24, 2014: arranging a call between Epstein and [[Jacqui Safra]] on a Swiss mobile number.[^13]
+- August 14, 2014: to the Virgin Islands lawyer [[Stacey Plaskett]], copying [[Erika Kellerhals]], "will you be able to meet with Jeffrey on his island on Monday Aug. 18th at 11am?"; Plaskett replied, "Please share details on time and transportation to Jeffrey." Plaskett was elected the territory's delegate to Congress that November.[^14]
+- April 21, 2015: "Carlton Dowe returned your call," a reference to the executive director of the [[Virgin Islands Port Authority]], [[Carlton Dowe]].[^15]
+- August 5, 2015: "Jeffrey Epstein attended Reid Hoffman/Peter Thiel's dinner party this past Sunday night at Baume Restaurant. At the party Mark requested Jeffrey send his contact details to him," with [[Mark Zuckerberg]] named among the recipients; the hosts were [[Reid Hoffman]] and [[Peter Thiel]].[^16]
+- August 28, 2016: "Vitaly Churkin will also join the lunch tomorrow...it is now JE, [redacted], Tom Barrack and Churkin. 4 total," a lunch with the Russian ambassador to the [[United Nations]], [[Vitaly Churkin]], and [[Tom Barrack]].[^17]
+- November 29, 2016: to [[Joi Ito]] of the [[MIT Media Lab]], arranging a visit by [[Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem]], chairman of [[DP World]], to Epstein at [[Martin Nowak]]'s office at [[Harvard University|Harvard]], "1 Brattle Square."[^18]
+- June 13, 2019: a calendar entry routed to her, "need Thorbjorn Jagland to confirm dinner on June 20th," with the former Norwegian prime minister and secretary general of the [[Council of Europe]], [[Thorbjørn Jagland]], three weeks before Epstein's arrest.[^19]

 ### Allegations and Denials

 [[Marina Lacerda]], who has said she dropped out of school before the ninth grade and was abused by Epstein as a minor, has said she "had to go through Lesley Groff," who called repeatedly to arrange massages. A victim who was a minor at the time told the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] that she "felt it was pretty obvious Lesley knew what was going on." Groff's attorney [[Michael Bachner]] has said that she "never knowingly booked travel for anyone under the age of 18" and "had no knowledge of the alleged illegal activity whatsoever," and that after the 2019 arrest she "felt betrayed and disgusted."[^2]

-Groff was a named defendant, with Epstein, Maxwell, and [[Sarah Kellen]], in the federal sex-trafficking suit filed in January 2017 by [[Sarah Ransome]], who alleged that the four told her Epstein would secure her admission to the [[Fashion Institute of Technology]] in exchange for massages. The suit was dismissed with prejudice by stipulation on December 20, 2018.[^18] In October 2019 [[Jennifer Araoz]], who has said Epstein abused her when she was 14 and 15, amended her [[Child Victims Act]] suit in New York state court to name Groff, "who worked as his secretary," Maxwell and two other women; Araoz alleged that Groff "often contacted her to set up sexual encounters with him." Bachner responded that Groff had worked "as part of a professional staff that included in-house attorneys, accountants" and other office staff, and that she never engaged in "any misconduct" during her employment.[^19] On October 14, 2021 a plaintiff represented by [[Gloria Allred]] sued Groff with Indyke and Kahn in the [[U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]] (Doe v. Indyke, No. 1:21-cv-08469, before Judge [[P. Kevin Castel]]); [[Jonathan Whitcomb]], [[Danielle Charlot]] and Bachner appeared for Groff, and the case was closed on April 4, 2024.[^20]
+Groff was a named defendant, with Epstein, Maxwell, and [[Sarah Kellen]], in the federal sex-trafficking suit filed in January 2017 by [[Sarah Ransome]], who alleged that the four told her Epstein would secure her admission to the [[Fashion Institute of Technology]] in exchange for massages. The suit was dismissed with prejudice by stipulation on December 20, 2018.[^20] In October 2019 [[Jennifer Araoz]], who has said Epstein abused her when she was 14 and 15, amended her [[Child Victims Act]] suit in New York state court to name Groff, "who worked as his secretary," Maxwell and two other women; Araoz alleged that Groff "often contacted her to set up sexual encounters with him." Bachner responded that Groff had worked "as part of a professional staff that included in-house attorneys, accountants" and other office staff, and that she never engaged in "any misconduct" during her employment.[^21] On October 14, 2021 a plaintiff represented by [[Gloria Allred]] sued Groff with Indyke and Kahn in the [[U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]] (Doe v. Indyke, No. 1:21-cv-08469, before Judge [[P. Kevin Castel]]); [[Jonathan Whitcomb]], [[Danielle Charlot]] and Bachner appeared for Groff, and the case was closed on April 4, 2024.[^22]

 ### The 2007 Investigation

-On August 21, 2007, according to a document read to her by committee counsel, FBI agents came to Groff's home. She testified that she let them in and sat with them, then "went upstairs and I called Darren Indyke, who is the in-house counsel," who told her not to speak to them without an attorney; the agents left, and "Mr. Epstein got me an attorney, and I went and spoke to him once."[^3] The subpoena, issued on August 16, 2007 under control number OLY-73 of grand jury FGJ 07-103 in [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]], commanded her to appear at the federal courthouse at 701 Clematis Street on September 4, 2007 at 1 p.m. and to coordinate her compliance with a special agent of the FBI. Its attachment demanded, "For the period of January 1, 2001 to the present, all calendars, agendas, daily diaries, or other records of appointments, travel, meetings and the like, kept by or on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein," Groff and others whose names are redacted; from January 1, 2003, all address books and contact lists and "all e-mails, instant messages, text messages, meeting invitations, and any other electronic communication" among the same persons, in each case with "all metadata included within the electronic/physical files"; and "Any cellular phone, 'Blackberry' unit, personal digital assistant ('PDA') or other handheld electronic device that you own or use regularly."[^21] The prosecutors' chronology of the case records a September 12, 2007 email between Assistant U.S. Attorney [[Ann Marie Villafana]] and the defense lawyer [[Nathan Dershowitz|Nathan Z. Dershowitz]] stating that "Ms. Groff will proceed by interview."[^22]
+On August 21, 2007, according to a document read to her by committee counsel, FBI agents came to Groff's home. She testified that she let them in and sat with them, then "went upstairs and I called Darren Indyke, who is the in-house counsel," who told her not to speak to them without an attorney; the agents left, and "Mr. Epstein got me an attorney, and I went and spoke to him once."[^3] The subpoena, issued on August 16, 2007 under control number OLY-73 of grand jury FGJ 07-103 in [[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]], commanded her to appear at the federal courthouse at 701 Clematis Street on September 4, 2007 at 1 p.m. and to coordinate her compliance with a special agent of the FBI. Its attachment demanded, "For the period of January 1, 2001 to the present, all calendars, agendas, daily diaries, or other records of appointments, travel, meetings and the like, kept by or on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein," Groff and others whose names are redacted; from January 1, 2003, all address books and contact lists and "all e-mails, instant messages, text messages, meeting invitations, and any other electronic communication" among the same persons, in each case with "all metadata included within the electronic/physical files"; and "Any cellular phone, 'Blackberry' unit, personal digital assistant ('PDA') or other handheld electronic device that you own or use regularly."[^23] The prosecutors' chronology of the case records a September 12, 2007 email between Assistant U.S. Attorney [[Ann Marie Villafana]] and the defense lawyer [[Nathan Dershowitz|Nathan Z. Dershowitz]] stating that "Ms. Groff will proceed by interview."[^24]

 At the 2026 interview committee counsel introduced a "plea proffer from [[United States v. Epstein|United States v. Jeffrey Epstein]]," Bates number EFTA00213369, released by the Justice Department in January 2026, which stated that after the agents arrived Groff went upstairs and called Epstein, who "instructed Ms. Groff not to speak with the agents," "applied pressure to keep Ms. Groff from complying with the grand jury subpoena that the agents had served upon her," and "warned Ms. Groff against turning over documents and electronic evidence responsive to the subpoena and pressured her to delay her appearance before the Federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida." Asked whether the document was incorrect, Groff said: "I believe it is. I don't know how they would know that. I really believe that I called Mr. Indyke," adding, "I wouldn't call Mr. Epstein." Asked whether she remembered Epstein pressuring her over the subpoena, she answered: "None. No."[^3]

@ -115,7 +117,7 @@ The 2007 agreement provided that the [[United States]] would not charge "any pot

 Four days after Epstein's July 2019 arrest, Bachner informed the government that Groff "would invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege against compelled self-incrimination" if called before a grand jury. She spoke with investigators about two years after the 2019 subpoena and told them that scheduling massages was "around 1%" of her duties. She was not charged.[^2] She told the committee that she resigned through Indyke and did not speak to Epstein.[^3]

-The index of non-testifying witness material produced to the defense in [[United States v. Maxwell|United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell]], dated November 6, 2021, lists sixteen items under Groff's name. They include a law enforcement report dated August 15, 2007; a letter regarding her interview, an FBI 302 report of the interview and interview notes, all dated August 21, 2007; an FBI report "documenting interview with Leslie Groff" dated January 9, 2008; the "Testimony of" a person whose name is redacted, dated March 18 and April 29, 2008; a "Starr submission to DAG" dated June 19, 2008, a submission by Epstein's lawyer [[Kenneth Starr]] to the Deputy Attorney General; an interview 302 and interview notes dated July 6, 2019, the day of Epstein's arrest; "Lesley Groff attorney proffer notes" dated February 13, 2020 and an "attorney proffer follow-up" dated February 21, 2020; and a "Signed proffer agreement," an interview 302 and interview notes, all dated July 23, 2021. Michael Bachner is named in the index's attorney column beside her entries. The items were produced to Maxwell's lawyers between April and October 2021.[^23]
+The index of non-testifying witness material produced to the defense in [[United States v. Maxwell|United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell]], dated November 6, 2021, lists sixteen items under Groff's name. They include a law enforcement report dated August 15, 2007; a letter regarding her interview, an FBI 302 report of the interview and interview notes, all dated August 21, 2007; an FBI report "documenting interview with Leslie Groff" dated January 9, 2008; the "Testimony of" a person whose name is redacted, dated March 18 and April 29, 2008; a "Starr submission to DAG" dated June 19, 2008, a submission by Epstein's lawyer [[Kenneth Starr]] to the Deputy Attorney General; an interview 302 and interview notes dated July 6, 2019, the day of Epstein's arrest; "Lesley Groff attorney proffer notes" dated February 13, 2020 and an "attorney proffer follow-up" dated February 21, 2020; and a "Signed proffer agreement," an interview 302 and interview notes, all dated July 23, 2021. Michael Bachner is named in the index's attorney column beside her entries. The items were produced to Maxwell's lawyers between April and October 2021.[^25]

