The Rest Is Classified

Episode 116 — Epstein Files Declassified: Was He A Spy? (Ep 1)

Release date: January 12, 2026
Hosts: David McCloskey (former CIA analyst and spy novelist), Gordon Corera (veteran security correspondent)

Main Theme

This episode marks the start of a two-part deep dive into one of the most enduring and controversial questions in the world of espionage and conspiracy:
Was Jeffrey Epstein working for, or with, an intelligence service?

Hosts David McCloskey and Gordon Corera apply their combined expertise to examine the plausibility of claims that the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein acted as an intelligence asset for agencies such as Mossad, CIA, or others.
They promise a rigorous, fact-based exploration, steering clear of conspiratorial speculation, sensationalist reporting, and the unresolved legal, criminal, and celebrity drama often associated with Epstein’s case.

Episode Structure & Key Segments

• [02:39] — Introduction & Framing
• [07:08] — Epstein’s Biography and Connections
• [14:52] — Theories about Intelligence Links
• [20:29] — The Kompromat/Blackmail Theory
• [25:07] — Historical Precedents: Salon Kitty & Intelligence Honey Traps
• [28:44] — Comparing Historical Operations to Epstein’s Case
• [30:26] — Were Foreign Intelligence Services Involved?
• [35:13] — How Would an Intelligence Service View Epstein?
• [37:38] — Teaser for Next Episode

1. Introduction & Framing

[02:39] David McCloskey: Sets the stage for a two-part series focused on the plausibility—not certainty—of Epstein’s alleged intelligence connections.

"That question is — was financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein working for or with an intelligence service?... It has an enormous gravitational pull here in the States... Even this past week with events in Venezuela... In some ways, the operation... may have been an attempt by the Trump administration to distract the public from not releasing aspects of the Epstein files." (03:12)

[04:42] Gordon Corera: Points out that the Epstein/intelligence theory, once fringe, is now mainstream, especially in the UK due to royal connections (Prince Andrew), but this series won’t pursue the wider legal or sensational elements.

"We're not going into... who is or isn't implicated in the files... or into connections with any royals or with President Trump... Instead... we're taking a specific lens, which is to look at that question... of links between Jeffrey Epstein and the intelligence world." (04:55)

2. Laying Out Ground Rules

[05:49] David McCloskey:
Acknowledges anti-Semitic motivations often present in some conspiracy theorizing.

"Often the theories... about Epstein's connections to intelligence services drift into... blatant anti-Semitism. That... is not a stance that we're going to be taking on The Rest Is Classified." (05:55)

[06:30] Gordon Corera:
Recognizes the suffering of Epstein’s victims, but clarifies the episode won’t focus on victim stories, instead concentrating on espionage questions.

3. Epstein’s Biography and Connections

[07:08] David McCloskey:
Quick overview of Epstein’s rise:

• Born Brooklyn, middle-class Jewish family
• 1970s: Teacher at elite Dalton School
• 70s/80s: Moves to finance, works at Bear Stearns, then claims to manage money only for billionaires
• 1980s: Forms key relationship with billionaire Les Wexner (L Brands, Victoria’s Secret), gains deep financial control

"Things... seem... almost inexplicable." (09:40)

[09:57] Gordon Corera and David McCloskey:
Relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell emerges, blurring lines of business, intimacy, and criminal co-conspiracy. Connections to her father, Robert Maxwell (who had definite intelligence links), will be explored more deeply next episode.

[11:33] David McCloskey:
Epstein’s formidable social network:

• Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Alan Dershowitz, Prince Andrew, Woody Allen, Ehud Barak, and many more.
• Lived an opulent lifestyle: Manhattan mansion, Florida residence, private island, private plane, yacht.

[12:50] David McCloskey & Gordon Corera:
Review of Epstein’s criminal history:

• 2008: Controversial plea deal for soliciting a minor; only partial jail time, much of it on work release, deal halted FBI investigation into possible wider network.
• 2019: Arrested again; commits suicide in jail, sparking more speculation (ruled a suicide but widely debated).

4. Theories About Intelligence Links

[14:52] Gordon Corera:
Enumerates commonly-voiced claims:

• Did intelligence agencies (CIA, Mossad, etc.) back him financially?
• Was his 2008 plea deal assisted by intelligence protection?
• Did his ‘spy-like’ lifestyle (fake passports, ease of movement) suggest intelligence work?

"A lot of that is... vague and suggestive rather than, you know, hard fact." (17:51)

[16:13] David McCloskey:
Cites one of the most oft-cited 'facts':
Epstein’s leniency in 2008 believed by some to trace back to intelligence protection—but the official attributed with stating this has since denied it.

[17:16] David McCloskey:
“Spy adjacent” signs: In the 1980s, Epstein possessed a fake Austrian passport under the name “Marius Fortelny,” used to travel in several countries.

"It's like, that doesn’t prove he's working for an intelligence service. There are ways to get fake passports. But again, it kind of feels spy-adjacent." (17:43)

5. The Kompromat/Blackmail Theory

[20:29] David McCloskey:
Outlines the most salacious and persistent theory:

• Epstein ran a blackmail operation (“kompromat”) by supplying young women to elites and videotaping encounters for intelligence handlers.
• “Kompromat” is a Russian term with long history in espionage.

[21:35] Gordon Corera:
Describes historical precedents:

• In Russia and Europe, diplomats and officials honey-trapped and blackmailed by secret services.

"Collecting compromising material against influential people is well established in lots of countries." (21:39)

[22:34] David McCloskey / Gordon Corera:
Epstein’s residences, especially Manhattan and his private island, were believed to be "wired up for audio and video."

