{"id":179195,"date":"2026-03-05T12:56:16","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T12:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/179195\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T12:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T12:56:16","slug":"jeffrey-epsteins-surprising-tampa-bay-ties-politicians-victims-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/179195\/","title":{"rendered":"Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s surprising Tampa Bay ties: Politicians, victims, and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 Jeffrey Epstein’s files reveal a surprising number of connections between the disgraced financier and the Tampa Bay region \u2014 from foreign dignitaries and political figures to a traffic accident and even a cholesterol test.<\/p>\n

I-Team Investigator Adam Walser and photojournalist Randy Wright have been digging through the Epstein archive, where typing “Tampa” returns 1,296 hits. What emerges is disturbing, bizarre and, occasionally, downright weird.<\/p>\n

Israeli prime minister’s wife emailed Epstein about Tampa visit<\/p>\n

In December 2013, Nili Barak \u2014 wife of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak \u2014 emailed Epstein about an upcoming trip.<\/p>\n

“Ehud has a lecture in Tampa\u2026 we thought to arrive on the 22nd and enjoy your company and go to Tampa on the 26th morning,” Barak said.<\/p>\n

\"epstein<\/p>\n

Epstein Files<\/p>\n

Jeffrey Epstein and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak <\/p>\n

According to an article in the Jewish Press of Tampa Bay, Barak was scheduled to be the featured speaker at the Jewish Community Center’s annual President’s Day Dinner.<\/p>\n

Records show the former prime minister and his wife spent days at Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion before a flight record confirmed they flew from Palm Beach to Tampa, arriving at Tampa’s Landmark Aviation Terminal on Jan. 26, 2014.<\/p>\n

\"epstein<\/p>\n

Epstein Files<\/p>\n

Flight record showing Epstein flying Ehud and Nili Barak from Palm Beach to Tampa so that Barak could speak at a dinner for the Jewish Community Center in early 2014. <\/p>\n

Epstein\u2019s schedule shows that after dropping Barak off in his private jet, he flew to a New Jersey airport, then dined with Woody Allen later that night.<\/p>\n

\"epstein<\/p>\n

Epstein Files<\/p>\n

Epstein and Woody Allen in photo released from Epstein files<\/p>\n

FBI memo linked Tampa Bay to Epstein investigation years before his arrest<\/p>\n

In July 2019, following Epstein’s arrest, an FBI memo to Tampa agents announced that New York agents would travel to Florida to interview roughly 25 victims. <\/p>\n

Most were in South Florida, but one was in Palm Harbor \u2014 within the Tampa Field Office’s area.<\/p>\n

The Tampa FBI Field Office had already been notified 12 years earlier about an ongoing investigation into Epstein through a 2007 memo, which stated:<\/p>\n

“The investigation involves numerous underage females who attended local high schools and were recruited for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with Epstein. At the conclusion of the sexual activity, the minors were paid sums of money ranging from $200.00-$1,000.00.” <\/p>\n

A 2016 email to Epstein from one of his employees also references an American Airlines flight from Tampa to the Virgin Islands \u2014 the closest commercial airport to Epstein’s infamous private island.<\/p>\n

“Would you like me to drop off the girls and come back?” the employee wrote. Epstein replied, “Yes.”<\/p>\n

From a Tampa car crash to a Match.com profile, the files get strange<\/p>\n

The files take a bizarre turn in 2012 with a short email Epstein sent after a car accident.<\/p>\n

“Just got in car accident in Tampa\u2026 talking to police,” Epstein said.<\/p>\n

\"epstein<\/p>\n

Epstein Files<\/p>\n

Epstein discusses minor car accident in Tampa in this email<\/p>\n

When asked if he was okay, Epstein replied:<\/p>\n

“Fine, minor damage\u2026 just dealing with Florida police scared me more than the collision.”<\/p>\n

In 2012, a 25-year-old Tampa woman identified as “Lexy FSU” appeared in Epstein’s Match.com search results.<\/p>\n

\"epstein<\/p>\n

Epstein Files<\/p>\n

Jeffrey Epstein was matched with a 25-year-old Tampa woman called Lexy_FSU in an email found in the Epstein files.<\/p>\n

The archive also surfaced two medical records from Quest Diagnostic Labs on East Fowler Avenue in Tampa, where Epstein’s blood was tested. The results showed he had high cholesterol, high glucose levels and low levels of testosterone.<\/p>\n

\"epstein<\/p>\n

Epstein Files<\/p>\n

Medical record from Quest Diagnostics found in the Epstein files showed Epstein had low levels of testosterone a year before his death.<\/p>\n

Ken Starr and Charlie Crist both appear in Epstein’s Tampa-area files<\/p>\n

The political connections in the Tampa files are equally striking.<\/p>\n

Former Independent Counsel Ken Starr \u2014 best known for prosecuting President Bill Clinton \u2014 emailed Epstein in 2009, 13 years before Starr’s death.<\/p>\n

“Can I zip down and over to see you next week (from Tampa\/Clearwater)? Does either the 29th or the 30th look doable?” Starr said.<\/p>\n

Epstein responded:<\/p>\n

“Either date is fine – I have an apt for you if you would like to stay the night, and a car for your use,” Epstein said.<\/p>\n

Starr replied:<\/p>\n

“You’re wonderful. With thanks, I’ll have a car, but let me check on family schedules re overnighting. In any event, it’ll be great to see you,” Starr said.<\/p>\n

Epstein also mentioned then-Governor Charlie Crist in a 2010 email to an unknown recipient.<\/p>\n

“I’ll be asking Charlie Christ for a pardon. Any ideas?” Epstein said.<\/p>\n

\"epstein<\/p>\n

Epstein Files<\/p>\n

Epstein explored the possibility of seeking a pardon from Charlie Crist after his 2008 plea agreement involving Florida sex charges.<\/p>\n

The following month \u2014 days after Crist lost his bid for re-election \u2014 Epstein received a letter from his lawyer saying it was doubtful Crist would consider it, writing that it “Appears Crist believes he is still alive and kicking in politics\u2026 contemplating a run for Congress in his St. Pete\/Tampa district.”<\/p>\n

From Israeli dignitaries to dating apps, political lobbying to lab reports \u2014 the Tampa trail in the Epstein files is as strange as it is wide-ranging.<\/p>\n

Share Your Story with Adam

Adam Walser has spent more than a decade fighting for what\u2019s right in Tampa Bay as part of the I-Team. He\u2019s helped expose flaws in Florida\u2019s eldercare system and held leaders accountable for how they use your tax dollars. Reach out to Adam with any issue you think he needs to investigate.<\/p>\n

Send your story or tip to Adam Walser<\/p>\n

.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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Brides and grooms who booked a Tampa Bay Area wedding venue are trying to salvage their special days after learning the venue abruptly closed.<\/p>\n

Couples left scrambling after Tampa Bay Area wedding venue abruptly closes<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 Jeffrey Epstein’s files reveal a surprising number of connections between the disgraced financier and the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":179196,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[3347,68491,41737,84742,135,5910,137,136,208],"class_list":["post-179195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-charlie-crist","tag-epstein","tag-epstein-files","tag-epstien-tampa","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-bay-28","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news","tag-wfts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=179195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=179195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=179195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=179195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}