Putin in the Epstein files

The redactions in the latest partial release of the Epstein files make reading them an exercise in guesswork, but there are a few odd mentions of Russia and Putin worth looking at.

1. "Russia and Money"
   
   On the 19th of January 2019, around 7 months before Epstein died, "Nicholas Ribis" emailed Epstein saying:
   
   "It's Russia and money and Putin is using it"

Who is Nicholas Ribis?

Nineteen years earlier, in the year 2000, The New York Post, described him as Trump's number 2. "The Donald's longtime business brains" who "worked with Trump for 25 years".

2. "Wonderlady"
   
   The sender is redacted, but whoever contacted Epstein in 2017 below did so to introduce him to Masha Drokova (now Masha Bucher).

"Outstanding very successful for her young age lady"

Masha Drukova / Bucher was a member of Nashi (hardcore state sponsored pro Putin youth group) who ran pro Putin marches, protests against out of favour oligarchs and journalists and so on.

She later moved to New York and became a successful PR executive, purportedly renouncing her Putinist views, becoming a successful venture capitalist and investor. Apparently investing in apps like "findface", a facial recognition technology app that Meduza reports was used to identify Navalny supporters.

3. "He is sending all money by western to Moscow"

From a Russian language Yahoo address, someone (presumably a female) emailed Epstein about an evening they had with an un named person, the American justice department has redacted the name of the person.

4. "Ask him if Putin has the photos of [donald] Blowing bubba"

Already reported some time ago, but the context seems to suggest that its a tongue in cheek comment.

5. "Mueller has been appointed special counsel on Russian probe bad for DJT"
   
   Epstein: "Fun"

Nicholas Ribis, Trump's former "number 2", lets Epstein know that Robert Mueller will be investigating Russian collusion with Trump's election campaign - Epstein replies "Fun".