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At the BBYO International Convention, Jewish teens demand a seat at the table
(JTA) — Standing before thousands of teens packed into the BBYO International Convention Saturday night in Philadelphia, Leo Coen and Raquel Rogoff unveiled the culmination of days of collaboration with their peers: a resolution meant to shape not just the next year of Jewish advocacy, but who gets to define it.
“People often say that we are the future of the Jewish people, but BBYO has never waited its turn,” said Coen as his voice echoed through the cavernous event hall. “This resolution claims our seat at the table, and through our ideas, our work and our commitment to leading with purpose.”
Tucked away in conference rooms around downtown Philadelphia throughout the week, Coen and Rogoff deliberated with over three dozen teens from more than 15 countries to draft the 2026 Jewish Youth Assembly (JYA) Resolution, an initiative of the World Jewish Congress.
“Our voices will be heard, our ideas will inform policy and our generation will help guide the Jewish future,” said Rogoff, 16, of Cape Town, South Africa. “We stand together, confident, committed and ready. We are not the future of the Jewish people, we are its present, and together, we are forever resilient.”
Amid chanting crowds, buzzing hallways and closed-door deliberations that stretched on for days, BBYO’s Jewish teens were asserting more than enthusiasm. They were pressing for influence, calling on Jewish leaders to take seriously the forces shaping their daily lives — the normalization of online antisemitism, political polarization and a quiet but persistent mental health strain — and to let their realities guide communal priorities. More than slogans, they were asking for a role in shaping the decisions that define Jewish life.
The resolution, which will be sent off to the WJC’s network of global Jewish leaders, featured a litany of recommendations, ranging from improving interfaith dialogue to calling for increased moderation on social media.
“Our communities are navigating rising antisemitism, social division, mental health challenges, and an online environment where misinformation spreads faster than truth,” the opening paragraph of the resolution read. “We reject a future in which Jewish identity fades through assimilation, is misunderstood by others, or is defined solely through crisis.”
The resolution also included seven recommendations on countering antisemitism and misinformation on social media and artificial intelligence platforms.
This year, the teens were presented with the topic “Strengthening Jewish Resilience in a Time of Global Uncertainty,” but many came into the exercise with their own priorities already front of mind.
Going into the week, which drew roughly 3,400 Jewish teens from 52 countries within BBYO’s network, Coen, a 16-year-old BBYO delegate from London, said that he wanted to discuss the “issue of Jews trusting the extremist right-wing.”
“I think the Jews just back figures that support their values, which isn’t necessarily wrong, but I think Jews are blindly following people, especially in Europe right now, who just say that they like Israel,” said Coen, who attends the prestigious Jewish school JFS in London.
Jesse Vaytsman, 16, from Cleveland, Ohio, said that he came into the week with JYA most concerned about “polarization” and a lack of unity within the Jewish community.
“There are instances where we see people criticize something that we care about, you know, Israel, and then we decide that, okay, they don’t care about Israel, they’re not Jewish,” said Vaytsman, who is the teen president of Ohio for Israel. “We’re struggling to see the idea that we’re not all so different.”
While the teens were given autonomy to insert their ideas into the resolution, representatives from the WJC also offered their own input into the draft.
During the teens’ deliberations on Thursday, Yfat Barak-Cheney, the WJC’s director of technology and human rights, vetoed the teen’s suggestion to recommend “community notes” on social media platforms, a new feature she said had been “a disaster.” Barak-Cheney also advised that the teens not use the word “demand” on resolution prompts that make requests of outside groups.
Michal Yeshurun, the digital advocacy and NextGen communication manager for the WJC, said the WJC representatives had tried to “steer the ship,” but that the final say on the resolution’s contents were on the teens.
BBYO, originally the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, is an expansive, pluralistic Jewish teen movement that reaches roughly 70,000 Jewish teens across 750 communities in 65 countries. It is likely the largest Jewish youth movement not affiliated with one of the Jewish denominations.
At last week’s convention, a flagship BBYO event dubbed “the IC,” the teens’ feverish energy was palpable across a packed slate of programming and panels. Ahead of the opening ceremony, where teens later rushed the barrier for a performance by the cast of “Hamilton,” they ran through the convention center’s hall chanting and wearing costumes representing their regions.
But amid the sea of teens mingling throughout the Marriott, the resolution was not the only way young people at the conference sought to assert influence over the direction of Jewish life.