 ### Congressional Interview

@ -130,21 +132,23 @@ The transcribed interview took place on June 9, 2026 in the Rayburn House Office
 [^3]: U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, "Interview of: Leslie Groff," transcribed interview, June 9, 2026, pp. 1-6, 26, 53-54, 56-59, 61-62, 75, 79-80, 89-90, 95, 143-146, 192, 195-197, 207-208. https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Lesley-Groff-Transcript.pdf
 [^4]: "Jeffrey Epstein's Alleged Accomplices: Where Are Sarah Kellen, Nadia Marcinkova, Adriana Ross and Lesley Groff?," *The Daily Beast.* https://www.thedailybeast.com/jeffrey-epsteins-alleged-accomplices-where-are-sarah-kellen-nadia-marcinkova-adriana-ross-and-lesley-groff/
 [^5]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01364303, DataSet 10, Deutsche Bank know-your-customer page "The 2013 Butterfly Trust" (DB-SDNY-0054829). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01364303.pdf
-[^6]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01868626, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, April 27, 2011. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01868626.pdf
-[^7]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00419255, DataSet 9, email chain between Lesley Groff and Roy Black, February 22, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00419255.pdf
-[^8]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00403872, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, "Todd Meister," October 1, 2012, 19:44 UTC, with the forwarded chain from Todd Meister (EFTA00403869, 19:31 UTC). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00403872.pdf
-[^9]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00403880, DataSet 9, "Re: Todd Meister," October 1, 2012, 20:42 UTC. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00403880.pdf
-[^10]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00388568, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, June 24, 2013. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00388568.pdf
-[^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00372331, DataSet 9, email chain between Lesley Groff and Jacqui Safra, March 24, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00372331.pdf
-[^12]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02099269, DataSet 10, email chain between Lesley Groff, Stacey Plaskett and Erika Kellerhals, August 14, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02099269.pdf
-[^13]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00858918, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, "Carlton Dowe," April 21, 2015. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00858918.pdf
-[^14]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02074070, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff, "Jeffrey Epstein (Hoffman & Thiel Dinner Party)," August 5, 2015. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02074070.pdf
-[^15]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02044775, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff, "Churkin to join lunch tomorrow as well," August 28, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02044775.pdf
-[^16]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00439714, DataSet 9, email chain "Re: Jeffrey Epstein," November 29, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00439714.pdf
-[^17]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00498222, DataSet 9, Google Calendar notification, June 13, 2019. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00498222.pdf
-[^18]: Jane Doe 43 v. Epstein (Ransome v. Epstein), No. 1:17-cv-00616-JGK (S.D.N.Y.), Agreed Final Order of Dismissal with Prejudice, ECF No. 189 (Dec. 20, 2018). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4581676/jane-doe-43-v-epstein/
-[^19]: Fitzpatrick, Sarah, and Rich Schapiro. "Jeffrey Epstein accuser names four women in his web of enablers." *NBC News,* October 8, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-accuser-names-four-women-his-web-enablers-n1063801
-[^20]: Doe v. Indyke, No. 1:21-cv-08469-PKC (S.D.N.Y.), docket, filed October 14, 2021, terminated April 4, 2024, ECF Nos. 8, 9, 12 (notices of appearance for Lesley Groff, October 24 and 26, 2021). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60646416/doe-v-indyke/
-[^21]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00187002 to EFTA00187004, DataSet 9, subpoena to testify before grand jury, FGJ 07-103(WPB), No. OLY-73, to Lesley Groff, with attachment, August 16, 2007 (near-duplicate at EFTA00317433). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00187002.pdf
-[^22]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00224943, DataSet 9, "Epstein Investigation Timeline," Exhibit A-1 (U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida), entry for September 12, 2007. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00224943.pdf
-[^23]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00095751, DataSet 9, index, "United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20 Cr. 330 (AJN), Non-Testifying Witness Material," November 6, 2021, entries 3501.098-001 to 3501.098-016 (EFTA00095767). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00095751.pdf
+[^6]: Email exchange between Stephen M. Kosslyn and Lesley Groff, "Re: complication," February 21, 2013, EFTA02147246, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 10. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02147246.pdf
+[^7]: Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, "Re: Bob Kerrey w/the Minerva Project," March 12, 2013, EFTA00393723, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00393723.pdf
+[^8]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA01868626, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, April 27, 2011. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01868626.pdf
+[^9]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00419255, DataSet 9, email chain between Lesley Groff and Roy Black, February 22, 2012. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00419255.pdf
+[^10]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00403872, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, "Todd Meister," October 1, 2012, 19:44 UTC, with the forwarded chain from Todd Meister (EFTA00403869, 19:31 UTC). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00403872.pdf
+[^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00403880, DataSet 9, "Re: Todd Meister," October 1, 2012, 20:42 UTC. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00403880.pdf
+[^12]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00388568, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, June 24, 2013. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00388568.pdf
+[^13]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00372331, DataSet 9, email chain between Lesley Groff and Jacqui Safra, March 24, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00372331.pdf
+[^14]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02099269, DataSet 10, email chain between Lesley Groff, Stacey Plaskett and Erika Kellerhals, August 14, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02099269.pdf
+[^15]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00858918, DataSet 9, email from Lesley Groff to Jeffrey Epstein, "Carlton Dowe," April 21, 2015. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00858918.pdf
+[^16]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02074070, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff, "Jeffrey Epstein (Hoffman & Thiel Dinner Party)," August 5, 2015. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02074070.pdf
+[^17]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA02044775, DataSet 10, email from Lesley Groff, "Churkin to join lunch tomorrow as well," August 28, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA02044775.pdf
+[^18]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00439714, DataSet 9, email chain "Re: Jeffrey Epstein," November 29, 2016. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00439714.pdf
+[^19]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00498222, DataSet 9, Google Calendar notification, June 13, 2019. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00498222.pdf
+[^20]: Jane Doe 43 v. Epstein (Ransome v. Epstein), No. 1:17-cv-00616-JGK (S.D.N.Y.), Agreed Final Order of Dismissal with Prejudice, ECF No. 189 (Dec. 20, 2018). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4581676/jane-doe-43-v-epstein/
+[^21]: Fitzpatrick, Sarah, and Rich Schapiro. "Jeffrey Epstein accuser names four women in his web of enablers." *NBC News,* October 8, 2019. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jeffrey-epstein-accuser-names-four-women-his-web-enablers-n1063801
+[^22]: Doe v. Indyke, No. 1:21-cv-08469-PKC (S.D.N.Y.), docket, filed October 14, 2021, terminated April 4, 2024, ECF Nos. 8, 9, 12 (notices of appearance for Lesley Groff, October 24 and 26, 2021). https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60646416/doe-v-indyke/
+[^23]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00187002 to EFTA00187004, DataSet 9, subpoena to testify before grand jury, FGJ 07-103(WPB), No. OLY-73, to Lesley Groff, with attachment, August 16, 2007 (near-duplicate at EFTA00317433). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00187002.pdf
+[^24]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00224943, DataSet 9, "Epstein Investigation Timeline," Exhibit A-1 (U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida), entry for September 12, 2007. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00224943.pdf
+[^25]: U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, EFTA00095751, DataSet 9, index, "United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20 Cr. 330 (AJN), Non-Testifying Witness Material," November 6, 2021, entries 3501.098-001 to 3501.098-016 (EFTA00095767). https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00095751.pdf
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Mehdi
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Mehdi
@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ location: "Tehran, Iran"
 [[Earl Brian]] and [[Robert McFarlane]] arranged a meeting with [[Mehdi Bazargan|Bazargan]] in late January 1980 in [[Tehran]] to discuss the hostage situation. [[Mehdi Bazargan|Bazargan]] was still thought to be very close to [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini|Khomeini]] and [[Mehdi Karrubi|Hojjat El-Islam Mehdi Karrubi]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Miles
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Miles
@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ location: "Birmingham, Alabama"
 [[Miles Copeland|Copeland's]] group, along with the [[Israel|Israeli]] government, sought to prevent the [[Iran|Iranians]] from being defeated in [[Khuzistan]] if [[Iraq]] attacked, and to avoid a repeat of [[Jimmy Carter|President Carter's]] blunders. A meeting between [[Miles Copeland|Copeland]] and [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence officers, including [[David Kimche]], was held in [[Washington, D.C.]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Mohammed
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Mohammed
@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ Colonel [[Mohammed Radi Abdullah]] was a former colonel in the [[Jordan|Jordania
 [[Mohammed Radi Abdullah|Radi]] was a key player in [[Israel|Israeli]] "black" operations, including the 1986 plot to bomb an [[El Al]] plane, which was designed to discredit [[Syria]]. He instructed his cousin, [[Nezar Hindawi]], in this plot. He was also involved in the [[Achille Lauro]] attack in 1985, which was an [[Israel|Israeli]] "black" propaganda operation to portray Palestinians as ruthless terrorists. [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]] passed instructions to [[Mohammed Radi Abdullah|Radi]], who then relayed orders to [[Abul Abbas]] to carry out a cruel attack.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Moshe
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Moshe
@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ Despite his military prowess and diplomatic involvement, Dayan's perspective on
 ### Footnotes

 [^1]: Jacobsen, Annie. _Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government's Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis_. Little, Brown and Company, 2017. 
-[^2]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. TrineDay, 1992. 
+[^2]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015). 
 [^3]: Hersh, Seymour M. _The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy_. Random House, 1991. Chapter 3.
 [^4]: Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, vol. XIX, Document 326, Telegram 4311 from the Embassy in Israel (Barbour) to the Department of State, June 27, 1967. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1964-68v19/d326
 [^5]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 14, p. 185, footnote. Sole source for the passages so cited.
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Nachum
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Nachum
@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ location: "Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine"
 [[Nachum Admoni|Admoni]] left [[Mossad]] in 1989, but continued to advise [[Yitzhak Shamir]] on intelligence matters. He later became the chair of a public utility in [[Israel]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Ora
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Ora
@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ In August 1987, [[Ora Ben-Shalom|Ora]] was put under surveillance and interrogat
 In October 1989, [[Ora Ben-Shalom|Ora]] and [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] planned a vacation to [[Sydney]], [[Australia]]. However, [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] was arrested in [[Los Angeles]] before they could depart. [[Ora Ben-Shalom|Ora]] later divorced [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] in [[Israel]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Oscar
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Oscar
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ Guerrero saw the photographs and proposed publishing them for a fee. He first ap
 [[Nicholas Davies]], a London *[[Daily Mirror]]* foreign editor and Israeli agent, stalled Guerrero by telling him the newspaper needed an expert to check his claims. Guerrero had already struck a deal with *The [[The Sunday Times|Sunday Times]]* to publish Vanunu's story and photographs, with Vanunu receiving a £250,000 advance on a book and Guerrero receiving a 10% cut. Guerrero approached the *Mirror* because he believed he was being cut out of *The Sunday Times* deal.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/P.W.
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/P.W.
@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ aliases:
  - Pieter Willem Botha
  - Piet Botha
 created: 2026-05-17
-updated: 2026-05-18
+updated: 2026-10-09
 category: "Political Figure"
 tags:
  - Person
@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ tags:
  - SouthAfrica
  - Israel
  - NuclearWeapons
-summary: "P.W. Botha (1916-2006) was the Prime Minister (1978-1984) and State President (1984-1989) of South Africa who forged a covert wartime alliance with Israel and, following the 1979 VELA satellite detection of a probable nuclear test, publicly hinted at South African nuclear weapons capability."
+summary: "P.W. Botha (1916-2006), South African Prime Minister (1978-1984) and State President (1984-1989), forged a covert wartime alliance with Israel and, after the 1979 VELA detection, publicly hinted at nuclear weapons capability."
 born: 1916-01-12
 died: 2006-10-31
 location: "Paul Roux, Orange Free State, South Africa"
@ -27,11 +27,14 @@ P.W. Botha served as Prime Minister of [[South Africa]] from 1978 to 1984 and as

 In 1978, [[Menachem Begin|Prime Minister Begin]] dispatched [[Ezer Weizman]], then Israeli Defense Minister, to [[Pretoria]] to meet Botha to discuss Israeli-South African relations. Despite Begin's intentions to downgrade the relationship, Weizman agreed with Botha on a wartime alliance between the two governments as the price for continuing nuclear tests. This led to the creation of [[SIMWA]] (SADF-IDF Mutual Wartime Agreement).[^1]

+Minutes of 1975 meetings between Botha and [[Shimon Peres]], reported by the [[Mail & Guardian]], record a meeting in Zurich on June 4, 1975, at which Botha "expressed interest in a limited number of units of Chalet subject to the correct payload being available."[^2] The same article reports that a covert agreement governing the military alliance known as Secment was signed some weeks before Peres's offer, and quotes its clause: "It is hereby expressly agreed that the very existence of this agreement … shall be secret and shall not be disclosed by either party."[^2]
+
 ### VELA Incident (1979)

-On September 25, 1979, three days after a [[VELA Satellite]] recorded probable evidence of a nuclear explosion over the South Indian Ocean, Botha warned the Cape National Party congress that South Africa had and could produce sufficient arms to counter terrorism. He hinted that they might have military weapons that others did not know about, suggesting that South Africa and its Israeli partners had successfully conducted a secret nuclear test.[^2]
+On September 25, 1979, three days after a [[VELA Satellite]] recorded probable evidence of a nuclear explosion over the South Indian Ocean, Botha warned the Cape National Party congress that South Africa had and could produce sufficient arms to counter terrorism. He hinted that they might have military weapons that others did not know about, suggesting that South Africa and its Israeli partners had successfully conducted a secret nuclear test.[^3]

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
-[^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 20.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
+[^2]: Chris McGreal, "Revealed: How Israel offered to sell SA nuclear weapons," *Mail & Guardian*, May 24, 2010. https://mg.co.za/article/2010-05-24-revealed-how-israel-offered-to-sell-sa-nuclear-weapons
+[^3]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 20.
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Pesach
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Pesach
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ summary: "In 1984, Israeli intelligence, with the backing of the Americans, agre
 In 1984, [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence, with the backing of the [[United States|Americans]], agreed to continue selling weapons to the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] government through the [[Eagle]] company. This was part of a deal that allowed [[Guatemala]] to be used for storing weapons en route to [[Iran]] and for planes carrying arms from [[Poland]] to the [[Sandinistas|Sandinista]] government in [[Nicaragua]] to fly over [[Guatemala]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Rafael
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Rafael
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ Colonel [[Rafael Cordova]] was the head of military operations in [[Ayacucho]],
 [[Rafael Cordova|Cordova]] was known for his brutal tactics against the [[Shining Path]]. After five of his officers were killed in a [[Shining Path]] ambush, he planned to massacre a village in retaliation. [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] attempted to prevent this by having [[Barbara Durr]] broadcast the plan, but the massacre proceeded, resulting in the deaths of dozens of innocent villagers. [[Rafael Cordova|Cordova]] was later implicated in the murder of a judge who was investigating the massacre, and two military helicopters were shot down by [[Stinger missiles]] that [[Rafael Cordova|Cordova]] had sold to the [[Shining Path]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Richard
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Richard
@ -86,4 +86,4 @@ Ben-Menashe alleged that in 1987 the flow of funds from PROMIS sales extended to
 [^11]: INSLAW, Inc., Third Supplemental Submission of INSLAW in Support of Its Motion to Take Limited Discovery, United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia, Case No. 85-00070 (Chapter 11), Adversary Proceeding No. 86-0069, undated, footnote on page 7 (affidavit and Palm Beach passage). Refers to February 1991 events. https://archive.org/details/InslawAffairInBriefSupportingDocs. Pages 6 and 7 and footnote 1 on page 7. Sole source for the affidavit summary, the Palm Beach charges and the Miami sting allegation.
 [^12]: Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of INSLAW, Inc., March 1993, conclusions on Hadron and international distribution, Ben-Menashe affidavits, and the Michael Riconosciuto section (begins p. 42). https://archive.org/details/doj-oip-inslaw-1993
 [^13]: "New Report Finds No Credible Basis for INSLAW Case," Department of Justice release, September 27, 1994. https://irp.fas.org/news/1994/940927-555.htm
-[^14]: Ari Ben-Menashe, *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network* (TrineDay, 1992). Sole source for the passages so cited.
+[^14]: Ari Ben-Menashe, *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network* (Sheridan Square Press, 1992; TrineDay reprint, 2015). Sole source for the passages so cited.
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Richard
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Richard
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ In April 1989, [[Richard St. Francis|St. Francis]] was involved in a deal to sel
 [[Richard St. Francis|St. Francis]] was arrested in April 1989 and later indicted for conspiracy to defraud the [[United States|United States]], cover up illegal dealings, and attempt to sell three planes to [[Iran]] in violation of federal laws. He was a co-defendant with [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] in the trial, though his case was later severed.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Richard
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Richard
@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ Richard Allen was a figure with connections to the [[Jimmy Carter|Carter]] admin
 ### Footnotes

