Venture Capitalist's Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Revealed in Newly Released Emails

Masha Bucher, founder of Day One Ventures, had a years-long relationship with the convicted sex offender that helped launch her investing career.

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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Newly released emails and documents show that Masha Bucher, the founder of venture capital firm Day One Ventures, had a deep and long-standing relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein helped Bucher, then in her 20s, establish her career as a publicist and later as an investor, introducing her to startup founders and allegedly providing advice and resources as she launched her own VC fund in 2018. The revelations raise questions about Bucher's judgment and the vetting process in the venture capital industry.

Why it matters

Bucher's ties to Epstein, a known sex trafficker, highlight the lack of scrutiny around some investors' backgrounds and associations, especially in the insular world of Silicon Valley venture capital. Her rapid rise to prominence as a female VC with investments in high-profile startups, despite her lack of prior investing experience, also raises concerns about the industry's tendency to elevate individuals with the 'right' connections over those with proven track records.

The details

According to the newly released emails and documents, Epstein first connected with Bucher in 2017, bringing her on as a publicist to help improve his public image following his 2008 sex trafficking conviction. Over the next two years, Bucher helped broker meetings between Epstein and various startup founders, sometimes in unsettling circumstances. She also credited Epstein with providing her the 'ideas and knowledge' to launch her own VC firm, Day One Ventures, in 2018. The emails show Bucher continued to communicate with Epstein up until just 11 days before his arrest in 2019.

  • Epstein and Bucher first connected in 2017.
  • Bucher launched Day One Ventures in 2018.
  • Bucher and Epstein communicated up until 11 days before his arrest in July 2019.

The players

Masha Bucher

The founder of venture capital firm Day One Ventures, who had a years-long relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that helped launch her investing career.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender who had a deep relationship with Bucher, providing her with advice, resources, and connections as she established her VC firm.

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What they’re saying

“It's one of those things that's radioactive level 10.”

— Anonymous startup founder (Forbes)

“I would never create my fund without the ideas and knowledge you shared with me.”

— Masha Bucher, Founder, Day One Ventures (Forbes)

“In retrospect I wish I'd taken the time and been more protective over who we took checks from.”

— Augustus Doricko, CEO, Rainmaker (Forbes)

What’s next

The Department of Justice has indicated that the latest document release may not be the final set of Epstein-related files, raising the possibility of more revelations about his connections to prominent figures in the future.

The takeaway

Bucher's ties to Epstein underscore the need for greater scrutiny and transparency around the backgrounds and associations of venture capitalists, especially those who rise to prominence quickly. The venture capital industry must do more to vet its gatekeepers and ensure that bad actors are not enabled or elevated within the ecosystem.