Former Israeli PM in Hot Water over Ties to Epstein

Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak’s political comeback may be short-lived, as additional information about his relationship with disgraced US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to surface. In the latest revelation, the UK’s Daily Mail republished photos of Barak – his face partially hidden by a neck warmer – entering Epstein’s New York City townhouse in 2016, just hours before several young women either arrived or departed. In response, Barak, who had longstanding business ties with Epstein, said he would sue the British tabloid, adding that he “rejects with contempt the sordid insinuations in the story.” Barak, who recently formed the Israel Democratic Party ahead of elections scheduled for September, previously asserted that he “never met Epstein in the company of women or young girls.” He admitted this week, though, that he had visited Epstein’s private Caribbean island but insisted he never attended the many sex parties allegedly held there. Authorities arrested Epstein this month on charges that he paid girls for massages but ended up molesting them at his homes in Florida and New York from 2002-2005. In the past, Epstein served jail time for soliciting sex from a minor, although many believe that his plea bargain effectively covered up a multitude of other crimes. His private jet, on which many celebrities and even former US president Bill Clinton are claimed to have flown, was nicknamed the “Lolita Express” due to the alleged orgies that took place onboard.