Swiss Connections: Epstein Navigated Rothschild Banks to Fund Israeli Cyberweapons Empire
Jeffrey Epstein’s dealings have once again come under intense scrutiny following a groundbreaking report from Drop Site News.
The report, by Ryan Grim and Murtaza Hussain, details Epstein’s efforts to obtain funding from the Swiss Rothschild bank. These disclosures are deepening already troubling questions about Epstein’s connections to global power players and Israeli intelligence networks.
Documents detail a complex web of relationships stretching from Epstein’s New York mansion—where he hosted Ariane de Rothschild, CEO of the Edmond de Rothschild Group—to Swiss banking elites and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
“If Ehud wants to make serious money, he will have to build a relationship with me. Take time so that we can truly understand one another,” Ariane de Rothschild offered through Epstein, highlighting the lucrative ties being forged.
Ryan Grim on Breaking Points, noted, “If you’re somebody who’s curious about how this world really works, the release of all these documents has been a gift… it really does open a window into a world that is intended to be kept away from the public”.
The reporting reveals Rothschild banks as sought-after venues for financiers moving massive sums and operating in secrecy, making them attractive to figures moving drugs, weapons, or working with sanctioned individuals.
Barak’s departure from Israel’s Defense Ministry in 2013 prompted a scramble among European banks for his expertise and connections, positioning Epstein as an essential middleman.
“The banking world knew at that time that if they wanted to reach out to Ehud Barak… the guy to go through was Jeffrey Epstein,” Grim explained.
Emails and records expose that Epstein arranged attorneys for Rothschild during Department of Justice scrutiny, with former Obama counsel Kathryn Ruemmler representing the bank in negotiating a non-prosecution deal.
Later, Epstein linked Barak and Ariane de Rothschild, working to create an investment vehicle that would channel funds through the Swiss bank to Barak’s empire of offensive cyber weapons companies.
The “offensive cyber” language, regularly used between themselves, was notably toned down in outreach to Rothschild. Over years, Barak constructed critical technology deployed in the very backbone of the global internet, including ventures later acquired by internet infrastructure giant Akamai.
The reporting suggests these actors didn’t merely navigate financial and technological landscapes—they shaped them in ways that blurred national security and private profit.
“It’s remarkable how cavalier they are about—not just national security, literally global security—and just they’re going around making money off a change in the world, like it’s nothing,” Grim said.
The Drop Site News investigation exposes not only money laundering and tax evasion, but also a chilling glimpse of the networks influencing global cyber capabilities.