 [^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 1, 21.
-[^2]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^2]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Rudolph
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Rudolph
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ location: "Brooklyn, New York"
 [[Rudolph Giuliani|Giuliani]], along with [[William von Raab]], the [[U.S. Customs|Customs]] Commissioner, gave joint TV interviews on April 22, 1986, announcing the arrest of a "huge ring of terrorists" and "Merchants of Death" who were supposedly about to sell arms worth a billion dollars to [[Iran]]. [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] claims that [[Rudolph Giuliani|Giuliani]] and his associates had created the crime themselves.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Shahpour
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Shahpour
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ location: "Shahr-e Kord, Iran"
 After [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi|the Shah's]] departure from [[Iran]] in January 1979, [[Shahpour Bakhtiar|Bakhtiar]] proved unable to function effectively. Following [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini|Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's]] arrival in [[Iran]] on February 1, 1979, [[Shahpour Bakhtiar|Bakhtiar]] went into hiding ten days later and eventually found exile in [[Paris]], [[France]]. He was assassinated in [[Paris]] in 1991.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Shlomo
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Shlomo
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ location: "Istanbul, Turkey"
 Major General [[Shlomo Gazit]] was the Director of [[Mossad]]. He commended [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] and other members of the [[Unit 8200]] Iranian desk after they successfully broke the [[Iran|Iranian]] diplomatic code.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Simon
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Simon
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ summary: "Israeli intelligence asset in Paris who coordinated the October 1980 P
 [[Simon Gabbay|Gabbay]] coordinated the October 1980 [[Paris Summit Meeting]] between [[Israel|Israeli]] and [[Iran|Iranian]] delegations, which included [[George H.W. Bush]], [[William J. Casey]], and [[Mehdi Karrubi]]. His role was to eliminate direct contact between [[Israel|Israeli]] and [[Iran|Iranian]] embassy personnel. He continued to serve this function in subsequent years.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Thomas
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Thomas
@ -16,4 +16,4 @@ Dunn successfully used [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] employment records, inc
 Through Dunn's efforts, [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] was released on bail after 11 months and three weeks in jail, and ultimately found not guilty. Dunn's summation to the jury highlighted [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] role as a victim of both the [[United States|U.S.]] and [[Israel|Israeli]] governments' stonewalling and denials.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Yehuda
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Yehuda
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ summary: "Owner of Software and Engineering Consultants in Chatsworth, Californi
 [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]] selected Ben-Hanan to develop a "trap door" for the [[PROMIS]] software, which would allow external access to the computers of intelligence agencies using the program. Ben-Hanan was given blueprints and set about his work for a $5,000 fee, unaware of the true purpose of the project.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Yekutiel
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Yekutiel
@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ General [[Yekutiel Adam]] was an [[Israel|Israeli]] military leader who was in l
 Prior to his assassination, [[Yekutiel Adam|Adam]] lost a number of top-secret documents when he left his briefcase behind in a [[Los Angeles]] gas station, which caused a huge internal row within [[Mossad]] and an unsuccessful attempt to stop his appointment.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Yoel
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Yoel
@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ Colonel [[Yoel Ben-Porat]], known as Buffy, was the unit commander of [[Unit 820
 [[Yoel Ben-Porat|Buffy]] was involved in the cover-up of the [[Lockheed Aircraft Company|Lockheed]] bribe scandal involving [[Shimon Peres]], after [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] intercepted a telegram detailing the bribe. He ordered the original telegram, translation, and log to be erased and transferred the young woman working with [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] to another unit.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Zbigniew
+++ b/PEOPLE/(A-G)/Zbigniew
@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ On September 22, 1979, a [[VELA Satellite]] recorded two distinctive bright flas

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. TrineDay, 1992. 
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015). 
 [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. _The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy_. Random House, 1991. Chapter 20.
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Abdul
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Abdul
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ Major [[Abdul Salam Jalloud]] was the right-hand man of [[Muammar Qaddafi|Col. M
 During his visit, [[Abdul Salam Jalloud|Jalloud]] was questioned by his [[Iran|Iranian]] hosts about the fate of [[Sheikh Mussa Sadr]], a Shi'ite leader from southern [[Lebanon]], who had disappeared on a visit to [[Libya]] in 1978. [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] wrote that the [[Libya|Libyans]] had killed [[Sheikh Mussa Sadr|Sadr]] for preaching Shi'ite [[Islam]]. [[Abdul Salam Jalloud|Jalloud]] was not allowed to leave [[Iran]] for three weeks until [[Muammar Qaddafi|Qaddafi]] personally intervened and spoke to [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini|Khomeini]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Ahmad
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Ahmad
@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ After the [[Iranian Revolution]] in February 1979, [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
 [[Ahmad Madani|Madani]] was defeated by [[Abol Hassan Bani-Sadr]] in the election for the first president of [[Iran]] after the revolution.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Ann
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Ann
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ summary: "After Ben-Menashe's arrest, Magori was contacted by Leon Siff and trav
 After [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] arrest, [[Ann Magori|Magori]] was contacted by [[Leon Siff]] and traveled to [[Los Angeles]] to see [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] in jail. She expressed suspicion about [[Leon Siff|Siff]] and his friends' involvement with the [[United States|American]] government, warning [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] to be careful.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Ann-Marie
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Ann-Marie
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ Ann-Marie Murphy was the Irish girlfriend of [[Nezar Hindawi]]. She was unwittin
 The plot was foiled by [[Israel|Israeli]] security. Ann-Marie Murphy was interrogated by British security, where she revealed Hindawi's involvement. She later gave birth to their daughter in [[Ireland]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Baldur
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Baldur
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ summary: "Business partner tasked by Rafi Eitan to receive the PROMIS software w
 [[Baldur K. Kleine|Kleine]] was tasked by [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]] to receive the [[PROMIS]] software, complete with its "trap door," from [[Earl Brian]] in Maitland. He then passed the program to [[Manfred Herrmann]] in [[Guatemala]], who, in conjunction with [[Robert Maxwell|Maxwell's]] [[Degem]], implemented it for intelligence purposes.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Baruch
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Baruch
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ summary: "Colonel Baruch Bar Lev was a former Israeli military attaché in Ugand
 Colonel [[Baruch Bar Lev]] was a former [[Israel|Israeli]] military attaché in [[Uganda]]. He planned and led the military coup that installed [[Idi Amin]] as the self-proclaimed president of [[Uganda]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Bob
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Bob
@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ relations:
    with: "[[Fulbright University Vietnam]]"
    role: "chairman of the board of trustees"
    start: 2016-05-16
-    fn: 110
+    fn: 114
  - type: member_of
    with: "[[United States Senate]]"
    start: 1989
@ -93,16 +93,17 @@ relations:
  - type: employed_by
    with: "[[Carmen Group]]"
    start: 2013-04
-    fn: 108
+    fn: 112
  - type: head_of
-    with: "[[Minerva Project]]"
-    role: "executive chairman, per a LinkedIn update to Epstein of August 12, 2013"
-    start: 2013-08
-    fn: 88
+    with: "[[The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship]]"
+    role: "executive chairman"
+    start: 2013-01-14
+    fn: 105
  - type: member_of
    with: "[[Minerva Project]]"
-    role: "advisory board, per an undated Minerva overview in the Epstein files"
-    fn: 49
+    role: "advisory board"
+    start: 2011
+    fn: 105
 ---

 Joseph Robert "Bob" Kerrey (J. Robert Kerrey, born August 27, 1943[^1]) is a former [[United States Navy]] SEAL officer who served as [[Governor of Nebraska]] and as a [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from Nebraska, and who was president of the [[New School for Social Research]] from January 2001 to December 2010.[^1][^2] He was vice chairman of the [[Senate Select Committee on Intelligence]] in the 105th Congress (1997 to 1998), co-chaired the [[National Commission for the Review of the National Reconnaissance Office]] in 2000, and sat on the [[National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States]] from 2003 to 2004.[^3] He sat on the boards of [[Tenet Healthcare]], [[Genworth Financial]], [[Jones Apparel Group]] and, according to Tenet's 2001 proxy statement, the board of trustees of [[The Aerospace Corporation]].[^4]
@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ In May 2009 Kerrey announced that he would step down once a successor was named.

 A list of invitees for a September 16 dinner that the publicist [[Peggy Siegal]] sent [[Jeffrey Epstein]] on August 10, 2010 under the subject "Sept. 16 dinner" includes Kerrey and his wife.[^46]

-Kerrey first appears in the scheduling records on February 21, 2013. [[Stephen M. Kosslyn]], then director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at [[Stanford University]], wrote to Epstein's scheduler [[Lesley Groff]] about a lunch the next day: "Would noon work?" and "Ben wants to bring Senator Bob Kerrey with him. Would that be OK with JEE?" Groff answered: "Jeffrey says YES to all! 12:00 and bring along Sen. Bob Kerrey".[^47] The schedule for Friday, February 22 lists "12:00pm Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn, Ben Nelson and Senator Bob Kerrey", and a calendar reminder for the day reads "12:00 Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn, Ben Nelson and Sen Bob Kerrey".[^48] The Ben of the exchange is [[Ben Nelson]], the founder and chief executive of the [[Minerva Project]], whose seed investment from [[Benchmark Capital]] was $25 million in 2012.[^49] Kosslyn wrote to Epstein that evening, weighing a position with the project, that he was "absolutely torn by the situation", that "the rest of the team is A+", and that Kerrey was "really terrific". Epstein replied on February 22: "i see little downside , in taking it, but having all the money you need up front".[^50]
+Kerrey first appears in the scheduling records on February 21, 2013. [[Stephen Kosslyn|Stephen M. Kosslyn]], then director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at [[Stanford University]], wrote to Epstein's scheduler [[Lesley Groff]] about a lunch the next day: "Would noon work?" and "Ben wants to bring Senator Bob Kerrey with him. Would that be OK with JEE?" Groff answered: "Jeffrey says YES to all! 12:00 and bring along Sen. Bob Kerrey".[^47] The schedule for Friday, February 22 lists "12:00pm Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn, Ben Nelson and Senator Bob Kerrey", and a calendar reminder for the day reads "12:00 Lunch w/Professor Kosslyn, Ben Nelson and Sen Bob Kerrey".[^48] The Ben of the exchange is [[Ben Nelson]], the founder and chief executive of the [[Minerva Project]], whose seed investment from [[Benchmark Capital]] was $25 million in 2012.[^49] Kosslyn wrote to Epstein that evening, weighing a position with the project, that he was "absolutely torn by the situation", that "the rest of the team is A+", and that Kerrey was "really terrific". Epstein replied on February 22: "i see little downside , in taking it, but having all the money you need up front".[^50]

 On February 27, 2013 Epstein wrote to Kosslyn: "i have bill gates at the house tonight after 10.. does bob kerry know bill, how well, would he like to come", and Kosslyn returned an address for Kerrey.[^51] Epstein wrote to Kerrey the same day: "bob, do you know bill gates.? He will be at my house , and i wondered if you would like to stop by?" Kerrey answered the next morning: "I just picked this up. I flew to Dallas yesterday and then on to California. I won't return until next Thursday. Sorry. I do know Bill Gates; not well but we've met a few times. Invite me again! I enjoyed meeting and talking to you. Thanks." Epstein replied: "sorry , you would have made a positve difference in the conversation on education. I will return on the 19 th and 20th if you are free ,".[^52] On March 1 Kerrey wrote to Epstein under the subject "Better email": "Jeff I respond faster to text. This is a better email." Epstein answered "great.. i will return to ny the 19th, but could speak on the phone before", and Kerrey wrote: "I head to Belize with my family on 3/17 and return on 3/24." He proposed meeting after his return.[^53] On March 12 Groff asked Epstein: "Did you want me to touch base with Bob Kerrey of the Minvera Project and see if he might be free 19th, 20th?", and Epstein replied "ok".[^54] Kerrey wrote to Groff on March 13: "I am sorry (actually I am not sorry!) but I will be in Belize with my family next week. Please, tell Jeffrey thanks for the offer to get together again. I do look forward to continuing our conversations."[^55]

@ -199,19 +200,25 @@ On September 15 Epstein wrote to Kosslyn, then dean of the Minerva School of Art

 On September 28, 2014 Epstein wrote to Kerrey: "boris nikolic really enjoyed your meeting". Kerrey replied that night: "He's first rate. Are you gong to invest in his fund? When is our next encounter?" On September 29 Epstein asked: "what was your candid view of fund? kept in confidence". Kerrey wrote on September 30: "I believe Boris has the intellect and experience to separate the scientific wheat from the chaff but I do not know if he or his team can separate the leaders who can take a great idea and make it profitable from those who cannot. My understanding if that Bill Gates track record in this space is not very good."[^104] The Boris of the exchange is [[Boris Nikolic]], named in full in Epstein's first message.

