Files Allege Jeffrey Epstein Spent Time Living with Pope John Paul II in Vatican

2003: Jeffrey Epstein & Ghislaine Maxwell with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican

It’s not surprising that the Vatican shows up in the Epstein files since Epstein kept tabs on every powerful entity on the planet. But one email claims Epstein actually lived in the Vatican with Pope John Paul II at some point.

An email from Brandon Thompson, who appeared to be a contractor working on refinishing and lime-washing columns in one of Epstein’s homes, outlined the intricacies of the project to Richard Kahn at HBRK Associates, Epstein’s accountant.

“He wants me to finish each column different, as when he was living with Pope John Paul the Second in Vatican, he looked at variety of different columns captured in wars,” wrote Thompson. “He told me that every Pope demanded to have a column from every concurred [SIC] country, so there is a collection of different columns in Vatican.”

Of course there is no proof that Epstein lived with the Pope, although he and Ghislaine Maxwell visited with him in 2003 during a public audience. Just how intimate Epstein was with the Vatican is unknown, but in 2011 he claimed to have nearly possessed the Codex Vaticanus, one of the oldest and most important Church relics containing a majority of the Greek Old Testament and the majority of the New Testament. The Codex was famously seized by Napoleon in 1799 as a war trophy but was returned to the Vatican Library in 1815.

In an email to Boris Nikolic, who was a science advisor to the Bill Gates Foundation at the time and a close Epstein confidante, Epstein wrote, “I forgot to mention to Bill, that one of the first almost interactions with him was when I was the underbidder for the codex…The auctioneers told me that i shold drop out because if i owned them, no one would ever see them and they really should be in semi public hands.. I later had to settle for a present from the vatican of a special edition.”

One of the most revealing emails about Epstein’s alleged ties to the Vatican is a 2013 correspondence with Larry Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, former Harvard President and former chief economist at the World Bank. Epstein writes, “The most important change in the Vatican may not be Pope Benedict XVI sudden retirement but the change in leadership at ‘the Institute for Works of Religion,’ the Vatican’s bank. Because of the Vatican’s status as a sovereign country, it is exempt from transparency rules of not only Italy— but of the European Union. This status allows its elite clients to evade any scrutiny in their money transfers.” 

“Last May,” continued Epstein. “Vatican Bank President Ettore Gotti Tedeschi was fired after Italian authorities opened an investigation into a far flung bribery scheme in which he was allegedly involved. Then 47 dossiers, including compromising about “internal enemies” of his in the Vatican were found in a search of his home. They had instructions how they were used in case something happened to him. Tcdeschi’s intercepted calls futhcr revealed that his concern was that he would be assassinated because he knoew the Vatican’s secrets. By late 2012, he was cooperating with the ongoing Italian investigation, It was at this point that the all-powerful College of Cardinals, in one of the last acts in the Benedict papacy, appointed German lawyer Ernst von Freyberg as President of the bank. The came the extraordinary resignation of Pope Benedict.”

Freyberg had a short tenure as Vatican Bank president. He was named in June 2012 as an interim leader, then appointed president in February of 2013. Von Freyberg quickly began to open up the bank and adopted a zero-tolerance approach to suspicious activities, advocating transparency. He was dismissed in July along with the Vatican Bank’s entire senior management team as part of extensive reforms to the Catholic Church’s central government.

Jean-Baptiste Douville de Franssu has been chairman of Vatican Bank’s advisory board since July of 2014.

6,202 Comments

  1. Bookmark earned and folder updated to track this site separately, and a look at ivafix confirmed the folder upgrade was the right call, organising my reading list so that good sites do not get lost in a sea of casual bookmarks is something I do more carefully now and this site warranted its own spot.

  2. Without overstating it this is a quietly excellent post, and a look at gyrarena extended that quiet excellence, content that earns superlatives without demanding them through marketing language is content that has truly earned them through the substance and this site has clearly produced work in that earned excellence category today.

  3. Reading this in the morning set a good tone for the day, and a quick visit to solosupple kept that good tone going, content can do that sometimes when it hits the right notes and finding sites that consistently strike that tone is something I have learned to recognise and reward with regular visits.

  4. Speaking carefully because I do not want to overstate things this site is genuinely above average across multiple measurements, and a stop at siskastencil continued the above average performance, the calibration of judgement against potential overstatement is something I take seriously and this site clears the higher bar even after that calibration applies.

  5. Picked up a couple of new ideas here that I can actually try out, and after my visit to discoverwhatmatters I have even more notes saved, this is the kind of resource that pays you back for the time you spend on it which is rare to come across in this corner of the web.

  6. Reading this felt productive in a way most internet reading does not, and a look at siskatrance continued that productive feeling, sometimes the open web feels like a waste of time but sites like this remind me why I still bother to look around rather than retreating to old reliable sources for everything I need.