As their peers shuttled between programming and chatted in corners of the sprawling Marriott, the international co-presidents of BBYO, Mercedes Benzaquen, 18, and Logan Reich, 19, were meeting with Jewish institutions to offer a proposition: invite teens into their boardrooms.
The initiative, titled “Seat for the Future,” calls on national Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish Federations of North America, to install teens on their boards.
Thus far, Reich and Benzaquen, who themselves have served on BBYO’s board of directors, said there had been no official commitments to their offer.
“We deserve a seat at the table, because we know that we’re bringing something unique, and we are bringing a voice of a generation that is currently not heard all the time in these spaces,” said Reich, of Asheville, North Carolina.
Reich and Benzaquen, who have spent the past year visiting over 150 BBYO chapters around the world, said that they had seen a “disconnect” between Jewish organizations and what Jewish youth are looking for from leadership. For Reich, the inclusion of Jewish youth within larger organizations had often felt “tokenized.”
“There’s usually not a youth voice or a teen voice, but it’s more people trying to imagine what they want, and so there is this disconnect, because sometimes it feels like it’s two separate things,” said Benzaquen, of Barcelona, Spain.
Perhaps the most recent example of that disconnect on display was the Blue Square Alliance’s Super Bowl ad last week, which drew widespread criticism for its portrayal of antisemitism faced by Jewish teens today.
While Reich said he did not hear much discussion about the ad during the conference, the topic of antisemitism and efforts to combat it loomed large over the convention.
“I know this is a moment sometimes that can feel dark. Understand, you are not victims. You are the ones with the power to make a change in your community,” said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at the convention’s opening ceremony.
During his travels over the past year, Reich said that the proliferation of antisemitism on social media had been a frequent topic of discussion.
“I remember when the Myron Gaines and Nick Fuentes stuff blew up when they went to that club, and that was shared, that’s very present in my mind,” said Reich, referring to a video of right-wing influencers singing Ye’s song “Heil Hitler” at a Miami nightclub last month.
Reich said that, while it is often difficult to bear witness to the antisemitic rhetoric online, he said his peers “also feel a responsibility as teen leaders to know what is happening.”
“Kanye West has more Instagram followers than there are Jews in the world,” said Reich. “It’s not a thing that we will change. None of us will, alone, have that reach or influence on a global scale. We also live day to day as proud Jews, and we know that if we continue to be educated and understanding of what the world’s sentiments are, then we can continue to shape and build bridges despite that.”
Rogoff said that she had come into the JYA deliberations hoping to focus on countering the spread of antisemitism on social media, a trend she said had been pervasive in her own experience on platforms.
“It’s very, very common, whether it’s adverts or a trend that’s starting to just be antisemitic or something, I think it’s very common, and it shows up a lot, which is obviously not great,” said Rogoff.
During Friday’s deliberations, the teens told Barak-Cheney that the platforms where they had encountered the most antisemitism were TikTok and Instagram, with many lamenting the prevalence of antisemitic comments on Jewish or Israel-related posts.
“I feel like something that has been happening is Nazi ideologies, like, coming back, and it’s being endorsed by public people like Kanye West and celebrities,” said JYA delegate Amy Hornstein, 17, of Buenos Aires, Argentina. “On social media it’s become a normal thing, and it shouldn’t be.”
Sophia Gleizer, a 17-year-old JYA delegate from Buenos Aires, said that she had been most concerned about addressing a mental health crisis she observed within the Jewish community, one she attributed to a growing sense of isolation.
“We definitely see a decline in trust, we just shutter ourselves more, we’re more reserved,” said Gleizer. “We don’t go to community events as much, and that can definitely take a hit, because when you’re not within your community, we tend to just close ourselves in our own minds.”
Gleizer said that she hoped Jewish leaders would take from the resolution a renewed urgency to start “engaging more active events” to renew connectivity within the Jewish community.
“Fighting antisemitism is definitely the biggest part of it all, but at the same time, it’s just like I mentioned, it’s culture, it’s us liberating ourselves and choosing the world that we want to live with,” said Gleizer.
The BBYO International Convention came amid a wider debate within the Jewish community over whether to invest in efforts to combat antisemitism or focus on strengthening Jewish life.
Earlier this month, Bret Stephens, the right-leaning Jewish New York Times columnist, argued during his 92NY’s annual “The State of World Jewry” speech that funds allocated to groups like the Anti-Defamation League should instead go towards bolstering Jewish education and communal infrastructure.
The convention’s opening ceremony on Thursday night also featured an address from Dan Senor, a columnist and host of the podcast “Call Me Back,” who echoed arguments from his own “State of World Jewry” speech last year that rising antisemitism had created the opportunity for a “Jewish renaissance.” Like Stephens, he urged more investment in Jewish education and identity-building.
“I speak a lot about why we should be focused on the fight against those who discriminate against us and harass us and even do violence against us, but that should never come at the cost of building a robust, strong Jewish identity, and you all embody that,” Senor told the crowd. “You are unapologetic, you are together in terms of a community, you are engaged in Jewish life, and you really give us hope and a real sense of vision of what a renaissance of Jewish life and Diaspora could be.”
For Matt Grossman, the CEO of BBYO, the conversation about where best to focus Jewish communal efforts had been exclusive to the adult realm.
“There’s been a lot of Jewish leaders who’ve been talking about those things, and there’s absolutely zero Jewish teens talking about those things,” said Grossman. “I don’t think they look at it as binary. I don’t think, you know, it’s antisemitism or joy, or the way to fight antisemitism is this or that, I think they look at it as how do they live full lives in the world they live in? How do they use their Jewish faith to inspire change, to build community?”
For Reich, the question was not what initiative to focus on, but who was taking part in the conversation.
“There’s so many things going on in the Jewish community, either things that are happening against us or things that we’re building for us, and if there’s one constant theme in all of that, it’s that we want a seat at the table in building these decisions and continuing to shape what Jewish life looks like,” said Reich.
The post At the BBYO International Convention, Jewish teens demand a seat at the table appeared first on The Forward.
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DePaul University Denounces Antisemitic Harassment, Targeting of Jewish Students
Students walk into the student center on the campus of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, US, Oct. 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Jim Vondruska
DePaul University in Chicago has denounced an antisemitic incident which took place near its grounds last Wednesday, with President Robert Manuel saying he is “outraged.”
According to the university, a group of its students, as well as others from Loyola College and Roosevelt University, were harassed at the local Olive & Oak Café during a regular outing hosted by Hillel and the Jewish United Fund. During a verbal onslaught, the perpetrators demanded that the students leave for being Jewish while a JUF staff member was subject to battery, according to a description of the incident told by the Chicago Police Department.
“While this incident occurred off campus, I am outraged that our students were targeted and harassed because of their Jewish identity,” Manuel said in a statement on Monday. “These actions are inexcusable. DePaul University condemns antisemitism in all its forms and will continue to stand firm in doing so, in line with our Catholic, Vincentian values.”
He continued, “We are working to determine whether any of the offenders are affiliated with DePaul community, and we will take swift, consistent action if any violations of university policy are identified … Acts of hate and violence has no place at DePaul — or anywhere. Our commitment to foster a campus environment rooted in dignity, care, and respect for all remains unwavering.”
Last Wednesday’s incident is not the first time Jewish DePaul students have been subject to alleged battery and discrimination.
In November 2024, two Jewish students participating in a pro-Israel demonstration at DePaul University were “brutally” assaulted by two ruffians who concealed their identities with masks. At least one of the men, Adam Erkan, involved in the assault has since pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery. According to court documents, he approached the victims, Max Long and Michael Kaminsky, in a ski mask while shouting antisemitic epithets and statements. He then attacked both students, fracturing Kaminsky’s wrist and inflicting a brain injury on Long, whom he pummeled into an unconscious state.
Law enforcement identified Erkan, who absconded to another location in a car, after his father came forward to confirm that it was his visage which surveillance cameras captured near the scene of the crime. According to multiple reports, the assailant avoided severer criminal penalties by agreeing to plead guilty to lesser offenses than the felony hate crime counts with which he was originally charged.
His accomplice, described as a man in his age group, remained at large as of late last year.
“One attacker has now admitted guilt for brutally assaulting two Jewish students at DePaul University. That is a step toward justice, but it is nowhere near enough,” The Lawfare Project, a Jewish civil rights advocacy group which represented the Jewish students throughout the criminal proceedings, said in a statement responding to the plea deal. “The second attacker remains at large, and Max and Michael continue to experience ongoing threats. We demand — and fully expect — his swift arrest and prosecution to ensure justice for these students and for the Jewish community harmed by this antisemitic hate crime.”
