The international reach of the long-running criminal case involving Jeffrey Epstein is expanding.
Among the newly disclosed material is official correspondence indicating that a woman believed to be based in India was identified by US authorities as someone eligible for support under victim assistance and compensation programmes.
These records form part of a massive document disclosure made public by the US Department of Justice on January 30, comprising more than three million pages.
The files include internal communications between American officials, personal emails exchanged by Epstein and his associates, and correspondence touching on India-related business, travel, and political references.
How did US authorities attempt to locate an alleged victim in India?
An internal email dated January 13, 2020, with the subject line “Epstein Victims”, shows that American officials were attempting to obtain contact details for a woman believed to be residing in India, reported The Pioneer.
While the names of both the sender and recipient are blacked out in the released document, the content suggests coordination between officials handling victim compensation and those with access to diplomatic channels.
The correspondence sets out procedural guidance for accessing financial assistance under the New York Crime Victims Compensation framework. The email states, “The New York Crime Victims Compensation link is www.ny.gov. Please have them complete an application and send it to me. I will forward it directly to the FBI paperwork.”
The message explains that therapeutic support was being arranged for certain victims located in Florida, with costs covered through emergency assistance mechanisms. “For individuals in Florida, please have the identified therapist contact me, and we will request the 6 sessions to be covered through our emergency victim assistance.”
The section referring to the woman believed to be in India indicates an effort to involve diplomatic counterparts to facilitate contact.
The email reads, “And lastly, regarding the individual located in India. If you can get me her address and contact information, I will coordinate with our colleagues at the embassy there. Please call me if you have any additional questions.”
The wording of the message shows that US officials were attempting to extend the same victim-support processes to individuals outside the United States.
The communication took place several months after Epstein’s death in custody in August 2019, when he was being held in a New York jail while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking involving minors. His
death was later ruled a suicide by US authorities.
Beyond references to victim assistance, the newly released material contains emails that mention India in the context of Epstein’s broader professional and personal interactions. One communication from 2024, now part of the disclosed records, refers to discussions between Epstein and Bill Gates about a possible visit to India.
In that exchange, Epstein asks whether Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was serving as India’s Union Health Minister at the time, was his “target meeting” during a planned trip in September 2017.
Another India-related email from April 2, 2017, shows Epstein’s associate Gino You raising the possibility of a meeting with Dilip Cherian, described in the message as a highly influential figure in India’s communications industry.
The email sent to Epstein reads, “Are you interested in meeting my friend Dilip, who is very influential in India? He is in Paris from April 3-6. Just sold advertising and pr company for 160m usd,”
The records also contain correspondence discussing business controversies linked to India. In an email dated June 10, 2018, Jide Zeitlin wrote to Epstein about what he characterised as misleading media coverage originating from India concerning past corporate matters.
The message states, “It was good talking with you this morning. As mentioned, the Indian headlines are both dated and false (‘fake news’ before that term was coined). This matter was fully vetted and cleared by the White House and the US Senate nine years ago. Also to clear, the false claims in India were against a company, IMIL.”
“I was a director of the company, but there was no claim that I had personally taken undue actions. There have been no new claims since that time, nine years ago. This was the case of individuals in India attempting to take advantage of a deep-pocketed foreign-funded company – an attempt to blackmail the company and me”
The email concludes with a remark about a conversation with Epstein, “At our recent lunch, we had a good laugh at what he called ‘Washington Theatre incited by Indian bad behaviour.”
Among the millions of pages disclosed are personal messages that are not connected to the trafficking case itself but are included as part of the broader cache of Epstein’s archived communications.
One such email, dated July 8, 2010, from a woman whose name has been redacted, recounts an incident she experienced during air travel.
The message reads, “I forgot to tell you, there was an old Indian man next to me on the plane who was drinking too much. He kept touching and talking to me and telling me how amazing I was. He fell asleep, and when he woke up, he put his arms around me and told me he loved me… I thought you were playing a joke on me!!!”
How do the wider Epstein files connect to high-profile figures?
The latest document release has again drawn attention to the number of prominent individuals whose names appear in Epstein-related records.
Among those referenced across the broader set of files are UK Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, Larry Summers and Howard Lutnick.
Several individuals whose names appear in the documents have previously stated that they did not engage in wrongdoing or improper conduct in connection with Epstein.
The disclosure of names in the files does not by itself establish criminal liability, but it has continued to fuel public and media scrutiny of Epstein’s social and professional circles.
While Epstein died before facing trial, his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was later prosecuted in connection with offences involving the trafficking of minors. In 2022, Maxwell was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Her conviction remains
one of the most significant legal outcomes tied directly to the Epstein case.
As investigators, journalists and the public continue to examine the millions of pages now available, the material highlights both the global reach of Epstein’s network.
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With inputs from agencies