"That gives some energy to this idea that... he could have been taping people for the purposes of collecting blackmail." (22:38)

6. Historical Precedents — "Salon Kitty"

[23:01] Gordon Corera:
Salon Kitty: Nazi Berlin brothel, wired for surveillance and intelligence collection, clients included elites and foreign diplomats. Women ("hostesses") specially trained in eliciting information.

"You can see almost a parallel there, can’t you, to... Epstein’s Manhattan house." (24:12)

[25:07] David McCloskey:
Salon Kitty’s 'hostesses' were trained to gather intelligence, a key distinction from Epstein’s operations, where the victims were not spies but exploited young women.

[26:04] Gordon Corera:
Adds further examples: Soviet-era bugged hotels (e.g., Hotel Viru, Tallinn).

[28:09] David McCloskey:
CIA bankrolled brothels in the US for LSD experiments but not for blackmail.

7. Comparing Salient Details — Is the Kompromat Theory Plausible?

[28:44] Gordon Corera:
Maria Farmer (Epstein victim) told CBS in 2019 that Epstein’s primary residence was full of secret cameras and a “media room.” Epstein allegedly said, "I keep [the tapes]… in my safe." (29:10)

• FBI has seized hard drives but public outcome unknown.
• Difference from Salon Kitty:
  • Epstein’s operation involved the abuse of minors—victims, not participants.
  • Emphasis on his personal depravity and control rather than a utility for state secrets.

8. Was Mossad (or Any Intelligence Service) Involved?

[30:26] David McCloskey:
Addresses the assumption that, if there was a handler, it must have been Mossad.

• Israeli PM Naftali Bennett publicly denied any connection:

  “Epstein’s conduct... had nothing whatsoever to do with Mossad or the state of Israel.… I have to say, I really don’t think an intel agency would set up an operation or work within an operation that is very much involved in the trafficking of underage girls… the risk-reward calculus is really off…” (31:16)

• No evidence links Mossad to Epstein, despite persistent rumor.

[32:21] Gordon Corera:
Israel and Mossad have spied on the US before (e.g., Jonathan Pollard). But running an operation of this scale and moral depravity on US soil would be reckless and unlike anything on record.

[33:23] David McCloskey:
Proposes an alternative:

• The surveillance and blackmail material might have been for Epstein’s own leverage, pleasure, or protection, not for any state actor.

“Why do we need to layer on an intelligence service behind this when we know that Epstein is a sort of pedophiliac sex addict control freak...?” (33:25)

9. How Intelligence Services Might View Epstein

[35:13] Gordon Corera, [35:27] David McCloskey:
McCloskey consulted former CIA case officers:

• Before his prosecution, Epstein would have been an appealing target (“easy to manipulate and also clearly has no morals. Those are the type we look for.”) (36:08)
• Access and proximity to global elites would make him an attractive source… for a while.
• Post-2008, most intelligence agencies would “sour on” a source with such a record.
• CIA might be more reluctant than, for example, Mossad, due to legal and political complications.
• “Hell, yeah. Access and info on movers and shakers.” (36:17)

[37:38] Gordon Corera:
Leaves open for next episode: What concrete use could Epstein serve for a spy agency, and is there any real evidence?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the pervasiveness of Epstein theories:

  "Any sort of global event there is an effort, I think, to sort of tie it to Epstein."
  — David McCloskey (04:20)

• On scope and objectivity:

  "We're not going into... who is, or isn't, implicated in the files... Instead, we're taking a specific lens, which is to look at that question you posed about whether it's plausible, as some have claimed, that there are links between Jeffrey Epstein and the intelligence world."
  — Gordon Corera (04:42)

• On plausible mundane explanation:

  "He can be doing it for his own pleasure... or he was doing it to collect Kompromat for himself... which is different from doing it for another state."
  — Gordon Corera (33:45)

• On tradecraft elements:

  "Spy adjacent is exactly the word."
  — Gordon Corera (17:51)

• On former intelligence officer reactions:

  "Definitely would have been a prime target."
  — An anonymous former CIA case officer, relayed by David McCloskey (36:10)

• On risk-reward for Mossad:

  "This would just have incredibly devastating consequences, not just in the security relationship between Mossad and CIA, but up to the political level in a way that I don't... see the value at the end of the day to the Israelis."
  — David McCloskey (31:44)

Takeaways & Insights

• There is no credible, substantive evidence linking Epstein to any intelligence agency — Mossad, CIA, or others.
• Epstein’s persona and activities fit the profile of someone an agency might be interested in (“easy to manipulate... has no morals”), but that doesn’t equate to employment or deployment by a spy agency.
• Historical intelligence operations involving sex, surveillance, and blackmail (Salon Kitty, KGB hotels) are well-documented, but their structure, scale, and purpose differ significantly from what we know about Epstein.
• The most likely explanation is that Epstein’s surveillance was for personal leverage, either as self-protection or as psychological control, not formal espionage.
• The risk to a foreign intelligence service running an operation like Epstein’s would be astronomically high, with minimal plausible reward.

What’s Next?

[37:38]

• Next episode will dig deeper into:
  • How intelligence services would actually use someone like Epstein.
  • More discussion on Mossad rumor origins.
  • The structure and handling of real intelligence assets vs. the “Epstein model.”

For listeners seeking evidence-driven analysis, this episode offers a thorough, calm, and historically grounded approach. The hosts demonstrate how to separate plausible theory from wild speculation, making this an essential listen for anyone interested in espionage, power, and real-world intelligence history.