Antisemitic incidents on US college campuses have exploded nationwide since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel.
The 2025-2026 academic year has seen a continuation of that pattern.
Earlier this month, a non-student graffitied Nazi insignia on the campus of Northwestern University. The Schutzstaffel (SS) symbol representing the notorious paramilitary group under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany was spray-painted on Northwestern’s campus in Evanston, Illinois. The SS played a central role in the Nazis’ systematic killing of 6 million Jews during the Holocaust.
In January, a right-wing influencer and University of Miami student upbraided her Jewish peers in a tirade in which she denounced them as “disgusting” while accusing rabbis of eating infants.
“Christianity, which says love everyone, meanwhile your Bible says eating someone who is a non-Jew is like eating with an animal. That’s what the Talmud says,” the social media influencer, Kaylee Mahony, yelled at members of Students Supporting Israel (SSI) who had a table at a campus fair held at the University of Miami. “That’s what these people follow.”
She continued, “They think that if you are not a Jew you are an animal. That’s the Talmud. That’s the Talmud.”
The Talmud, a key source of Jewish law, tradition, and theology, is often misrepresented by antisemitic agitators in an effort to malign the Jewish people and their religion.
Mahony can also be heard in video of the incident responding to one of the SSI members, saying, “Because you’re disgusting. It’s disgusting.”
Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.
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Satellite Images Show Iran Repairing and Fortifying Sites Amid US Tensions
A satellite image shows un‑buried tunnel entrances at Isfahan nuclear complex, in Isfahan, Iran, Nov. 11, 2024. Photo: Vantor/Handout via REUTERS
Satellite images show that Iran has recently built a concrete shield over a new facility at a sensitive military site and covered it in soil, experts say, advancing work at a location reportedly bombed by Israel in 2024 amid tensions with the US.
Images also show that Iran has buried tunnel entrances at a nuclear site bombed by the US during Israel’s 12-day war with Iran last year, fortified tunnel entrances near another, and has repaired missile bases struck in the conflict.
They offer a glimpse of Iranian activities at some of the sites at the center of tensions with Israel and the US, as Washington seeks to negotiate a deal with Tehran on its nuclear program while threatening military action if talks fail.
Here are some images showing the changes:
PARCHIN MILITARY COMPLEX
Some 30 km (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, the Parchin complex is one of Iran‘s most sensitive military sites. Western intelligence has suggested Tehran carried out tests relevant to nuclear bomb detonations there more than two decades ago.
Iran has always denied seeking atomic weapons.
Israel reportedly struck Parchin in October 2024.
Satellite imagery taken before and after that attack shows extensive damage to a rectangular building at Parchin, and apparent reconstruction in images from Nov. 6, 2024.
Imagery from Oct. 12, 2025, shows development at the site, with the skeleton of a new structure visible and two smaller structures adjacent to it. Progress is apparent in imagery from Nov. 14, with what appears to be a metallic roof covering the large structure.
But imagery from Dec. 13 shows the facility partly covered. By Feb. 16, it cannot be seen at all, hidden by what experts say is a concrete structure.
The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), in a Jan. 22 analysis of satellite imagery, pointed to progress in the construction of a “concrete sarcophagus” around a newly built facility at the site, which it identified as Taleghan 2.
ISIS reported in November that imagery showed “ongoing construction and the presence of what appears to resemble a long, cylindrical chamber, maybe a high-explosives containment vessel, likely measuring approximately 36 meters long and 12 meters in diameter placed inside a building.”
“High-explosive containment vessels are critical to the development of nuclear weapons,” ISIS added, “but can also be used in many other conventional weapons development processes.”
William Goodhind, a forensic imagery analyst with Contested Ground, said the roof had a similar hue to the surrounding area, adding: “It has most likely been covered with dirt to obscure the concrete color.”
ISIS founder David Albright wrote on X: “Stalling the negotiations has its benefits: Over the last two to three weeks, Iran has been busy burying the new Taleghan 2 facility … More soil is available and the facility may soon become a fully unrecognizable bunker, providing significant protection from aerial strikes.”
