Billionaire Financier Tom Barrack's Dark Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Exposed

Barrack's extensive connections to the convicted sex offender raise questions about American power and diplomacy.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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A new investigation reveals that Tom Barrack, a billionaire financier, longtime confidant of Donald Trump, and former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, had deep and sustained ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Barrack's 544 mentions in Epstein's files show he was a trusted figure within Epstein's private ecosystem, exchanging family photos, coordinating media strategy, and attending private dinners with intelligence-linked figures. This raises troubling questions about how American diplomacy functions when stripped of ceremony and rhetoric, exposing a system where power flows through private channels and proximity to known offenders is not disqualifying.

Why it matters

Barrack's extensive connections to Epstein, a convicted sex offender, call into question the integrity of American diplomacy and the influence of private interests in foreign policy. The revelations force a reckoning with how power operates in the shadows, where proximity to known criminals is overlooked if an individual remains useful to those in authority.

The details

The Department of Justice's Epstein files place Tom Barrack, a billionaire financier, at the center of Epstein's private ecosystem. Barrack, who served as a U.S. ambassador to Turkey and a special envoy to Lebanon and Syria, is revealed to have exchanged affectionate messages, coordinated media silence, attended elite off-the-record dinners, and maintained sustained private contact with Epstein years after his 2008 conviction for sex crimes against minors. Barrack's deep ties to Epstein, who cultivated gatekeepers to move fluidly between compartmentalized worlds, suggest he served as a connector, gatekeeper, and enabler for Epstein's network of influence and secrecy.

  • Epstein was convicted of sex crimes against minors in 2008.

The players

Tom Barrack

A billionaire financier, longtime confidant of Donald Trump, major campaign fundraiser, chairman of Trump's inaugural committee, and former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Lebanon and Syria.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender whose entire social universe revolved around secrecy, leverage, and control.

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The takeaway

The revelations about Tom Barrack's deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein expose a troubling reality about the intersection of power, influence, and accountability in American diplomacy. This case highlights the need for greater transparency and scrutiny of the private relationships and activities of those entrusted with representing the United States on the global stage.