+### The Minerva Institute
+
+Kerrey was named executive chairman of The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship on January 14, 2013, when the company announced the Institute as a non-profit body to "reinforce Minerva's commitment to offer exceptional educational experiences to deserving students and enable the advancement of faculty research."[^105] The release describes Kerrey as "President Emeritus" of the New School, where he "served as president of the university from 2001 to 2010," and says that in 2011 he joined the Minerva Project's advisory board.[^105] Kerrey is quoted in the release: "I believe the Minerva Project is the single most important innovation in higher education in my lifetime."[^105] The same release names [[Larry Summers]] as "chairman of Minerva's Advisory Board" and states that Minerva "will not rely on the federal government for assistance."[^105]
+
+The company's release of April 4, 2012 had already listed Kerrey, "Formerly President of the New School, Senator and Governor of Nebraska, and Medal of Honor-winning Navy SEAL," on the advisory board with [[Patrick Harker]] and [[Lee Shulman]] under Summers as chairman, and quotes him: "I believe that it is the single most important innovation in higher education in my lifetime."[^106] On November 11, 2014 the Institute, "led by Executive Chairman Bob Kerrey," announced the appointment of [[Stacey Childress]] and [[Michael Horn]] to its board.[^107] Minerva's Institute page of 2021 lists Kerrey as chairman, and its 2023 Board of Trustees page lists him as chair emeritus; [[Yiming Zhang]] of [[ByteDance]] is listed as a board member on both.[^108] An undated Minerva overview in the Epstein files lists the advisory board as including Harker, Kerrey and Shulman.[^49]
+
 ### Later career

 Kerrey served on the board of Tenet Healthcare from March 2001 to March 2012. Tenet's proxy statement of August 2001 lists him as a director on its ethics, quality and compliance and nominating committees and states that he sat on the boards of [[infoUSA]], class.com and the [[Concord Coalition]], and on the board of trustees of The Aerospace Corporation; the 2002 proxy adds Jones Apparel Group.[^4] Tenet announced his return on November 30, 2012, as an independent director on its audit and compensation committees. Its chief executive [[Trevor Fetter]] said: "His wisdom and insight have been invaluable to Tenet's board through the years."[^20]

-Genworth Financial's 2005 proxy statement lists Kerrey as a director since 2004 and a member of its audit committee, and gives his Jones Apparel and Tenet directorships. He resigned from the Genworth board effective March 14, 2012, "in order to pursue his campaign for the United States Senate representing the state of Nebraska," according to the company's filing.[^19][^105]
+Genworth Financial's 2005 proxy statement lists Kerrey as a director since 2004 and a member of its audit committee, and gives his Jones Apparel and Tenet directorships. He resigned from the Genworth board effective March 14, 2012, "in order to pursue his campaign for the United States Senate representing the state of Nebraska," according to the company's filing.[^19][^109]

-Kerrey ran for the Senate seat in 2012 against the Republican state senator [[Deb Fischer]]. As early returns came in on November 6, 2012, Fischer's lead grew "to a 58 to 42 percent margin as the evening wore on."[^106] The Federal Election Commission's candidate totals for Kerrey's 2012 Senate committee show receipts of $5,798,058 and disbursements of $5,662,682.[^107]
+Kerrey ran for the Senate seat in 2012 against the Republican state senator [[Deb Fischer]]. As early returns came in on November 6, 2012, Fischer's lead grew "to a 58 to 42 percent margin as the evening wore on."[^110] The Federal Election Commission's candidate totals for Kerrey's 2012 Senate committee show receipts of $5,798,058 and disbursements of $5,662,682.[^111]

-In April 2013 Kerrey joined the government affairs firm [[Carmen Group]]. [[The Hill]] reported on April 22, 2013 that the firm had earned $7.3 million in lobbying fees the previous year, according to the [[Center for Responsive Politics]], that many of its clients were state and local entities or governments, and quoted the firm's founder, [[David Carmen]], as saying Kerrey "has a wealth of experience in business, education and public service at the state and federal level." Kerrey said in a statement: "I have known David Carmen for more than ten years."[^108]
+In April 2013 Kerrey joined the government affairs firm [[Carmen Group]]. [[The Hill]] reported on April 22, 2013 that the firm had earned $7.3 million in lobbying fees the previous year, according to the [[Center for Responsive Politics]], that many of its clients were state and local entities or governments, and quoted the firm's founder, [[David Carmen]], as saying Kerrey "has a wealth of experience in business, education and public service at the state and federal level." Kerrey said in a statement: "I have known David Carmen for more than ten years."[^112]

-Kerrey was under contract to serve as president emeritus of the New School through 2016. He resigned that post in February 2013, calling the decision "largely mutual."[^109]
+Kerrey was under contract to serve as president emeritus of the New School through 2016. He resigned that post in February 2013, calling the decision "largely mutual."[^113]

-In May 2016 Kerrey was named chairman of the board of trustees of [[Fulbright University Vietnam]], a university promoted by the [[Trust for University Innovation in Vietnam]]. [[Thomas J. Vallely]], the trust's chairman, called him "the ideal candidate for the job." Asia Times reported that the appointment was reportedly made on May 16, and that it angered some people in Vietnam after the online news outlet [[Zing]] published a story on Kerrey's role at Thanh Phong on May 30. [[Barack Obama]], speaking in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25, called Kerrey "one of the key people to help lead" the project. In a piece published by Zing on June 1, the former Vietnamese ambassador to the European Union and Belgium, [[Ton Nu Thi Ninh]], wrote that she was "extremely stunned" by the decision.[^110]
+In May 2016 Kerrey was named chairman of the board of trustees of [[Fulbright University Vietnam]], a university promoted by the [[Trust for University Innovation in Vietnam]]. [[Thomas J. Vallely]], the trust's chairman, called him "the ideal candidate for the job." Asia Times reported that the appointment was reportedly made on May 16, and that it angered some people in Vietnam after the online news outlet [[Zing]] published a story on Kerrey's role at Thanh Phong on May 30. [[Barack Obama]], speaking in Ho Chi Minh City on May 25, called Kerrey "one of the key people to help lead" the project. In a piece published by Zing on June 1, the former Vietnamese ambassador to the European Union and Belgium, [[Ton Nu Thi Ninh]], wrote that she was "extremely stunned" by the decision.[^114]

 ### Footnotes

@ -319,9 +326,13 @@ In May 2016 Kerrey was named chairman of the board of trustees of [[Fulbright Un
 [^102]: Email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and Stephen M. Kosslyn, September 15, 2014, EFTA00996897 and EFTA00704445, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%209/EFTA00704445.pdf
 [^103]: Email exchange between Bob Kerrey and Jeffrey Epstein, "Brunch," September 16, 2014, EFTA02590688, EFTA02590901 and EFTA02591244, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library, Data Set 11; forwarded to Kosslyn, EFTA00996971, Data Set 9. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02591244.pdf
 [^104]: Email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and Bob Kerrey, September 28 to 30, 2014, EFTA00997847 and EFTA00997848, Data Set 9, and EFTA02516727, Data Set 11, U.S. Department of Justice, Epstein Library. https://www.justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2011/EFTA02516727.pdf
-[^105]: Genworth Financial, Form 8-K, March 2012, reporting that J. Robert Kerrey resigned from the board effective March 14, 2012. https://investor.genworth.com/sec-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001193125-12-119695/d308983d8k.htm
-[^106]: Fred Knapp, "Fischer defeats Kerrey for Nebraska U.S. Senate seat," Nebraska Public Media, November 7, 2012. https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/fischer-defeats-kerrey-for-nebraska-us-senate-seat/
-[^107]: Federal Election Commission, candidate totals for Kerrey's 2012 Senate committee (candidate ID S8NE00067), 2012 cycle, via the FEC open data API. https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/candidate/S8NE00067/totals/?cycle=2012
-[^108]: Megan R. Wilson, "Former Sen. Bob Kerrey joins government affairs firm," The Hill, April 22, 2013. https://digital-release.thehill.com/?p=148312
-[^109]: "Bob Kerrey resigns from controversial president emeritus post at New School," Higher Ed Dive, February 4, 2013. https://www.highereddive.com/news/bob-kerrey-resigns-from-controversial-president-emeritus-post-at-new-school/96160/
-[^110]: "Vietnam's Kerrey dilemma: Fulbright U appointment is lightning rod for US ties," Asia Times, June 2016. https://asiatimes.com/2016/06/vietnams-kerrey-dilemma-fulbright-u-appointment-is-lightning-rod-for-us-ties/
+[^105]: PR Newswire, "Minerva Project Launches The Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship; Appoints Former Senator of Nebraska Bob Kerrey as Executive Chairman of the Institute," January 14, 2013. https://prnewswire.com/news-releases/minerva-project-launches-the-minerva-institute-for-research-and-scholarship-appoints-former-senator-of-nebraska-bob-kerrey-as-executive-chairman-of-the-institute-186768111.html
+[^106]: Minerva Project, "The Minerva Project Redefines Elite Higher Education for Students Worldwide; Secures $25 Million from Benchmark Capital," April 4, 2012. https://s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva-Project-Redefines-Higher-Education-Secures-25-Million.pdf
+[^107]: Minerva Institute for Research and Scholarship, "Michael Horn and Stacey Childress Appointed to the Board of The Minerva Institute," November 11, 2014. https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.minervaproject.com/press-releases/Minerva_Institute_Board_Announcement.pdf
+[^108]: Minerva University, "Institute Board Members," page captured September 21, 2021, https://www.minerva.edu/institute-board-members/ ; "Board of Trustees," page captured October 1, 2023, https://www.minerva.edu/board-of-trustees/
+[^109]: Genworth Financial, Form 8-K, March 2012, reporting that J. Robert Kerrey resigned from the board effective March 14, 2012. https://investor.genworth.com/sec-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001193125-12-119695/d308983d8k.htm
+[^110]: Fred Knapp, "Fischer defeats Kerrey for Nebraska U.S. Senate seat," Nebraska Public Media, November 7, 2012. https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/fischer-defeats-kerrey-for-nebraska-us-senate-seat/
+[^111]: Federal Election Commission, candidate totals for Kerrey's 2012 Senate committee (candidate ID S8NE00067), 2012 cycle, via the FEC open data API. https://api.open.fec.gov/v1/candidate/S8NE00067/totals/?cycle=2012
+[^112]: Megan R. Wilson, "Former Sen. Bob Kerrey joins government affairs firm," The Hill, April 22, 2013. https://digital-release.thehill.com/?p=148312
+[^113]: "Bob Kerrey resigns from controversial president emeritus post at New School," Higher Ed Dive, February 4, 2013. https://www.highereddive.com/news/bob-kerrey-resigns-from-controversial-president-emeritus-post-at-new-school/96160/
+[^114]: "Vietnam's Kerrey dilemma: Fulbright U appointment is lightning rod for US ties," Asia Times, June 2016. https://asiatimes.com/2016/06/vietnams-kerrey-dilemma-fulbright-u-appointment-is-lightning-rod-for-us-ties/
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Cynthia
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Cynthia
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ summary: "American citizen jailed in Peru on charges of aiding the Shining Path
 [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] traveled to [[Cangallo]] and, after a series of events, secured [[Cynthia McNamara|McNamara's]] release from jail. She was released on August 22, 1988, and left [[Peru]] for [[Ireland]] the next day.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Cyrus
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Cyrus
@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ location: "Iran"
 [[Cyrus Hashemi|Hashemi]] was found dead in his [[London]] apartment, with his death attributed to a sudden case of virulent leukemia. However, [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence suspected foul play, noting the presence of [[Joe King]], a [[U.S. Customs|Customs]] officer, at his apartment shortly before his death and needle punctures on his elbow joint. Tapes of his phone calls to the [[United States|U.S.]] Attorney's office indicated a falling out with his controllers.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Donna
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Donna
@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ summary: "U.S. consul general in Peru who enlisted Ari Ben-Menashe to secure the
 [[Donna Hamilton]] was the [[United States|U.S.]] consul general in [[Peru]]. She sought the help of [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] in securing the release of [[Cynthia McNamara]], an [[United States|American]] citizen who had been rearrested in [[Peru]] on charges of aiding the [[Shining Path]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Fawn
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Fawn
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ location: "Annandale, Virginia"
 [[Fawn Hall]] was the secretary to [[Oliver North]] during the [[Iran-Contra Affair]]. She is the daughter of [[Wilma Hall]], who was the secretary to [[Robert McFarlane]] at the [[National Security Council]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Golda
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Golda
@ -40,6 +40,6 @@ Meir's leadership style and decisions also generated internal criticism within [

