DISINFO: Epstein’s files reveal his connections with the heart of the EU says Politico
SUMMARY
The shadow of Jeffrey Epstein falls over the ‘heart’ of the EU. New court revelations expose the deceased sex offender's hidden connections within the European Union's power cores. The latest documents released by the US Department of Justice detail how the late financier Epstein, convicted of sex crimes, maintained an active network of contacts in Brussels between 2010 and 2019, with correspondence about women, models, and meetings with political and business figures, Politico reports.
RESPONSE
This is part of a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign exploiting the publication by the US Department of Justice of documents related to the investigation on the late convicted criminal Jeffrey Epstein to promote pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives and attack actors that Russia deems as adversaries, in this case the European Union.
Through an ambiguous headline and selective phrasing, and by choosing terms such as 'EU power cores', this disinformation story distorts both the facts and a Politico article to create the false impression that senior EU politicians were connected to Epstein. Citing Politico is used as a credibility tactic, invoking a reputable outlet to make the manipulation appear legitimate. However, while the original Politico piece discusses Epstein’s contacts in the city of Brussels, it does not suggest that any EU official was involved in his crimes, as the disinformation narrative implies.
Quoting Western legitimate sources while distorting their content to introduce a pro-Kremlin message as if it were part of the original story is a frequent pro-Kremlin manipulative technique. See other examples, such as claims that Ukrainians are willing to abandon Donbas to stop attacks on the energy sector according to NYT, that according to the Financial Times, Ukrainian armed forces are losing hope, that The Guardian points to ruling elite as the real instigators of the US crisis, that Ukraine is struggling with flow of wounded soldiers according to CNN, that The New York Times reports that Russia is barely affected by sanctions, that a Danish outlet reveals evidence of US fingerprints in Nord Stream sabotage, that CNN confirms the FSB's accusations against the CIA, or that Putin’s refusal to condemn Hamas is bearing fruit according to The Washington Post.