But beneath the spectacle lies a question that mainstream commentary continues to avoid, despite its growing inevitability: Was Epstein operating as part of an intelligence-linked blackmail operation? And if so, for whom? This is not a conspiracy theory, but a legitimate question that the files themselves provoke.

Former Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe has alleged Epstein and Maxwell ran a “honeytrap” operation for Mossad, luring elites into compromising situations to extract favours or silence. This is no conspiracy theory; it is echoed by Steven Hoffberg, Epstein’s former business partner, who alleged Epstein frequently flaunted his Mossad connections.

Survivor Maria Farmer described the network as a “Jewish supremacist” blackmail ring linked to the Mega group, a cabal of pro-Israel billionaires including Les Wexner, who gifted Epstein his Manhattan mansion.

The conclusion, then, is not a lurid morality tale about “bad people doing bad things,” nor the tired revelation that royals, celebrities, or billionaires behave with impunity. That much is already obvious. Child abusers exist across every class and every society. What does not exist everywhere is a system that records, archives, weaponises, and protects that abuse for strategic ends.

The Epstein case points not to isolated depravity, but to structured leverage: an architecture of blackmail in which sexual crimes become instruments of power rather than grounds for prosecution. That is why the fixation on individual scandal – princes, parties, and gossip – functions as misdirection.

The real scandal is the evidence of an intelligence-linked operation in which Mossad repeatedly appears as a point of reference, protection, and utility; an operation that embedded itself across politics, finance, media, and celebrity culture.

Until this is discussed in those terms, as a question of foreign influence, the story will remain trapped in spectacle, and the system it exposes will remain intact.

  • floofloof@lemmy.ca
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    8 hours ago

    Mossad seems like the most likely culprit by far, unless he was freelancing for a bunch of intelligence agencies (which they might allow as long as he delivered the goods). And yet the Daily Mail is pushing the line that he was working for Russia. I have to wonder whether the Daily Mail’s stories are part of a campaign of deflection and muddying the waters.

    • geneva_convenience@lemmy.mlOP
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      3 hours ago

      Epstein was trained as a spy by the former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak. He was a commited Zionist and 100% working for Israel.

      He did do business with other countries, frequently he was a messenger for Israel to other countries. UAE and Saudi are prime examples of that. After getting in contact with them, Esptein tried getting them on the kiddy diddle island to have dirt on them so they can be blackmailed by Israel.

      And yes there’s very much an organised campaign by Western mainstream media to blame Epstein on Russia.

    • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
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      6 hours ago

      It’s just as possible that he was operating mostly freelance, and selling his information to whoever was buying. He probably sold the same info to multiple buyers.

      Since he was willing to do anything for money, and betray anyone, he was probably a willing operative for whatever scheme some intelligence agency cooked up.

      Most people would learn to avoid him after getting drawn into his web deceit, but Trump hung out and partied for YEARS.