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. TrineDay, 1992. 
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015). 
 [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. _The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy_. Random House, 1991. Chapter 3.
 [^3]: Hersh, Seymour M. _The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy_. Random House, 1991. Chapter 17.
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hans
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hans
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ In September 1988, [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] visited the plant and met [[Hans Mayers|M
 [[Hans Mayers|Mayers]] was later identified as one of the 19 individuals eliminated in late 1988 by [[Mossad]] hit squads, composed of unsuspecting Palestinians, as part of an [[Israel|Israeli]] operation to stop the flow of chemical weapons technology to [[Iraq]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hashemi
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hashemi
@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ After the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] administration took office in 1981 and the ho
 [[Cyrus Hashemi|Cyrus]] was later used by [[Oliver North]] and [[United States|U.S.]] Customs in a sting operation to entrap individuals connected with [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence arms sales to [[Iran]]. [[Cyrus Hashemi|Cyrus]] was found dead in his [[London]] apartment, with his death attributed to a sudden case of virulent leukemia, though [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence suspected foul play.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hunt
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hunt
@ -27,4 +27,4 @@ The former Israeli intelligence officer [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] wrote that the Hunt
 [^3]: Hurt, Harry, III. *Texas Rich: The Hunt Dynasty from the Early Oil Days through the Silver Crash*. W.W. Norton, 1981, pp. 356-359.
 [^4]: Minpeco, S.A. v. Hunt, 718 F. Supp. 168 (S.D.N.Y. 1989).
 [^5]: McFadden, Robert D. "Nelson Bunker Hunt, 88, Oil Tycoon With a Texas-Size Presence, Dies," *The New York Times,* October 22, 2014.
-[^6]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^6]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hushang
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Hushang
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ summary: "Iranian Jewish arms dealer recruited by Mossad who coordinated the Oct
 [[Hushang Lavi|Lavi]] coordinated the details of the October 1980 [[Washington meeting (October, 1980)|Washington meeting]] between [[United States|American]] and [[Iran|Iranian]] officials, where [[Ahmed Omshei]] outlined the [[Israel|Israeli]] plan for hostage release. His work for the [[Israel|Israeli]] government ended in 1983 because he refused to heed warnings about his unauthorized moonlighting in arms with the [[Hashemi brothers]], among others.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Iris.md
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Iris.md
@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ summary: "LAKAM representative in Washington D.C. who served as an intelligence
 [[Iris]] would receive requests for computer access codes for certain intelligence items from [[Rafael Eitan|Eitan]]. She would then pass these requests to [[Robert McFarlane|McFarlane]], who would provide her with the specified access codes. [[Iris]] would then give these codes to [[Jonathan Pollard|Pollard]], who would retrieve the information, photocopy it, and return the copies to [[Iris]]. This process was designed to distance [[Robert McFarlane|McFarlane]] from [[Jonathan Pollard|Pollard]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Jamshid
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Jamshid
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ summary: "One of the Hashemi brothers, involved in secret arms sales to Iran and
 [[Jamshid Hashemi|Hashemi]] and his brothers made money selling small quantities of military equipment to [[Iran]]. He was later indicted under the [[Arms Export Control Act]] for illegal arms sales to [[Iran]], but escaped the [[United States|U.S.]] before apprehension. He subsequently agreed to become an informant for [[U.S. Customs|U.S. Customs]] against the [[Iran|Iranian]] exile community.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Joe
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Joe
@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ summary: "U.S. Customs Service agent involved in the Hashemi sting operation tar
 [[Joe King|King]] and his partner, Romeo, contacted [[Cyrus Hashemi]] and contrived an illegal frame-up. [[Cyrus Hashemi|Hashemi]] was to be the bait and the trap, allowing his phone to be tapped and himself to be wired. [[Joe King|King]] was also present at [[Cyrus Hashemi|Hashemi's]] [[London]] apartment shortly before [[Cyrus Hashemi|Hashemi]] was found dead, a death attributed to a sudden case of virulent leukemia, though [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence suspected foul play.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/John
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/John
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ summary: "London-based arms dealer who ran Dynavest Limited, supplying weapons f
 [[John Knight|Knight]] was familiar to [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] and his associates, having worked with the [[Anthony Pearson|Tony Pearson]]-[[Nicholas Davies|Nick Davies]] group since the late 1970s. He was also mentioned as a supplier of equipment to [[Iraq]] directly from [[Britain]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/John
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/John
@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ summary: "Undercover U.S. Customs agent who operated under alias 'Lettner' in a
 [[John Lisica|Lisica]] met with [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] at [[Kennedy Airport]] as part of this operation, attempting to entice him into agreeing to an illegal sale of C-130 aircraft to [[Iran]]. The conversations were taped, and these tapes later became a central piece of evidence in [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] trial.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Khatoun.md
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Khatoun.md
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ In July 1966, [[Khatoun]] took [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ari]] and his sisters, Claris,
 During [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ari's]] imprisonment, [[Khatoun]] was the only family member who did not abandon him, despite being hassled and threatened by the [[Israel|Israeli]] government.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Leonard
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Leonard
@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ summary: "Lawyer from the Legal Aid Society of New York who visited Ari Ben-Mena
 [[Leonard Joy]] was a lawyer from the [[Legal Aid Society of New York]]. He visited [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] in jail after a bail hearing and offered his services "on the house" to plead [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] guilty and get him a deal to return to [[Israel]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Manfred
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Manfred
@ -13,4 +13,4 @@ Herrmann was recruited to represent [[Ora Group|Ora]], an [[Israel|Israeli]] arm
 Herrmann's Sedra company, in conjunction with [[Robert Maxwell|Maxwell's]] [[Degem]], played a key role in implementing [[PROMIS]] in [[Guatemala]]. This involved setting up terminals in offices, railway stations, airports, and even remote roadblocks, as part of a system to track suspected dissidents. This venture was a major success from an intelligence perspective, enabling the tracking of individuals even under false names.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Meir
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Meir
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ Colonel [[Meir Meir]] was the chief of the External Relations Department (ERD) o
 He also sent [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] to [[Washington, D.C.]] with [[David Kimche]] on the [[Mossad]] budget, as [[David Kimche|Kimche]] needed an [[Iran|Iranian]] affairs briefer for a secret operation to supply [[Iran]] with small arms and spare parts.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Michael
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Michael
@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ Large amounts of money from the arms sales to [[Iran]] were funneled through [[U
 In 1987, the [[Iran-Israel Joint Committee]] decided to withdraw its funds from Drexel, a decision that contributed to Milken's growing troubles and ultimately to the fall of Drexel Burnham.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Mir
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Mir
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ location: "Khameneh, Iran"
 [[Mir Hossein Mousavi]] was the Prime Minister of [[Iran]]. He had close ties with [[Manuchehr Ghorbanifar]], an [[Iran|Iranian]] businessman and [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] agent. [[Mir Hossein Mousavi|Mousavi]] was aligned with [[Mohsen Rafiqdoost]], the minister for the [[Iranian Revolution]], and tried to open the second channel for arms sales to [[Iran]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Mohammed
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Mohammed
@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ In late 1985, [[Mohammed Jalali|Jalali]] was part of a faction within the [[Iran
 [[Mohammed Jalali|Jalali]] is mentioned as being retired and living in [[Iran]] with a second home in [[London]] as of 1992.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Mohammed
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Mohammed
@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ location: "Tehran, Iran"
 [[Mohammed Mossadegh|Mossadegh]] was overthrown in 1953, and [[Kermit Roosevelt]] and [[Miles Copeland]] of the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] helped restore the [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi|Shah]] to power. [[Mehdi Bazargan]], the first prime minister appointed by [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini|Khomeini's]] revolutionary government, was a supporter of [[Mohammed Mossadegh|Mossadegh]] and a member of the National Front.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Moshe
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Moshe
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ Major [[Moshe Hebroni]] was the chief of staff for the director of [[Mossad]], [
 [[Moshe Hebroni|Hebroni]] later worked for the [[Jewish Agency]] and was an unofficial adviser to [[Yitzhak Shamir]] after leaving [[Mossad]] in 1989. He confirmed [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] access to highly sensitive intelligence material.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Nezar
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Nezar
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ Hindawi was instructed to ensure his pregnant Irish girlfriend, Ann-Marie Murphy
 The plot was foiled by [[Israel|Israeli]] security, who were aware of the operation. Hindawi was arrested and subsequently jailed for 45 years. His actions led to [[Margaret Thatcher|Margaret Thatcher's]] government closing down the [[Syrian Embassy in London|Syrian Embassy]] in London.

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Pesah
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Pesah
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ Colonel [[Pesah Melowany]] was an officer in the [[Israel|Israeli Defense Forces
 This letter was later introduced as evidence during [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] trial to counter the [[Israel|Israeli]] government's claim that he was merely a low-level translator.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Reza
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Reza
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ summary: "Iranian arms dealer and one of the Hashemi brothers involved in secret
 [[Reza Hashemi|Hashemi]] was arrested after his brothers, [[Cyrus Hashemi]] and [[Jamshid Hashemi]], were tipped off about their indictment under the [[Arms Export Control Act]] for illegal arms sales to [[Iran]]. He became a hostage himself, which pressured his elder brothers to negotiate with [[U.S. Customs|U.S. Customs]] to become informants.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Seymour
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Seymour
@ -18,5 +18,5 @@ Hersh's book, along with [[Gary Sick|Gary Sick's]] *October Surprise*, quoted [[
 [[Robert Maxwell|Maxwell]] and the [[Mirror Newspaper Group]] sued [[Seymour Hersh|Hersh]] and his publishers over the allegations in *The [[Samson Option]]*. However, some of the critical denials in the *Mirror* articles were shown to be false, and [[Seymour Hersh|Hersh]] and his publishers filed a countersuit against [[Robert Maxwell|Maxwell]], [[Nicholas Davies]], and the [[Mirror Newspaper Group]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
 [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991.
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Shimon
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Shimon
@ -1,13 +1,86 @@
 ---
+aliases:
+  - Shimon Lavie
+  - שמעון לביא
 category: "Military"
 tags:
  - Person
  - Military
  - Israel
-summary: "Lieutenant Colonel Shimon Lavee was the branch head of the Special Assistance Branch (SIM) of the External Relations Department of the Israel Defense Forces/Military Intelligence."
+  - SouthAfrica
+  - SIMWA
+  - MilitaryIntelligence
+  - AriBenMenashe
+summary: "Ari Ben-Menashe names Lieutenant Colonel Shimon Lavee as head of an Israeli military intelligence branch and as preparer of the Israeli text of the SIMWA agreement with South Africa."
+location: "Israel"
+created: 2026-10-09
+updated: 2026-10-09
+relations:
+  - type: head_of
+    with: "[[Special Assistance Branch (SIM)]]"
+    role: "branch head, External Relations Department, Israel Defense Forces Military Intelligence (per Ben-Menashe, undated)"
+    fn: 1
+  - type: employed_by
+    with: "[[Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)]]"
+    role: "officer, External Relations Department (per Ben-Menashe)"
+    fn: 1
+  - type: participant_in
+    with: "[[SIMWA]]"
+    start: 1978
+    end: 1980
+    role: "prepared the Israeli version of the agreement (per Ben-Menashe)"
+    fn: 3
 ---

