More than 3mn pages of documents released by the US Department of Justice on January 31 have revealed that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein left an inheritance worth $50mn to his Belarusian girlfriend, including prime real estate and a collection of diamonds, The Kyiv Independent reported on February 4.  

The files also shed light on Epstein’s financial and personal ties to Belarus, including wire transfers to Minsk and visa arrangements.

Karyna Shuliak, a 36-year-old Belarusian national and Epstein’s last known girlfriend, was the primary beneficiary of a trust executed just two days before Epstein died by suicide in August 2019. According to The New York Times, she was the last person Epstein spoke to outside prison. The documents show that Shuliak inherited his properties on Little and Great Saint James islands in the US Virgin Islands, the Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, his Manhattan townhouse, and a Paris apartment.

Shuliak, who studied dentistry in the United States with Epstein’s financial support, was also given a 33-carat diamond ring and 48 loose diamonds, described in the will as gifts “in contemplation of marriage.” Epstein further provided substantial financial assistance to Shuliak’s family over a ten-year period, including at least $80,000 in wire transfers between 2013 and 2016.

One of the recipients, Fedor Shuliak – identified in the files as Karyna’s father – received two $25,000 transfers in 2014 and 2016. Belarusian opposition group Belpol, made up of former law enforcement officials, reported that Fedor Shuliak used these funds to purchase an apartment in Drazdy, a high-end suburb of Minsk.

Shuliak’s parents visited Epstein in the US on several occasions, including in 2019 shortly before his arrest. Email records show Epstein personally arranged for their travel and directed staff to receive them. While Epstein acquired a Belarusian visa, Belpol confirmed that he never travelled to the country.

In a 2013 email, Epstein instructed his accountant to send $15,000 to Shuliak’s mother for medical expenses. He also referenced her need for follow-up treatment in correspondence with his former partner, Dr Eva Dubin, in 2015.

Shuliak, who reportedly entered the US in 2009 after studying at Belarusian State Medical University, later enrolled at Columbia University’s Teachers College. She received a US dental licence with Epstein’s assistance, including his 2015 inquiry to Cecile de Jong, wife of the then-governor of the Virgin Islands, about licensing procedures. A dental office was subsequently registered at Epstein’s island residence, although there is no evidence she practised.

According to The Daily Mail, Shuliak may have entered into a sham marriage with US citizen Jennifer Kalin, a known Epstein associate, to secure her immigration status. While her name appears in more than 40,000 documents, she has not been implicated in any criminal proceedings and has had no known cooperation with the FBI.

The newly disclosed records also mention Minsk and Belarus over 2,500 times, and include the passport of a Belarusian woman allegedly linked to the modelling industry. RFE/RL reported that the files do not clarify whether she was a victim or associated in another capacity.

“Shuliak received $50mn, the infamous properties on Epstein’s Little and Great Saint James islands, the Zorro ranch in New Mexico, his townhouse in New York, and an apartment in central Paris,” the documents stated.