  7. A welcome reminder that thoughtful writing still happens online, and a look at skeintackle extended that reassurance, the modern web makes it easy to forget that careful writing exists and finding sites that practice it is a small antidote to the cynicism that builds up from too much exposure to algorithmic content.

  8. Reading this gave me material for a conversation I needed to have anyway, and a stop at modernlifestylemarketplace added even more talking points, content that connects to upcoming social or professional needs rather than just being interesting in the abstract is the kind that earns priority placement in my attention these days routinely.

  9. The tone stayed consistent across the whole post which is harder than it looks for longer pieces, and a look at shadetabby continued the same voice, this kind of editorial consistency is a sign of either a single careful writer or a tightly run team and either is impressive today across the broader media environment.

  10. Reading this on the train into work was a better use of the commute than my usual choices, and a stop at sandaltimber extended that commute reading well, content that improves transit time rather than just filling it is content with practical benefit and this site has earned its place in my morning commute reading rotation.

  11. One of the more thoughtful posts I have read recently on this topic, and a stop at ospreypiano added even more weight to that impression, this is genuinely good content that holds its own against far better known sites in the same space without trying to imitate any of them at all which I appreciate.

  12. Now adding this to a short list of sites I would defend in a conversation about the modern web, and a look at learnandadvance reinforced that defence list, the few sites that serve as evidence the web can still produce good things are precious and this one has clearly joined that small list of exemplary sites.

  13. Started reading without much expectation and ended on a high note, and a look at hesyam continued that arc, content that builds rather than peaks early is a sign of a writer who knows how to structure a piece for sustained reader engagement rather than relying on a strong hook to do all the work.

  14. Glad I gave this a chance instead of bouncing on the headline, and after buildsolidmomentum I was certain I had made the right call, snap judgements based on titles miss a lot of good content and this is a reminder to slow down and check things out before scrolling past in a hurry.

  15. Now thinking about whether the writer might publish a longer form work I would buy, and a look at learnandadvance suggested the same depth would translate, content that makes me want to pay for related work in other formats is content that has earned commercial trust as well as attention trust and this site has both clearly.

  16. Useful information presented in a way that does not feel like a sales pitch, that is what I appreciated most, and a stop at findyouruniqueedge was the same, no upsell and no fake urgency just steady content laid out properly for someone trying to actually learn from it rather than just be sold to.

  17. Now feeling that this site is the kind I want to make sure does not disappear, and a look at vincavessel reinforced that quiet protective feeling, the rare sites whose disappearance would actually matter to me are the sites I want to support through return visits and recommendations and this one has joined that small protected list.

  18. Came in skeptical and left mostly convinced, that is the highest praise I can offer, and a look at jarbrag pushed me further in the same direction, content that survives a critical first read is rare and worth recognising because most blog posts crumble under any real scrutiny these days when you actually pay attention closely.

  19. Reading this in the time it took to drink half a cup of coffee, and a stop at createactionableplans fit naturally into the second half, content that respects the rhythms of a typical morning is content with practical fit and this site has the kind of length and pacing that works for the way I actually read.

  20. Came away with a small but real shift in perspective on the topic, and a stop at startpurposefully pushed that shift a bit further, the kind of subtle reframing that good writing does to a reader without making a big deal of it is something I always appreciate when it happens which is sadly not that often.

  21. The depth of coverage felt about right for the format, neither shallow nor overwhelming, and a look at jewbush kept that calibration going, getting the depth right for blog format is genuinely difficult because too shallow loses experts and too deep loses beginners but this site nailed it nicely which I really do appreciate.

  22. Skipped breakfast still reading this and finished hungry but satisfied, and a stop at cyljax kept me past breakfast time, content that displaces basic biological needs is content with serious attentional pull and the writers here are clearly capable of producing that level of engagement which is genuinely impressive these days.

  23. Now placing this in the small category of sites whose updates I would actually want to know about, and a stop at vyxbyte confirmed that placement, the difference between sites I want to follow and sites I just consume from is real and this one has crossed into the active follow category from the casual consumption side.

  24. Nice to see a post that does not try to overcomplicate the basics for the sake of looking smart, and once I looked at humbust the same direct tone was there too, which honestly makes a difference when you are short on time and want answers without long pointless intros.

  25. Thanks for a post that does not try to be funny when it is not the moment for it, and a stop at idofix maintained the same appropriate seriousness, knowing when humour helps and when it just signals desperation for engagement is a sign of editorial maturity that many blogs have not developed yet.

  26. Reading this confirmed something I had been suspecting about the topic, and a look at createyourpathforward pushed that confirmation toward greater confidence, content that lines up with independently held intuitions earns a special kind of trust and I will return to writers who consistently land that way for me without overselling positions.