TUNNEL ENTRANCES BURIED AT ISFAHAN NUCLEAR COMPLEX
The Isfahan complex is one of three Iranian uranium-enrichment plants bombed by the United States in June.
In addition to facilities that are part of the nuclear fuel cycle, Isfahan includes an underground area where diplomats say much of Iran‘s enriched uranium has been stored.
Satellite images taken in late January showed new efforts to bury two tunnel entrances at the complex, ISIS reported on Jan. 29. In a Feb. 9 update, ISIS said a third entrance had also been backfilled with soil, meaning all entrances to the tunnel complex were now “completely buried.”
A Feb. 10 image shows all three tunnels buried, Goodhind said.
ISIS reported on Feb. 9 that “backfilling the tunnel entrances would help dampen any potential airstrike and also make ground access in a special forces raid to seize or destroy any highly enriched uranium that may be housed inside difficult.”
TUNNEL ENTRANCES FORTIFIED AT COMPLEX NEAR NATANZ SITE
ISIS has reported that satellite images point to ongoing efforts since Feb. 10 to “harden and defensively strengthen” two entrances to a tunnel complex under a mountain some 2 km (1.2 miles) from Natanz – the site that holds Iran‘s other two uranium enrichment plants.
Imagery shows “ongoing activity throughout the complex related to this effort, involving the movement of numerous vehicles, including dump trucks, cement mixers, and other heavy equipment,” ISIS wrote.
Iran‘s plans for the facility, called Pickaxe Mountain, are unclear, ISIS said.
SHIRAZ SOUTH MISSILE BASE
About 10 km (6 miles) south of Shiraz in southern Iran, this is one of 25 primary bases capable of launching medium-range ballistic missiles, according to Alma Research and Education Center, an Israeli organization. Alma assessed the site had suffered light, above-ground damage in last year’s war.
A comparison of images taken on July 3, 2025 and Jan. 30 shows reconstruction and clearance efforts at the main logistics and likely command compound at the base, Goodhind said.
“The key takeaway is that the compound has yet to return to its full operational capacity from prior to the airstrikes.”
QOM MISSILE BASE
Some 40 km north of the city of Qom, this base suffered moderate above-ground damage, according to Alma.
A comparison of images taken between July 16, 2025, and Feb. 1 shows a new roof over a damaged building. The roof repairs appear to have begun on Nov. 17 and were most likely complete 10 days later, Goodhind said.
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Epstein Tried to Build Web of Powerful Ties Across Middle East, Documents Show
Late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem are seen in this undated handout image from the Epstein estate released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee in Washington, DC, US, on Dec. 18, 2025. Photo: House Oversight Committee Democrats/Handout via REUTERS
The departure of the chief executive of Dubai port giant DP World is the biggest fallout in the Middle East from US Department of Justice documents which show that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein tried to build a powerful network of political figures and business leaders across the region.
DP World announced on Friday that Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem had resigned as chief executive and chair. The decision to act was taken after Bin Sulayem’s name appeared in the Epstein files, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, and as his relationship with the late convicted sex offender faced increasing scrutiny.
In their correspondence, Bin Sulayem discussed sexual relationships with women with whom Epstein helped him connect. In an email dated Nov. 9, 2007, Bin Sulayem told Epstein he had met one such woman in New York, whom he does not name and with whom he said he did not have sex.
“Yes after several attempts for several months we managed to meet in NY,” he wrote, adding that there was a misunderstanding because “she wanted some BUSINESS! while i only wanted some PUSSYNESS!”
Dubai’s ruler on Friday also issued a decree appointing a new chairman for Dubai’s Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation, one of several roles Bin Sulayem held.
Reuters was able to independently review only some of the Epstein files relating to Bin Sulayem and was unable to ascertain what specifically led to his departure from DP World although the sources said, without providing further details, that it was related to the files.
Bin Sulayem did not respond to Reuters requests for comment on his departure. DP World declined to comment.
COOKING TOGETHER
In one email exchange, Epstein described Bin Sulayem as funny, trustworthy, and a foodie. Epstein went on to say that Bin Sulayem, a Muslim, does not drink and prays five times a day.
An undated photograph that appears in an email and is publicly available shows Epstein cooking with Bin Sulayem and the two of them looking relaxed together. The full name of the person it was sent to by Epstein is not provided.
Bin Sulayem has not publicly commented on Epstein‘s description or the emails about his relationship with him.