-Lieutenant Colonel [[Shimon Lavee]] was the branch head of the Special Assistance Branch (SIM) of the External Relations Department of the [[Israel]]/Military Intelligence. He was responsible for preparing the [[Israel|Israeli]] version of the [[SIMWA]] (SADF-IDF Mutual Wartime Agreement) between [[Israel]] and [[South Africa]].[^1]
+Lieutenant Colonel Shimon Lavee is named by [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] in the 1992 memoir [[Profits of War - Ari Ben-Menashe|Profits of War]] as the branch head of the Special Assistance Branch (SIM) of the External Relations Department of [[Military Intelligence Directorate (Israel)|Israel Defense Forces Military Intelligence]]. Ben-Menashe also credits him with preparing the Israeli version of the [[SIMWA]] (SADF-IDF Mutual Wartime Agreement) between [[Israel]] and [[South Africa]].[^1]
+
+### The External Relations Department
+
+Ben-Menashe described the External Relations Department as having four branches when he joined it in 1977. He named the first as the Special Assistance Branch (SIM), "through which special military assistance was to be given to other countries and various 'liberation movements.'"[^1] According to his account, the [[Mossad]] department that had handled external military assistance became "a liaison department between foreign countries and SIM."[^1] The second branch was R, which handled intelligence exchange with foreign services. The Mossad had a parallel branch, [[Tevel]], which after R gained prominence found itself playing a liaison role to R.[^1]
+
+Ben-Menashe names the chief of External Relations in 1977 as Col. [[Meir Meir]], who interviewed him that year.[^2]
+
+### The SIMWA negotiation
+
+Ben-Menashe's account of the agreement begins in 1978, when [[Menachem Begin]] sent his defense minister, [[Ezer Weizman]], to [[Pretoria]]. He wrote that [[P.W. Botha]] pushed for a wartime alliance "as the price for continuing nuclear tests," and that "to Begin's dismay, Weizman agreed with Botha." After Weizman reported back, Begin relented. In Ben-Menashe's words: "It took two years to work out the military cooperation agreement."[^3]
+
+He wrote that the agreement "was drawn up in the special assistance branch of the External Relations Department of the Israel Defense Forces/Military Intelligence" and was "referred to as SIMWA, an acronym for the SADF-IDF Mutual Wartime Agreement, drawn up between the South African Defense Force and the Israel Defense Forces." He then wrote: "The Israeli version was prepared by the branch head, Lt. Col. Shimon Lavee."[^3] The provisions he described were that either party, if at war or in military operations and short of matériel, could request supplies from the other's stockpiles, and that the deputy chiefs of general staff would meet once a year, alternately in Israel and South Africa.[^3]
+
+Ben-Menashe placed the 1978 and 1979 sale of 175mm artillery "that could carry small nuclear devices" beside a South African agreement to invest in Israel's nuclear program and to allow Israeli tests in the Indian Ocean without South African supervision. He wrote that in 1979 Israel carried out a number of such tests, "one of which was detected by satellite because its big flash occurred during a break in the otherwise cloudy weather." He wrote that the South Africans denied the flash was theirs, that the Israeli government "has refused to comment on this test," and that Israel "did, however, issue a blanket denial" of [[Seymour Hersh]]'s book [[The Samson Option]], which asserts that the 1979 flash was an Israeli atomic device.[^3]
+
+On September 22, 1979, at 00:53 UTC, the U.S. satellite [[VELA Satellite|Vela 6911]] detected a double flash of light.[^4]
+
+### The 1975 documents
+
+In May 2010 the [[The Guardian|Guardian]] reporter [[Chris McGreal]] reported "top secret" minutes of 1975 meetings between senior officials of the two countries. According to the article, P.W. Botha, then South Africa's defense minister, asked for warheads, and [[Shimon Peres]], then Israel's defense minister, responded by offering them "in three sizes." The article states that the documents show the two sides met on March 31, 1975, and quotes [[Sasha Polakow-Suransky]], the author of [[The Unspoken Alliance]], that at those talks Israeli officials "formally offered to sell South Africa some of the nuclear-capable Jericho missiles in its arsenal." It reports that Peres and Botha met in Zurich on June 4, 1975, by which time the [[Jericho I]] project had the codename Chalet, and that the minutes record: "Minister Botha expressed interest in a limited number of units of Chalet subject to the correct payload being available." The minutes then record: "Minister Peres said the correct payload was available in three sizes."[^5]
+
+The article reports that the former South African naval commander [[Dieter Gerhardt]], jailed in 1983 for spying for the Soviet Union, said after his release that an agreement between Israel and South Africa called Chalet involved an offer to arm eight Jericho missiles with "special warheads," which Gerhardt said were atomic bombs. It also reports Polakow-Suransky's statement that the Israeli defense ministry tried to block his access to the Secment agreement.[^5]
+
+The South African History Archive holds documents released under South Africa's access-to-information law. Among them is a memorandum dated March 21, 1975, from the Chief of the Defence Staff to the Chief of the [[South African Defense Force]] on Israel's Jericho weapon system, which the Department of Defence declassified in September 2003. The same archive holds an agreement it dates to March 30, 1975, signed by Botha and Peres, with a clause stating that "the very existence of this agreement" was to remain secret.[^6] The [[Mail & Guardian]] article describes the memorandum of Lt. Gen. R. F. Armstrong as dated the same day as the March 31 meeting. It also reports that a covert agreement governing the military alliance known as Secment had been signed some weeks before Peres's offer, and quotes it: "It is hereby expressly agreed that the very existence of this agreement … shall be secret and shall not be disclosed by either party."[^5]
+
+The office of President Shimon Peres responded that "there exists no basis in reality for the claims published this morning by the Guardian," that "Israel has never negotiated the exchange of nuclear weapons with South Africa," and that "there exists no Israeli document or Israeli signature on a document that such negotiations took place." It said the paper had based the piece on "selective interpretation of South African documents and not on concrete facts."[^7]
+
+### Shimon Levinson (Lavi)
+
+[[Shimon Levinson]] (שמעון לוינזון, also written לביא, Lavi) was an Israeli reserve colonel who was convicted of spying for the [[KGB]]. The [[Shin Bet]] disclosure of November 2009 was reported in Hebrew by [[Kikar HaShabbat]] under the headline "30 שנה אחרי": "ביולי 1973 חזר לשירות קבע בצה"ל ושירת כקצין קישור לאו"ם בדרגת אל"מ עד אוגוסט 1978" ("In July 1973 he returned to regular service in the IDF and served as a UN liaison officer at the rank of colonel until August 1978"). The report gives his birth as 1933 in Jerusalem and his enlistment as 1950, and lists service as a clerk on the Israel-Jordan Armistice Commission, in the IDF attache office in Turkey ("בנספחות צה"ל בתורכיה"), and as head of a documentation section in Military Intelligence collection ("ראש מדור תיעוד באמ"ן איסוף"). The Shin Bet recruited him in 1963, and in 1965 he transferred at his own request to the Mossad, where he worked on reliability checks until March 1967.[^8]
+
+After commanding the Israeli UN liaison unit until 1970, the report says he returned to the Mossad: "ל"מוסד" לאגף קשרי חוץ, בו שימש, במשך שנתיים, בתפקיד ראש שלוחה בחו"ל" ("to the Mossad's Foreign Relations Division, where he served for two years as head of a branch abroad"). He was recalled over a security incident for which he was responsible and was then special assistant to the head of the Mossad's Special Relations Department until 1973. [[Haaretz]], summarizing the same disclosure, gives the Mossad posting as head of the Mossad's Tevel station in [[Ethiopia]], in charge of Israel's secret military aid to the army of Emperor [[Haile Selassie]] against Eritrean rebels.[^8][^9]
+
+The Kikar report states that he used his United Nations connections to be appointed in 1979 to lead the anti-drug effort in [[Thailand]], a post he held until June 1983. It dates his April 1983 approach to the Soviet embassy in [[Bangkok]], where he offered his services to the Russians ("והציע את שירותיו לרוסים"), and states that the KGB ran him until his arrest in May 1991. The Mossad rejected him in 1984, and in May 1985 he became chief security officer of the Prime Minister's Office, leaving in December. He was lured back from abroad and arrested at [[Ben Gurion Airport]] in May 1991: "נחקר, הודה מיד במיוחס לו, נשפט, ונדון ל-12 שנות מאסר" ("he was interrogated, immediately confessed, was tried and sentenced to 12 years in prison"). The Shin Bet account puts the payments from the KGB at $31,000 over seven years and says he shared a cell with [[Marcus Klingberg]] and was released in 1999.[^8]
+
+Haaretz reported that the Prime Minister's Office appointment was made by [[Avraham Tamir]], then director general of the office, and that those who recommended Levinson included then prime minister Shimon Peres. It reported that his arrest followed information that reached the Mossad from a foreign source, that the investigation was code-named Eshel Hamidbar, and that [[Ariel Sharon]] and [[Rafi Eitan]], whom Haaretz described as a close relative of Levinson, testified on his behalf at trial.[^9] The [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] reported on September 9, 1993 that a district court had the previous week sentenced Levinson, 60, a colonel in the Israeli reserves, to 12 years for "serious espionage" for the former Soviet Union in a trial that began in May 1991. It stated that he left the IDF in 1983 and then joined the United Nations staff in Bangkok, whereas Kikar and Haaretz give his retirement from the IDF as 1978.[^10]
+
+None of these reports places Levinson in the IDF External Relations Department or names him in a branch called SIM; they give his IDF post from 1973 to 1978 as UN liaison officer and place his Mossad foreign-relations posting between 1970 and 1973. Ben-Menashe gives Lavee the rank of lieutenant colonel and dates the SIMWA drafting to the two years after 1978, and the reports give Levinson the rank of colonel and place him in Thailand from 1979. No source located establishes whether Levinson is the Shimon Lavee named by Ben-Menashe, and none connects Levinson to South Africa.[^3][^8][^9]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. New York: Sheridan Square Press, 1992; TrineDay reprint, 2015, p. 26 (the External Relations Department, the Special Assistance Branch (SIM), the Mossad department and Tevel). Lending copy: https://archive.org/details/profitsofwarinsi0000benm
+[^2]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War*, end of chapter 2 and chapter 3, "Love in the Time of Revolution" (interview with "the chief of External Relations, Col. Meir Meir," May 1977); TrineDay reprint index, "Meir, Meir, 37, 38, 53." Lending copy: https://archive.org/details/profitsofwarinsi0000benm
+[^3]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War*, TrineDay reprint, pp. 209-210 (index: "SIMWA, (SADF-IDF Mutual Wartime Agreement), 209-10"; "Lavee, Shimon, 210"). Lending copy: https://archive.org/details/profitsofwarinsi0000benm
+[^4]: Christopher M. Wright and Lars-Erik De Geer, "The 22 September 1979 Vela Incident: The Detected Double-Flash," *Science & Global Security*, vol. 25, no. 3 (2017), pp. 95-124. "On 22 September 1979, at 00:53 UTC, U.S. satellite Vela 6911 detected a double-flash." https://scienceandglobalsecurity.org/archive/sgs25wright.pdf
+[^5]: Chris McGreal, "Revealed: How Israel offered to sell SA nuclear weapons," *Mail & Guardian*, May 24, 2010 (reprinted from guardian.co.uk). https://mg.co.za/article/2010-05-24-revealed-how-israel-offered-to-sell-sa-nuclear-weapons
+[^6]: South African History Archive, "Declassified documents on apartheid South Africa - Israel talks on nuclear weapons," May 25, 2010. Documents held in SAHA Collection AL2878 (Freedom of Information Programme Collection), items A3.1.1 (memorandum, March 21, 1975, declassified by the Department of Defence, September 2003) and A3.2.1 (agreement dated March 30, 1975, signed by P.W. Botha and Shimon Peres). https://www.saha.org.za/news/2010/May/declassified_documents_on_apartheid_south_africa_israel_talks_on_nuclear_weapons.htm
+[^7]: "Israel denies 'nuclear exchange' talks with SA," *Mail & Guardian*, May 24, 2010 (AFP), statement from the office of President Shimon Peres. https://mg.co.za/article/2010-05-24-israel-denies-nuclear-exchange-talks-with-sa/
+[^8]: Yoni Gabbai, "30 שנה אחרי: מיוחד: המרגל הדתי שהפיל את ישראל," *Kikar HaShabbat*, November 9, 2009 (reporting the Shin Bet's disclosure). https://www.kikar.co.il/security-news/19477
+[^9]: Yossi Melman, "Why did a top Israeli intelligence officer join the KGB?," *Haaretz*, November 12, 2009. https://www.haaretz.com/1.5056541
+[^10]: "Israeli Officer Gets 12 Years for Spying for Soviet Union," Jewish Telegraphic Agency, September 9, 1993. https://www.jta.org/archive/israeli-officer-gets-12-years-for-spying-for-soviet-union
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Shimon
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Shimon
@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+---
+aliases:
+  - Shimon Lavi
+  - Shimon Levinzon
+  - שמעון לוינזון
+  - שמעון לביא
+category: "Intelligence & Government"
+tags:
+  - Person
+  - Israel
+  - Espionage
+  - KGB
+  - Mossad
+  - ShinBet
+  - MilitaryIntelligence
+summary: "Shimon Levinson (also Lavi), an Israeli reserve colonel and former Shin Bet and Mossad officer, was arrested in May 1991 and sentenced to 12 years for spying for the KGB since 1983."
+location: "Israel"
+created: 2026-10-09
+updated: 2026-10-09
+relations:
+  - type: employed_by
+    with: "[[Shin Bet]]"
+    start: 1963
+    end: 1965
+    role: "head of security vetting team, Jerusalem"
+    fn: 1
+  - type: employed_by
+    with: "[[Mossad]]"
+    start: 1965
+    end: 1973
+    role: "reliability checks; later Foreign Relations Division (Tevel) station head abroad; special assistant in the Special Relations Department"
+    fn: 1
+  - type: employed_by
+    with: "[[United Nations]]"
+    start: 1979
+    end: 1983
+    role: "head of anti-drug effort, Thailand"
+    fn: 1
+  - type: informant_for
+    with: "[[KGB]]"
+    start: 1983
+    end: 1991
+    role: "agent run from Bangkok approach to arrest"
+    fn: 1
+  - type: relative_of
+    with: "[[Rafi Eitan]]"
+    role: "described by Haaretz as a close relative"
+    fn: 2
+---
+
+Shimon Levinson (שמעון לוינזון, also written לביא, Lavi) was an Israeli reserve colonel, born in Jerusalem in 1933, who served in Military Intelligence, the [[Shin Bet]] and the [[Mossad]] and was convicted of spying for the [[KGB]]. The Shin Bet published its account of the case in November 2009.[^1]
+
+### Military and intelligence career
+
+Levinson enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces in 1950. The Shin Bet account lists service as a clerk on the Israel-Jordan Armistice Commission, in the IDF attache office in Turkey, again on the Armistice Commission from 1960 as coordinator between Military Intelligence and the Jordanian army, and as head of a documentation section in Military Intelligence collection. He left regular service over lack of promotion, was general manager of the Government Company for Medals and Coins for about a year, and resigned under pressure after filing a false complaint of corruption in the company.[^1]
+
+The Shin Bet recruited him in 1963 to lead a security vetting team in Jerusalem. In 1965 he transferred at his own request to the Mossad, where he did reliability checks until March 1967. After the Armistice Commission was abolished in July 1967 he joined the Israeli liaison apparatus to the [[United Nations]] and commanded the UN liaison unit until 1970.[^1]
+
+He then returned to the Mossad's Foreign Relations Division and for two years headed a branch abroad. [[Haaretz]] gives the posting as head of the Mossad's Tevel station in [[Ethiopia]], in charge of the secret military aid Israel gave the army of Emperor [[Haile Selassie]] against Eritrean rebels. He was recalled over a security incident and served as special assistant to the head of the Mossad's Special Relations Department until 1973.[^1][^2]
+
+In July 1973 he returned to regular IDF service as a UN liaison officer with the rank of colonel, and retired in August 1978. Haaretz attributes the retirement to his frustration at the refusal of chief of staff [[Rafael Eitan]] to promote him further.[^1][^2] The [[Jewish Telegraphic Agency]] reported in 1993 that he left the IDF in 1983.[^3]
+
+### United Nations in Thailand and the KGB
+
+In 1979 he was appointed through his UN connections to lead the anti-drug effort in [[Thailand]], a post he held until June 1983.[^1] In April 1983 he entered the Soviet embassy in [[Bangkok]] and offered his services. The Shin Bet account says the KGB recruited and ran him until his arrest in May 1991, through meetings in Europe and Moscow, secret writing, radio broadcasts and dead drops. He said in interrogation that financial difficulty motivated him, and that he received $31,000 over seven years from the KGB.[^1][^2] The Mossad rejected his 1984 application to return.[^1]
+
+In May 1985 the director general of the Prime Minister's Office, [[Avraham Tamir]], appointed him chief security officer of the Prime Minister's Office; Haaretz reported that [[Shimon Peres]], then prime minister, was among those who recommended him. He left in December 1985 after criticism of his performance.[^1][^2] The Shin Bet account lists as material passed to the KGB the structure and unit heads of the Israeli intelligence community (Military Intelligence, Mossad, Shin Bet, the police special operations unit and [[Nativ]]), the structure of the Prime Minister's Office, Foreign Ministry documents, and the names and roles of American intelligence officers in contact with Israeli intelligence.[^1][^2]
+
+### Arrest, trial and release
+
+Levinson was lured back from abroad and arrested at [[Ben Gurion Airport]] in May 1991. Haaretz reported that the arrest followed information that reached the Mossad from a foreign source, passed by Mossad director [[Shabtai Shavit]] to Shin Bet director [[Jacob Perry]], and that the investigation was code-named Eshel Hamidbar.[^2] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on September 9, 1993 that a district court had the previous week sentenced Levinson, 60, to 12 years for "serious espionage," in a trial that began in May 1991 and from which details were withheld from publication.[^3]
+
+According to Haaretz, [[Ariel Sharon]] and Rafi Eitan testified on his behalf at trial. The Shin Bet account says he shared a cell with [[Marcus Klingberg]] and was released in 1999 after a third of his sentence was deducted; his wife divorced him and he was expelled from the retired officers' association. Haaretz reported that he moved to Thailand in 2003 and worked there as an agricultural consultant.[^1][^2]
+
+### Name Lavi and Ben-Menashe's Lt. Col. Shimon Lavee
+
+[[Ari Ben-Menashe]] names a Lt. Col. [[Shimon Lavee]] as head of the Special Assistance Branch of the IDF Military Intelligence External Relations Department who prepared the Israeli text of the [[SIMWA]] agreement with South Africa. The sources on Levinson do not place him in the External Relations Department or in a branch named SIM, give his rank as colonel, and place him in Thailand from 1979. No source located establishes whether he is the Shimon Lavee named by Ben-Menashe.[^1][^2]
+
+### Footnotes
+
+[^1]: Yoni Gabbai, "30 שנה אחרי: מיוחד: המרגל הדתי שהפיל את ישראל," *Kikar HaShabbat*, November 9, 2009 (reporting the Shin Bet's disclosure). https://www.kikar.co.il/security-news/19477
+[^2]: Yossi Melman, "Why did a top Israeli intelligence officer join the KGB?," *Haaretz*, November 12, 2009. https://www.haaretz.com/1.5056541
+[^3]: "Israeli Officer Gets 12 Years for Spying for Soviet Union," Jewish Telegraphic Agency, September 9, 1993. https://www.jta.org/archive/israeli-officer-gets-12-years-for-spying-for-soviet-union
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Shulamit
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Shulamit
@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ summary: "Israeli civilian cryptographer and head of the Iranian desk in Unit 82
 [[Shulamit Ingerman|Ingerman]] introduced [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] to the [[Iran|Iranian]] team of six within [[Unit 8200]]. She was called by [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] when he successfully broke the [[Iran|Iranian]] diplomatic code. She later intervened to obtain a pardon for [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] after he was court-martialed for insubordination by [[Sasson Yishaek|Lt. Col. Sasson Yishaek]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Tommy
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Tommy
@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ tags:
 summary: "Gambino Crime Family associate who lent $50,000 to Dr. John Philip Nichols to start the Cabazon Casino."
 ---

-[[Tommy Marson]] was a known [[Gambino Crime Family]] associate. He was observed by the Indio Police Department in August 1981 meeting with [[Dr. John Philip Nichols]], the Cabazon Administrator, and other [[La Cosa Nostra]] underworld figures. The writer Cheri Seymour wrote that these meetings involved financial transactions. Marson reportedly lent [[Dr. John Philip Nichols]] $50,000 to start the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation]], the first Indian card room in the nation.[^1]
+[[Tommy Marson]] was a known [[Gambino Crime Family]] associate. He was observed by the Indio Police Department in August 1981 meeting with [[Dr. John Philip Nichols]], the Cabazon Administrator, and other [[La Cosa Nostra]] underworld figures. The writer Cheri Seymour wrote that these meetings involved financial transactions. The [[Miami Herald]] reported in May 1983 that Marson's wife loaned $50,000 to [[John Paul Nichols]] in November 1980 to help finance the Cabazon casino.[^1] In 1985 John Paul Nichols said that the $50,000 was a personal loan to him from Marson's wife, and that Marson had no dealings with the tribe.[^2] Seymour wrote that Marson lent Dr. John Philip Nichols $50,000 to start the card room on the Cabazon Indian Reservation, which she described as the first Indian card room in the nation.[^3] The Miami Herald series described Marson as a close associate of major organized crime figures who had spent five years in federal prison on a counterfeiting conviction in 1950.[^1]

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.
+[^1]: *The Miami Herald*, May 29, 1983 (series on Indian bingo and Wackenhut Corporation). Reprinted in FBI Los Angeles file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1, https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^2]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), 1985, "Cabazon leader scoffs at report." Reprinted in FBI Los Angeles file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1, https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^3]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro’s Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal*. First Edition. TrineDay, 2010.
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Wilma
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Wilma
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ summary: "Secretary to Robert McFarlane at the NSC and mother of Fawn Hall who h
 [[Wilma Hall|Hall]] assisted [[William Odom|Gen. William Odom]] in proving that [[Robert McFarlane|McFarlane]] was an [[Israel|Israeli]] mole working for [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]]. She did this by taping a phone conversation between [[Robert McFarlane|McFarlane]] and [[Rafael Eitan|Eitan]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Yaacov
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Yaacov
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ location: "Lipno, Poland"
 Meridor became embroiled in a scandal when he, along with [[Joe Peeples]] and a Romanian expatriate, attempted to sell a theoretically feasible but practically impossible solar energy system to the [[Hunt brothers]] of [[Texas]] for $2 million. He also sought a huge loan from the [[Israel|Israeli]] Treasury for this project, publicly announcing it on TV. However, a scientist from the [[Weizmann Institute]] exposed the scheme as a fraud, leading to Meridor losing his job as a cabinet minister and his credibility. His [[Transkei]] operations were also affected, which opened the door for [[Robert Maxwell]] to take over [[Degem]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Yitzhak
+++ b/PEOPLE/(H-M)/Yitzhak
@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ location: "Brody, Galicia, Austria-Hungary (now Ukraine)"
 As a result of the commission's findings, [[Yehoshua Sagi|Maj. Gen. Sagi]] was removed from office, and [[Ariel Sharon]] was forced to resign as Defense Minister.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Abimael
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Abimael
@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ In 1988, [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] traveled to [[Peru]] on a secret mission for [[Yitz
 [[Abimael Guzman Reynoso|Guzmán]] was, according to rumors recounted by [[Ari Ben-Menashe]], dead of cancer in 1990, but he continued to lead the [[Shining Path]]. He was captured in 1992 and was imprisoned.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Abu
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Abu
@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ After BCCI's closure in July 1991, a British judge, on the application of the ba

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
 [^2]: Kerry, Senator John, and Senator Hank Brown. *The BCCI Affair: A Report to the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate.* December 1992, ch. 4, "BCCI's Criminality" (quoting "Abu Nidal's Terror Network," U.S. Department of State, July 1987). https://irp.fas.org/congress/1992_rpt/bcci/04crime.htm
 [^3]: Kerry and Brown, *The BCCI Affair,* ch. 11, "BCCI, the CIA and Foreign Intelligence." https://irp.fas.org/congress/1992_rpt/bcci/11intel.htm
 [^4]: Kerry and Brown, *The BCCI Affair,* ch. 16, "BCCI and Georgia Politicians." https://irp.fas.org/congress/1992_rpt/bcci/16ga.htm
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Alan
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Alan
@ -11,4 +11,4 @@ summary: "In late 1985, Ari Ben-Menashe approached Sanders to purchase cluster b
 In late 1985, [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] approached Sanders to purchase cluster bombs for [[Israel]]. Sanders made it clear that the sale of cluster bombs to [[Israel]] was prohibited by the [[United States|U.S.]]. However, he introduced Ben-Menashe to [[Richard Babayan]], a [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] contract agent with close contacts with [[Carlos Cardoen|Cardoen]], indicating that Cardoen would sell the bombs to [[Israel]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Alfredo
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Alfredo
@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ In September 1988, [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] met with [[Alfredo Stroessner|Stroessner]
 [[Alfredo Stroessner|Stroessner]] was aware of a plotted coup against him by [[Andres Rodriguez|Gen. Andres Rodriguez]], supported by the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]]. Despite his efforts to neutralize Rodriguez, the coup took place on February 2, 1989, leading to Stroessner's overthrow. He had promised [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe]] that the [[Carlos Cardoen|Cardoen]] plant would be closed, and had received small arms from [[Israel]] as part of the agreement.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Amiram
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Amiram
@ -28,4 +28,4 @@ In May 1986, [[Oliver North|North]], [[Robert McFarlane|McFarlane]], and Nir tra
 [[Amiram Nir|Nir]] was due to be a major witness in [[Oliver North|North's]] trial and knew a great deal about [[Ihsan Barbouti|Barbouti's]] chemical operation in [[Miami]]. He was killed in a plane crash in [[Mexico]] in November 1988, an event that [[Israel|Israeli]] intelligence believed was a [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] operation to prevent his testimony from embarrassing [[Shimon Peres|Peres]], [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]], or [[George H.W. Bush|Bush]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Andres
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Andres
@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ location: "San Salvador de Guairá, Paraguay"
 After the coup, [[Andres Rodriguez|Rodriguez]] became the President of [[Paraguay]] and continued to rule the country with the blessing of the [[United States|U.S.]] government. He stepped down in August 1993 and died in 1997.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Anthony
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Anthony
@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ Pearson recruited [[Nicholas Davies]], the London *[[Daily Mirror]]* foreign edi
 In 1978, Pearson offered Radi a £200,000 loan, making it clear the money came from an Israeli source, and recruited him to work for an antiterrorist group in Israel run by [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Anwar
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Anwar
@ -17,5 +17,5 @@ He was informed by the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]] about [[Israel|Israel's]] attitu
 [[Anwar Sadat|Sadat]] and [[Menachem Begin]] later developed a face-saving formula over the Palestinian issue, leading to the [[Camp David summit|Camp David Accords]]. [[Anwar Sadat|Sadat]] was primarily interested in regaining the [[Sinai Desert|Sinai]] for [[Egypt]] and was not keen on the [[Gaza Strip]] due to its large Palestinian population.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
 [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991.
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Arieh
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Arieh
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ Colonel [[Arieh Shur]] was an officer in the [[Israel|Israeli Defense Forces]]'
 This letter was later introduced as evidence during [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] trial to counter the [[Israel|Israeli]] government's claim that he was merely a low-level translator.[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Augusto
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Augusto
@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ On August 24, 2004, the [[Supreme Court of Argentina]] upheld the life sentence
 [^13]: Deutscher Bundestag, Drucksache 18/12943 (2017), motion on Colonia Dignidad (German; paraphrased). https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/18/129/1812943.pdf
 [^14]: Deutscher Bundestag, Drucksache 11/1409 (1987), minor interpellation of the Green Party group on Colonia Dignidad (German; paraphrased). https://dserver.bundestag.de/btd/11/014/1101409.pdf
 [^15]: Auswärtiges Amt, "'Colonia Dignidad': Bilanzbericht der Gemeinsamen Kommission," September 21, 2021 (German; paraphrased), including the account of Steinmeier's April 2016 statement. https://auswaertiges-amt.de/de/aussenpolitik/laender/chile-node/bilanzbericht-colonia-dignidad/2483426
-[^16]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992. Sole source for the passages so cited.
+[^16]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015). Sole source for the passages so cited.
 [^17]: *United States v. Cardoen*, 898 F. Supp. 1563 (S.D. Fla. 1995), No. 93-241-CR, https://static.case.law/f-supp/898/cases/1563-01.json.
 [^18]: Friedman, Alan. *Spider's Web: The Secret History of How the White House Illegally Armed Iraq*. Bantam, 1993, pp. 46-54, 64. Sole source for the passages so cited.
 [^19]: U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian, "James Daniel Theberge (1930-1988)," https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/theberge-james-daniel; "Nomination of James Daniel Theberge To Be United States Ambassador to Chile," Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, November 6, 1981, https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/research/speeches/11681a
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Avi
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Avi
@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ summary: "Spokesman and national security adviser to Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir,
 [[Avi Pazner|Pazner]] was hounded by the press about the [[Israel|Israeli]] government's lies regarding [[Ari Ben-Menashe|Ben-Menashe's]] employment. He was also involved in the decision to transfer [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] money, which was under [[Israel|Israeli]] control, to the [[East Bloc]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Aviem
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Aviem
@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ Sella, who retired from the air force in disillusionment and disappointment, rem

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. TrineDay, 1992. 
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. _Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network_. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015). 
 [^2]: Hersh, Seymour M. _The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy_. Random House, 1991. Chapter 21.
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/David
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/David
@ -12,4 +12,4 @@ summary: "Leader of LEHI (Stern Gang), a Jewish terrorist group known for its an
 His successor in leadership was [[Yitzhak Shamir]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Dr.
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Dr.
@ -13,40 +13,47 @@ relations:
  - type: employed_by
    with: "[[Cabazon Indian Reservation|Cabazon Band of Mission Indians]]"
    role: "tribal administrator"
-    fn: 2
+    fn: 1
  - type: participant_in
    with: "[[Wackenhut Corporation]]"
    role: "Cabazon side of the 1981 joint venture"
    start: 1981-04
-    fn: 2
+    fn: 1
  - type: relative_of
    with: "[[John Paul Nichols]]"
    role: "father"
-    fn: 1
+    fn: 9
 created: 2025-08-05
-updated: 2026-09-22
+updated: 2026-10-09
 ---
-John Philip Nichols, a non-Indian, was the tribal administrator of the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation|Cabazon Band of Mission Indians]] at Indio, California, under Tribal Chairman [[Arthur Welmas]], and managed the tribe's business affairs; in the early 1980s the only building on the reservation was a casino.[^2]
+John Philip Nichols, a non-Indian, was the tribal administrator of the [[Cabazon Indian Reservation|Cabazon Band of Mission Indians]] at Indio, California, under Tribal Chairman [[Arthur Welmas]], and managed the tribe's business affairs; in the early 1980s the only building on the reservation was a casino.[^1]
+
+Nichols told Los Angeles Magazine in September 1983 that a friend referred the tribe to the baseball manager [[Leo Durocher]] for help setting up the cardroom, that Durocher "brought in a guy named Rocco Zangari," and that the tribe eventually fired him.[^2] The California Attorney General's office paper states that Nichols hired [[Rocco Zangari]], a Southern California organized crime figure, to operate the cardroom, and that Zangari and Nichols accused each other of financial wrongdoing.[^3] The 1988 Press-Enterprise reports that Nichols (the article does not specify which) said he had admitted a mistake in hiring Zangari as the first manager.[^4]