  27. Just sat back at the end of the post and felt grateful that someone took the time to write it, and a look at aroarch extended that gratitude across more of the site, recognising effort behind quality work is part of what makes the open web a community rather than just a marketplace today.

  28. Started taking notes about halfway through because the points were stacking up, and a look at haccar added enough material that my notes file grew further, content that demands note taking from a passive reader is content with substance and the writers here are clearly producing that kind of work consistently across topics.

  29. Reading this in pieces during a long afternoon and finding it consistently rewarding, and a stop at exploreyourstrengths fit naturally into the same fragmented reading pattern, sites whose posts can be read in segments without losing the thread are well suited to how I actually read these days and this one is built well.

  30. Skipped the comments to avoid spoilers and came back later to find them genuinely worth reading, and a stop at tulipteacup extended that surprised respect, when the discussion below a post matches the quality of the post itself you have found something special and this site appears to attract that kind of audience.

  31. Now I want to find more sites like this but I suspect they are rare, and a look at ivebump extended that thought, the few sites that meet this quality bar are precious specifically because they are rare and finding others like them is one of the ongoing projects of careful internet curation across the years.

  32. Refreshing tone compared to the dry corporate posts on similar topics, and a stop at scrollswamp carried that personality through nicely, you can tell when a real person is behind the writing versus a content team chasing metrics and this site definitely falls into the former category clearly across what I have seen.

  33. Genuine pleasure to read, and that is not something I say often after a casual click through, and a quick visit to buildclearobjectives kept the same feeling going across the rest of the site, finding writing that actually feels good to spend time with rather than just functional is increasingly rare on the open web.

  34. Reading this prompted me to clean up some old notes related to the topic, and a stop at sorbettower extended that organising urge, content that triggers personal organisation rather than just consuming attention is content with motivating energy and this site has the kind of clarity that prompts active follow up rather than passive consumption.

  35. Felt the writer did the homework before publishing, the references hold up, and a look at outerpastry continued that documented care, content with traceable claims rather than vague assertions is the kind I trust and the lack of bald assertion in this post is one of its quietly impressive qualities for me.

  36. Thanks for not padding this with the usual filler intros and outros that every other blog seems to require, and a quick visit to growwithconfidenceclearly continued that lean approach across more posts, content stripped of waste is content that respects you and I will always come back to that kind of approach.

  37. Genuinely changed how I think about a small piece of the topic, which does not happen often online, and a look at findgrowthopportunities added another nudge in the same direction, the kind of writing that earns a small mental shift rather than just confirming what you already thought before reading is a sign of careful thought.

  38. Picked up a couple of new ideas here that I can actually try out, and after my visit to solacetomato I have even more notes saved, this is the kind of resource that pays you back for the time you spend on it which is rare to come across in this corner of the web.

  39. Really like that the writer trusts the reader to follow simple logic without restating every previous point, and a stop at explorefreshperspectives kept that respect going, treating an audience as capable adults rather than as people who need constant hand holding makes a noticeable difference in the reading experience for me.

  40. Reading this felt productive in a way most internet reading does not, and a look at discoverbetterchoices continued that productive feeling, sometimes the open web feels like a waste of time but sites like this remind me why I still bother to look around rather than retreating to old reliable sources for everything I need.

  41. Solid post, the structure is easy to follow and the language stays simple even when the topic gets a bit more involved, and a look at sherpaslick kept that same standard going, so I left feeling like the time spent here was actually worth something for once which is rare lately.

  42. Now feeling the quiet pleasure of finding writing that takes itself seriously without being self serious, and a stop at findgrowthopportunities extended that subtle pleasure, the gap between earnest and pretentious is fine and this site has clearly chosen to land on the earnest side without slipping over into pretentious which is impressive.

  43. Easy to recommend without reservations, the site delivers on every promise it implicitly makes, and a look at learnandadapt kept that same standard going, the kind of consistency that earns trust over time rather than chasing it through aggressive marketing is what I see here and it is appreciated greatly by this particular reader today.

  44. Felt mildly happier after reading, which sounds silly but is true, and a look at createconsistentmomentum extended that small mood lift, content that improves rather than degrades my mental state is content I want more of and the cumulative effect of reading sites that lift versus sites that drag is real over time.

  45. The conclusions felt earned rather than tacked on at the end like an afterthought, and a look at jibion kept that careful structure going, you can tell when a writer has thought about the shape of their post versus just letting it ramble out and hoping for the best at the end which most do.

  46. Came in confused about the topic and left with a much firmer grasp on it, and after solacesteam I felt I could explain this to someone else without hesitation, that is the gold standard for any educational content and most sites simply fail to reach it ever which is unfortunate but true.

  47. A piece that was confident enough to leave some questions open rather than forcing closure, and a look at vyxcar continued that intellectual honesty, content that admits the limits of its scope is more trustworthy than content that pretends to total understanding and this site has the right calibration on certainty consistently.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *