A confidential source has alleged that Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier, once managed wealth for both Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, according to information released by the U.S. Department of Justice.

This revelation emerged from documents unveiled by the DOJ on Friday, indicating that the claims were made to the FBI in late 2017. The source, whose identity remains undisclosed in the ‘Secret’ document intended for restricted use, asserted that Epstein served as a wealth manager for both influential leaders.

The source further alleged that Epstein, who died in a New York prison cell in 2019, possessed compromising information on various individuals and generated income by charging clients for concealing their assets offshore.

Previous reports have indicated that Epstein had facilitated several meetings with Putin. Intelligence agencies suspected him of orchestrating a global honeytrap operation on behalf of the KGB.

In a letter dated September 11, 2011, addressed to Epstein, an unnamed associate mentioned an upcoming “appointment with Putin” during an imminent visit to Russia.

In correspondence, sent to Epstein on September 11, 2011, an unidentified associate discusses an ‘appointment with Putin’ during a forthcoming trip to Russia.  

The individual tells Epstein: ‘Spoke with Igor. He said last time you were in Palm Beach, you told him you had an appointment with Putin on Sept 16 and that he could go ahead and book his ticket to Russia to arrive a few days before you.’ 

In an email to Epstein, Japanese entrepreneur Joi Ito apparently tells the convicted child sex offender that another US billionaire named Reid Hoffman, co-founder of website LinkedIn, was unable to join.

Jeffrey Epstein (pictured with Ghislaine Maxwell) was the wealth manager for at least two current and former world leaders, according to an FBI source

Vladimir Putin (pictured) is claimed to have trusted his fortune to Epstein

A confidential source also claimed Epstein managed the wealth of former President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe (pictured) 

‘Hey Jeffrey,’ Ito writes. ‘I wasn’t able to convince Reid to change his schedule to go meet Putin with you.’ It is unclear whether this meeting took place. 

A later email sent by Ito suggested it was cancelled after Russian-backed forces shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing 298 people. 

Writing to Epstein three days later, Ito said: ‘Bad idea now after the plane crash.’ 

Other messages revealed Epstein claimed he could give the Kremlin valuable insight into Mr Trump ahead of a summit with Putin in Helsinki. 

He also discussed blackmail with with Sergei Belyakov in 2015, Russia’s then Deputy Minister of Economic Development and a graduate of Russia’s Federal Security Service, the main successor to the KGB.

On July 24, 2015, Epstein asked Belyakov for a favour, warning him that ‘a Russian girl from Moscow… is attempting to blackmail a group of powerful biznessmen [sic] in New York. It is bad for business for everyone involved.’

In a later email, sent to himself, Epstein wrote of his ‘friends in the FSB’. 

The files include 1,056 documents naming Putin and 9,629 referring to Moscow. Epstein even seems to have secured audiences with Putin after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. 

Ghislaine Maxwell (centre) pictured with two men who appear to be two Russian army personnel. Robert Maxwell’s daughter is serving a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking and other offences linked to her association with Epstein, who she is said to have met shortly after her father’s death

Epstein pictured wearing a communist style cap. American intelligence experts believe Epstein was inducted into the world of espionage via business deals with Robert Maxwell

The release of more than three million files relating to Epstein give credence to incendiary claims made by senior security officials to the Mail on Sunday: that Epstein was working on behalf of Moscow, and possibly Israel, when he facilitated assignations for some of the world’s most powerful men. 

One intelligence source branded his actions ‘the world’s largest honeytrap operation’ on behalf of the KGB.

Others sources said his association with Russia could explain why Epstein appeared to enjoy an ultra-wealthy lifestyle out of kilter with his career as a financier, although there is no documentary evidence linking Putin and his spies directly to Epstein’s illicit activities. 

In another email sent in November 2010, Epstein asks an individual whether he needs a Russian visa, adding: ‘I have a friend of Putin’s, should I ask him?’

Other messages show Epstein claiming to offer the Kremlin insight into Mr Trump.

The financier messaged Thorbjorn Jagland, then secretary general of the Council of Europe, suggesting he could pass on a message to Putin about how to handle the US President.

In a June 2018 exchange, Epstein indicated that Vitaly Churkin, Russia’s ambassador to the UN, ‘understood Trump after our conversations’.

He advised that Mr Jagland, the former prime minister of Norway, could ‘suggest to putin, that lavrov [Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s veteran foreign minister], can get insight on talking to me [sic].’

An image from the latest release from the Epstein files. Epstein seems to have secured audiences with Vladimir Putin after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution

An image from the latest release from the Epstein files.  US security officials also believe Epstein had long-standing ties with Russian organised crime. That could explain the ease with which Epstein appeared to be able to fly in ‘girls’ from Russia

Epstein told Mr Jagland that Mr Trump ‘must be seen to get something’. Mr Jagland responded that he would meet Mr Lavrov’s assistant on the following Monday and relay the message.

Earlier that month Epstein had also messaged Steve Bannon, a Trump ally, to tell him Mr Jagland was due to meet Putin and Lavrov and was then staying overnight with him at his mansion in Paris.

The extraordinary emails were dated before the totemic Helsinki summit between Mr Trump and Putin in July 2018, during which the US President insisted he did not think that Russia interfered in the 2016 Presidential election.

Another document reveals the FBI was warned that Epstein was believed to be a Mossad spy.

A report by FBI bosses highlighted how a source told the agency: ‘Epstein was close to the former prime minister of Israel, Ehud Barak and trained as a spy under him.’ In June 2013, Epstein sent an email to Mr Barak saying: ‘Putin will re do his staff in the summer, bringing only very trusted people closer… more info on phone or face to face.’

American intelligence experts believe Epstein was inducted into the world of espionage via business deals with Robert Maxwell, the disgraced media magnate who – like Epstein – died in murky circumstances; in Maxwell’s case his body was found floating in the Atlantic in 1991, having apparently fallen overboard from his yacht.  

Maxwell’s daughter, Ghislaine, is serving a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking and other offences linked to her association with Epstein, who she is said to have met shortly after her father’s death.

Media tycoon Robert Maxwell, who security sources say was a Russian asset from the 1970s, when he worked to extradite Soviet Jews to Israel, with the involvement of Israeli intelligence service Mossad

Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein was found hanged in 2019, but relatives believe he was murdered to silence him

Security sources said Robert Maxwell was a Russian asset from the 1970s, when he worked to extradite Soviet Jews to Israel, with the involvement of Israeli intelligence service Mossad.

In return, they said, Maxwell laundered Russian money into the West – with the help of Epstein.

They think the financier was introduced to Maxwell and the KGB by an oil tycoon also in the pay of Russian intelligence. Probes into Robert Maxwell’s business dealings have uncovered links not only to the KGB and Mossad – but also MI6.

US security officials also believe Epstein had long-standing ties with Russian organised crime, who could have been blackmailing him. That could explain the ease with which Epstein appeared to be able to fly in ‘girls’ from Russia.

A source said: ‘You have Andrew, Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and all the rest placed in compromising positions on an island bristling with technology. It’s the world’s largest honey trap operation.

‘The Americans have been on this for years, but our lot have seemed more queasy about it, presumably because of the Royal link.’ All the high-profile figures named in the files deny any wrongdoing.