House Democrat launches probe into Epstein foreign lobbying

A senior House Democrat has launched an investigation into whether the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein acted as an unregistered foreign agent for multiple governments, citing evidence he leveraged his relationship with former President Donald Trump. Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter on Monday, July 20, 2026, to top officials from the Trump administration era demanding records and answers regarding Epstein's international dealings.

In the letter addressed to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence nominee Jay Clayton, Raskin stated that a review of publicly available documents reveals substantial evidence that Epstein advanced the interests of foreign states. Specifically, Raskin alleges Epstein acted to benefit the governments of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, advised the Russian government on shaping its dealings with Trump, and worked as a consultant for former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.

A central allegation is that Epstein repeatedly capitalized on his long-term friendship with Trump to secure business from...