 ### The Wackenhut Joint Venture

-In April 1981 the [[Wackenhut Corporation]] entered into a joint venture with the Cabazon Security Corporation, signed by [[Robert Frye]] for Wackenhut and Welmas for the tribe's company; its stated primary purpose was to "qualify for, bid on, and obtain government guard service contracts." Early on Nichols wanted the joint venture to sell night-vision equipment, and it pursued sales to representatives of Guatemala and Honduras; as far as the [[Department of Justice|Justice Department]]'s special counsel could tell, no sales were made. The venture also pursued the manufacture of combustible cartridge cases with [[Peter Zokosky]] of Armtec Defense Products, which took people from the joint venture to Picatinny Arsenal in 1981.[^2] Investigating [[Michael Riconosciuto]]'s claims for the Justice Department between 1991 and 1993, Special Counsel [[Nicholas Bua]] found that any business relationship Riconosciuto had was with Nichols or the Cabazons rather than with Wackenhut, and that no witness could "even corroborate that Riconosciuto had access to computer equipment while on the Cabazon reservation."[^2]
+In April 1981 the [[Wackenhut Corporation]] entered into a joint venture with the Cabazon Security Corporation, signed by [[Robert Frye]] for Wackenhut and Welmas for the tribe's company; its stated primary purpose was to "qualify for, bid on, and obtain government guard service contracts." Early on Nichols wanted the joint venture to sell night-vision equipment, and it pursued sales to representatives of Guatemala and Honduras; as far as the [[Department of Justice|Justice Department]]'s special counsel could tell, no sales were made. The venture also pursued the manufacture of combustible cartridge cases with [[Peter Zokosky]] of Armtec Defense Products, which took people from the joint venture to Picatinny Arsenal in 1981.[^1] Investigating [[Michael Riconosciuto]]'s claims for the Justice Department between 1991 and 1993, Special Counsel [[Nicholas Bua]] found that any business relationship Riconosciuto had was with Nichols or the Cabazons rather than with Wackenhut, and that no witness could "even corroborate that Riconosciuto had access to computer equipment while on the Cabazon reservation."[^1]

 ### Arrest and Conviction

-The Indio police arrested Nichols in January 1985 on charges of soliciting murder; a contemporaneous clipping in his [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] file described him as in state prison for diagnostic evaluation "on two counts of murder solicitation," and the FBI recorded that he had been convicted and was serving his sentence. The same file preserves a 1985 report that the California State Board of Equalization was seeking about 2 million dollars in cigarette taxes from Nichols and his son, [[John Paul Nichols]], over a reservation smoke shop run until 1980.[^3]
+The Indio police arrested Nichols in January 1985 on charges of soliciting murder; an April 1985 clipping in his [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] file described him as in state prison for diagnostic evaluation to help decide his sentence "on two counts of murder solicitation," and a later 1985 clipping reported that he was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading no contest to charges that he arranged contract murders for two people, in a plot authorities said was unrelated to tribal business.[^5] A paper submitted to a February 8, 1989 Senate hearing by the California Attorney General's office states that he pleaded no contest in May 1985 to two charges of solicitation for murder, that the intended victims were undercover Indio police officers, and that he was sentenced to four years.[^3] The FBI recorded that he had been convicted and was serving his sentence.[^6] The same file preserves a 1985 report that the California State Board of Equalization was seeking about 2 million dollars in cigarette taxes from Nichols and his son, [[John Paul Nichols]], over a reservation smoke shop run until 1980.[^7]

 ### The Alvarez Murders

-On July 1, 1981, Tribal Vice Chairman [[Fred Alvarez]], 32, his friend [[Ralph Boger]], 42, and [[Patricia Castro]], 44, were found shot to death at 35040 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage. A grand jury in the mid-1980s brought no charges. After new documents surfaced in 2007, the former Cabazon security chief [[Jimmy Hughes]] was arrested at Miami International Airport on September 26, 2009, on his way to Honduras, and charged with conspiring with three other men to commit the murders to keep Alvarez from exposing alleged illegal activities by Nichols. On July 1, 2010, after Deputy Attorney General Mike Murphy said prosecutors had "lost confidence to proceed," Judge Dale R. Wells dismissed the charges. No one has been convicted of the murders.[^4]
+On July 1, 1981, Tribal Vice Chairman [[Fred Alvarez]], 32, his friend [[Ralph Boger]], 42, and [[Patricia Castro]], 44, were found shot to death at 35040 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage. The California Attorney General's office paper submitted to the Senate Special Committee on Investigations in February 1989 states that Alvarez and two others were found dead on July 2, 1981, shot in the head the evening before.[^3] A grand jury in the mid-1980s brought no charges. After new documents surfaced in 2007, the former Cabazon security chief [[Jimmy Hughes]] was arrested at Miami International Airport on September 26, 2009, on his way to Honduras, and charged with conspiring with three other men to commit the murders to keep Alvarez from exposing alleged illegal activities by Nichols. On July 1, 2010, after Deputy Attorney General Mike Murphy said prosecutors had "lost confidence to proceed," Judge Dale R. Wells dismissed the charges. No one has been convicted of the murders.[^8]

 ### Arms, the Mob and the Alibi

-[[Michael Riconosciuto]] described Nichols as a former [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] agent. The writer Cheri Seymour wrote that the joint venture was formalized on April 1, 1981, as "[[Cabazon Arms]]," to manufacture arms and explosives for export under the reservation's sovereign status, with a [[Department of Defense]] secret facility clearance, and that it proposed 120mm combustible cartridge cases, 9mm machine pistols, laser-sighted assault weapons, sniper rifles, portable rockets and biological weapons; that Nichols introduced Riconosciuto to Frye, and that Riconosciuto did a railgun exercise for [[Dr. Harry Fair]] at Picatinny; and that the murder solicitation involved five intended victims and drugs and that Nichols served 18 months, his son acting as administrator. Seymour also wrote that he had done business in [[Saudi Arabia]], [[South Africa]], [[Panama]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Guatemala]], [[Mexico]], [[Chile]], [[Brazil]], the [[Netherlands]], [[England]], [[Canada]], [[France]], [[Spain]], [[Japan]], [[Korea]] and [[Taiwan]], had managed a Coca-Cola bottling plant in São Paulo in 1960 and led in the Chilean Pentecostal movement, had written himself a ten-year contract with the tribe in 1978 for half the profits of any business he brought in, and had proposed security for [[Crown Prince Fahd]]'s palace, and that Indio police surveillance in August 1981 observed him with [[Tommy Marson]], [[Vincent Caci Bologna]], [[Anthony Fratianno]] and [[Daniel Magano]]. Zokosky's timeline placed Nichols in Canada with him from June 22 to June 30, 1981, which [[John Belton]] said had been arranged as an alibi. Hughes said he had been told in Nichols's presence to take 5,000 dollars as partial payment for the Alvarez killings, and that the tribe's gambling enterprises were fronts for government-sanctioned covert military activity. Riconosciuto said Nichols's office was broken into to retrieve [[Phyllis Riconosciuto]]'s diary with passwords for [[Tyme Shares]], and that Nichols and Zokosky blamed him for the murder of [[Paul Morasca]].[^1]
+Michael Riconosciuto described Nichols as a former [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] agent. The writer Cheri Seymour wrote that the joint venture was formalized on April 1, 1981, as "[[Cabazon Arms]]," to manufacture arms and explosives for export under the reservation's sovereign status, with a [[Department of Defense]] secret facility clearance, and that it proposed 120mm combustible cartridge cases, 9mm machine pistols, laser-sighted assault weapons, sniper rifles, portable rockets and biological weapons; that Nichols introduced Riconosciuto to Frye, and that Riconosciuto did a railgun exercise for [[Dr. Harry Fair]] at Picatinny; and that the murder solicitation involved five intended victims and drugs and that Nichols served 18 months, his son acting as administrator. Seymour also wrote that he had done business in [[Saudi Arabia]], [[South Africa]], [[Panama]], [[Nicaragua]], [[Guatemala]], [[Mexico]], [[Chile]], [[Brazil]], the [[Netherlands]], [[England]], [[Canada]], [[France]], [[Spain]], [[Japan]], [[Korea]] and [[Taiwan]], had managed a Coca-Cola bottling plant in São Paulo in 1960 and led in the Chilean Pentecostal movement, had written himself a ten-year contract with the tribe in 1978 for half the profits of any business he brought in, and had proposed security for [[Crown Prince Fahd]]'s palace, and that Indio police surveillance in August 1981 observed him with [[Tommy Marson]], [[Vincent Caci Bologna]], [[Anthony Fratianno]] and [[Daniel Magano]]. Zokosky's timeline placed Nichols in Canada with him from June 22 to June 30, 1981, which [[John Belton]] said had been arranged as an alibi. Hughes said he had been told in Nichols's presence to take 5,000 dollars as partial payment for the Alvarez killings, and that the tribe's gambling enterprises were fronts for government-sanctioned covert military activity. Riconosciuto said Nichols's office was broken into to retrieve [[Phyllis Riconosciuto]]'s diary with passwords for [[Tyme Shares]], and that Nichols and Zokosky blamed him for the murder of [[Paul Morasca]].[^9]

 ### Footnotes

-[^1]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro's Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal.* TrineDay, 2010. The CIA claim is not supported by his FBI file. The venture's name and date are corrected by the special counsel's report, and the book dates the murders to June 29, 1981. Sole source for the passages so cited.
-[^2]: U.S. Department of Justice. *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of INSLAW, Inc.,* March 1993, pp. 54-64.
-[^3]: Federal Bureau of Investigation. File on John Philip Nichols, FOIPA Request No. 1344360-000, files 183A-LA-1746 and 198D-LA-96, released August 3, 2016. https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
-[^4]: "Only On 3: 'Octopus Murder' Suspect Caught On Hidden Camera." KESQ, September 29, 2009, https://kesq.com/news/2009/09/29/only-on-3-octopus-murder-suspect-caught-on-hidden-camera/ ; "Jimmy Hughes Speaks To KESQ After Charges Dropped." KESQ, July 2, 2010. https://kesq.com/news/2010/07/02/jimmy-hughes-speaks-to-kesq-after-charges-dropped/
+[^1]: U.S. Department of Justice. *Report of Special Counsel Nicholas J. Bua to the Attorney General of the United States Regarding the Allegations of INSLAW, Inc.,* March 1993, pp. 54-64.
+[^2]: *Los Angeles Magazine*, September 1983, pp. 126 ff. Reprinted in FBI file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1, https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^3]: *Federal Government's Relationship with American Indians*, Hearings before the Special Committee on Investigations of the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, S. Hrg. 101-126, Part 2 (February 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 1989), Robert Morehouse, "High Stakes Bingo on Indian Reservations in California," pp. 417 to 419. https://archive.org/details/micro_IA41152832_0182
+[^4]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), January 24, 1988, p. B-1, "Bingo profits rising as legal fight brews." Reprinted in FBI file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1, https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^5]: *The Press-Enterprise* (Riverside, California), April 17, 1985 ("Court ruling may ...") and 1985 article "Cabazon leader scoffs at report." Reprinted in FBI Los Angeles file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1, https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^6]: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Los Angeles, memorandum, "Crime on Indian Reservation - Gambling," November 5, 1986, reprinted in FBI file 183A-LA-1746, Section 1, https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^7]: Federal Bureau of Investigation. File on John Philip Nichols, FOIPA Request No. 1344360-000, files 183A-LA-1746 and 198D-LA-96, released August 3, 2016. https://archive.org/details/JohnPhilipNichols
+[^8]: "Only On 3: 'Octopus Murder' Suspect Caught On Hidden Camera." KESQ, September 29, 2009, https://kesq.com/news/2009/09/29/only-on-3-octopus-murder-suspect-caught-on-hidden-camera/ ; "Jimmy Hughes Speaks To KESQ After Charges Dropped." KESQ, July 2, 2010. https://kesq.com/news/2010/07/02/jimmy-hughes-speaks-to-kesq-after-charges-dropped/
+[^9]: Seymour, Cheri. *The Last Circle: Danny Casolaro's Investigation into the Octopus and the PROMIS Software Scandal.* TrineDay, 2010. The CIA claim is not supported by his FBI file. The venture's name and date are corrected by the special counsel's report, and the book dates the murders to June 29, 1981.
--- a/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Herbert
+++ b/PEOPLE/(N-S)/Herbert
@ -17,4 +17,4 @@ died: 1992
 [[Herbert Alwyn Smith|Smith]] died in March 1992, purportedly of a heart attack, ten days after leaving [[Sydney]], [[Australia]].[^1]

 ### Footnotes
-[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.
+[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
--- a/Show more
+++ b/Show more