Mapping Epstein's global connections
5/2/202626 min
The personal correspondence, photographs and papers of the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein have been released to the public in stages, beginning in December 2025, after an almost unanimous vote in the US Senate.
The released files run to three and a half million documents — emails, letters, photographs, videos, financial records, flight details — all are now open to public scrutiny. Many files remain heavily redacted, but what can be read has already had repercussions globally and revealed Epstein’s web of connections to powerful figures around the world.
Abdirahim Saeed, BBC Arabic, and Luiz Fernando Toledo, BBC News Brazil, share what they found about the files related to their regions.
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First 90 secondsLuiz Fernando Toledo· Guest0:00
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. [Instrumental music] Today's episode is sponsored by Smart Travel, a podcast from NerdWallet. Do you have a friend who treats airfare like a puzzle and somehow always ends up with a first-class upgrade? Smart Travel is like that friend, minus the group texts. NerdWallet's travel journalists break down the pros and cons of travel decisions, like when lounge access is worth paying for and which hotel loyalty programs actually pay off. Make your travel dollars work harder. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.
Farnak Amidi· Host0:35
[Instrumental music] Welcome to The Documentary from the BBC World Service.
Abdirahim Saeed· Guest0:41
[Instrumental music] [Instrumental music] Estás escuchando The Fifth Floor.
Speaker 3· Soundbite0:47
[Instrumental music] The Fifth Floor'ı dinliyorsunuz. Bizimle kalın. [Instrumental music] তুমি আইক্তা The Fifth Floor, ফারনাক আমিদি সোবত। [Instrumental music] This is The Fifth Floor, at the heart of global storytelling with BBC journalists from all around the world.
Farnak Amidi· Host1:05
I'm your host, Farnak Amidi. [Instrumental music] The personal correspondence, photographs, and papers of the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein that are now open to public scrutiny run to three and a half million documents: emails, letters, photographs,