Jeffrey Epstein’s Role in Selling Israeli Surveillance to Côte d’Ivoire
Leaked emails reveal the behind-the-scenes discussions involving Côte d’Ivoire and Israel, coordinated by Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein. Both Barak and Epstein had experience in profiting from conflicts.
After finishing his term as Israel’s defense minister and officially retiring, Ehud Barak shifted to promoting Israeli security services to troubled governments. This enabled Israeli intelligence to influence security systems in various African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire.
Jeffrey Epstein quietly supported these initiatives before his death in jail in 2019. At one point, Epstein wrote to Barak:
“with civil unrest exploding [...] and the desperation of those in power, isn’t this perfect for you.”
Barak responded:
“You’re right [in] a way. But not simple to transform it into a cash flow.”
For Côte d’Ivoire, turning unrest into profit meant negotiating agreements between the Israeli government and the West African nation.
New Evidence on Epstein’s Intelligence Involvement
New insights into Epstein’s part in Israeli intelligence work in Africa have come from two sources:
- An archive of leaked emails published by the Handala hacking group and hosted by whistleblower nonprofit Distributed Denial of Secrets.
- Documents released last month by the U.S. House Oversight Committee.
Summary
Jeffrey Epstein covertly facilitated Israel’s export of surveillance technology to Côte d’Ivoire, helping reshape security arrangements amid political turmoil in the region.