A recent report by the reader-supported outlet Drop Site claims that leaked emails exchanged between Epstein and Barak during the 2013-16 period suggest Epstein helped arrange secret diplomacy between Israel and Russia aimed at removing Assad. dropsitenews.com+2thenorthstar.com+2
According to the alleged correspondence, Epstein is said to have used his connections within the Russian elite and his ability to coordinate travel and meetings to secure a conversation between Barak and Vladimir Putin, in which the possibility of a Russia-brokered exit for Assad was discussed. dropsitenews.com+1
The emails reportedly show Epstein suggesting to Barak that the rising turbulence of the Middle East and Ukraine in 2014 presented a strategic opening: “with civil unrest exploding in ukraine syria … isn’t this perfect for you,” he wrote. Barak allegedly replied that it was “not simple to transform it into a cash flow,” and suggested a weekend discussion. dropsitenews.com
The initiative, if authentic, appears to intersect Israeli interests in halting Iranian and Iranian-backed proxies in Syria with Russian interests in preserving its naval base access and reframing Assad’s future under Moscow’s aegis. Barak is then purported to have drafted an op-ed under Epstein’s guidance with the headline “Wait Until It’s Too Late,” arguing that Russia should lead Syria’s transition and that removing Assad should not compromise Russia’s own interests in the region. dropsitenews.com
While the article presents these emails as verified in part by the hacker collective Handala and the leak platform Distributed Denial of Secrets, the full authenticity and chain of custody of the documents remain publicly uncorroborated. The story has not yet been picked up broadly by mainstream media. thenorthstar.com+1
Barak has not responded to a request for comment in the Drop Site article and Epstein died in a New York detention centre in 2019. dropsitenews.com+1
The alleged back-channel, if genuine, would mark a remarkable convergence of private influence, intelligence networks, and geopolitical strategy, centered on one of the most opaque figures in recent history. Until independent verification emerges, however, the claims remain compelling allegations rather than established fact.