Being named in the file is not evidence of criminal activity. But after members of the US Congress said Bin Sulayem’s name appeared in files released by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), he faced renewed questions from some of DP World’s financial backers over his past interactions.
Bin Sulayem did not respond publicly to those concerns.
The UK development finance agency, British International Investment, and Canada’s second-largest pension fund said last week they would suspend all new investment with DP World over Bin Sulayem’s alleged ties to Epstein.
“We are shocked by the allegations emerging in the Epstein files regarding Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem,” said a spokesperson for BII, without saying which allegations he was referring to. “In light of the allegations, we will not be making any new investments with DP World until the required actions have been taken by the company.”
Canadian pension fund La Caisse said it was “pausing additional capital deployment alongside the company” until DP World clarified the situation and took “the necessary actions.”
In a statement after Friday’s leadership changes at DP World, BII welcomed DP World’s decision and said it looked forward to continuing “our partnership to advance the development of key African trading ports,” La Caisse said “the company took the appropriate measures” and that it would “move quickly to work with DP World’s new leadership to continue our partnership on port projects around the world.”
Bin Sulayem did not immediately respond when asked by Reuters to comment on the actions taken by BII and La Caisse. DP World declined comment.
NETWORK OF CONTACTS
The large cache of documents released by the DOJ, including text messages and emails, also shows the Middle East was no exception to Epstein‘s efforts to use his wealth to build relationships with prominent people in politics, finance, academia, and business around the world.
Reuters was unable to ascertain how successful Epstein was in seeking to influence his contacts in the Middle East, and whether his advice was heeded.
The DOJ documents reviewed by Reuters show Epstein tried to advise Qatari business leaders and political figures during the 2017-21 blockade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt over accusations that Doha failed to curb ties with Iran and supported terrorism, which Qatar denied.
In exchanges with a Qatari businessman and ruling family member Sheikh Jabor Yousuf Jassim Al Thani, Epstein urged Qatar to “stop kicking and arguing … let the heat come down a bit.” He said “the current Qatar team is very weak” and “FM is not experienced and it shows.”
Qatar’s foreign minister at the time was Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who now serves as both foreign minister and prime minister. Sheikh Mohammed has not commented publicly on Epstein‘s portrayal of him. Asked about the exchange, Qatar’s International Media Office, which handles media requests for the prime minister, declined to comment.
There was no response to a Reuters request for comment emailed to three companies in Qatar that Sheikh Jabor is listed as chairman of, or to a text message sent to an individual who, according to the files released by the DOJ, works in Sheikh Jabor’s office.
Epstein urged Doha to forge links with Israel to stay in the good graces of Donald Trump, who was then in his first term as US president. He suggested the Gulf state either move towards recognizing Israel or pledge $1 billion to a fund for terrorism victims. Ultimately, Qatar stuck to its independent course. In 2021, the blockading countries restored ties with Doha, and ties between the Trump administration and Qatar are now strong.
DISCUSSION OF SAUDI ARAMCO IPO
Epstein discussed Saudi Aramco’s initial public offering in dozens of email exchanges. In one exchange dated Sept. 10, 2016, with a person named as Aziza Alahmadi, and with former Norwegian diplomat Terje Roed-Larson copied in, Epstein warned that Aramco going public could expose Saudi Arabia to lawsuits and asset seizures. Saudi Aramco declined to comment on these emails.
Alahmadi could not be reached for comment, and Reuters was unable to establish her role, if any, in Epstein‘s activities.
In an email dated Oct. 16, 2017, and also sent to Alahmadi, Epstein suggested selling China an option to buy a $100-billion stake in Aramco rather than pursuing a traditional IPO, saying it would provide liquidity while limiting exposure to public markets.
Saudi Aramco declined to comment to Reuters on the emails. Roed-Larsen did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by email via his lawyer.
Epstein’s reach also extended to Egypt, the documents released by the DOJ show. Some emails show a request from a family member of Hosni Mubarak – the wife of his son Gamal Mubarak – that was passed on to Epstein asking for help in 2011, following the former president’s ouster and subsequent legal troubles. They did not say what kind of assistance was sought and Reuters was unable to establish whether Epstein had tried to intercede on the family’s behalf.
Reuters emailed a request for comment to one lawyer and sent a text message to another, both of whom represented Gamal Mubarak. There was no immediate response.