Jeffrey Epstein surrounded himself with presidents and princes. However, a few hours before his death, he decided to make his last call to a dentist in Belarus.
His girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, stuck by the pedophile until the end, while the rest of his inner circle fled. Her reward, if she ever gets it, will be huge: $100m (about £73m).
Until now little was known about Ms Shuliak, 36, who was uprooted from Eastern Europe in her 20s and is the main beneficiary of his fortune.
Perhaps the most striking item bequeathed to him was a 33-carat diamond ring, “flanked by baguette-cut diamonds set in platinum.” The American financier, who died in prison in 2019 aged 66, described it as an engagement band.
Documents just released as part of the Epstein files shed light on her role in his shadowy orbit — at once intimate, subordinate and fraught with tension.
Epstein warned Ms Shuliak that “there are always women around” and it would be a problem if she was jealous.
In 2010, Ms Shuliak, then living in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, was introduced to Epstein by a Russian woman and captured his attention in a way few others have.
She emailed him in 2012, four years after he was convicted in Florida of procuring a child for prostitution: “You are the purest man of all men.” But their nine-year relationship was also volatile, their messages show.
After their presentation, Ms. Shuliak wrote to say that she could not accept his “help” because of “certain opinions which remain strongly in my mind, stupid as they may seem.” It is not clear what the help was. Epstein forwarded the e-mail to the Russian woman and said, “I guess she read the press.”
Despite her misgivings, they stayed in touch and she entered the US under the guise of working as a maid before taking up a place at Columbia University in New York.
Karyna Shuliak, seen in New York in 2024, will inherit millions from Epstein if anything is left of his fortune after his victims are paid compensation – Mega
Epstein’s emails could, at times, be clear. In one, he complained that “there weren’t enough kisses, there wasn’t enough time, there wasn’t enough sex,” to which she replied that he was “absolutely destroying” the day.
In another email, he scolded her: “You’re in dental school, not on the front lines in a war where people are dying.” She replied: “Every minute I’m fighting not to cry.” In 2013, Ms. Shuliak complained that “I haven’t had sex all week.”
Epstein also chided her for jealousy, writing: “Your concern for women is unnecessary. It causes a lot of stress between us. The first day we got together, I told you, please. There are always women around, if they make you jealous or anxious, it’s going to be a problem.”
Photos in the files also show Ms Shuliak laughing as she dances with Epstein, on his private jet and attending meetings with left-wing academic Noam Chomsky.
Pictures released in the Epstein files show that the American financier had dentist chairs in at least two of his homes
According to the files, Epstein contacted an aide to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in 2016 to request that Ms Shuliak and her friend be well looked after during a trip to London.
He wrote to David Stern, director of royal business Pitch@Palace: “I appreciate what you’ve planned, then.” Mr. Stern apparently replied: “I love it. I’m always on your team!!”
Records show Ms. Shuliak studied at Belarus State Medical University from 2006 to 2010 before enrolling at the Columbia College of Dentistry, graduating in 2015.
Epstein made donations and arranged meetings with the heads of the university’s dental department to ease his path to an internship and residency. Pictures released in the files showed he had dental chairs in at least two of his homes.
Epstein’s future girlfriend initially refused his “help”, but they were together until he died in prison at the age of 66.
Through Epstein’s connections, Ms. Shuliak enlisted Arda Beskardes, a New York immigration attorney, to secure her green card and eventually US citizenship. She recently attended a post-doctorate dental program at Columbia, graduating last year.
According to reports, Ms. Shuliak managed Epstein’s personal life with meticulous care, sending items including his favorite bath mat from his farm in New Mexico to his apartment in Paris and stocking up on his favorite foods and supplements.
In a 2012 email, she told him: “I love you so much, you’ll always have me, no matter what, as long as it makes you happy.”
Epstein listed her as an emergency contact on medical forms, referring to her simply as a “friend,” and rewarded her loyalty by covering her expenses. From January to November 2014, she charged almost $295,000 (around £217,000) in purchases to a single credit card.
In one text message, Epstein complains to Ms Shuliak about “not enough kisses, not enough time, not enough sex.”
Epstein extended his support to Ms. Shuliak’s parents in Belarus, sending them monthly payments of $20,000 to $25,000 and covering her mother’s breast cancer treatments.
Flight logs listed in Justice Department files show Ms. Shuliak accompanied Epstein on numerous trips and was even aboard his last flight from Paris to New York in August 2019 when FBI agents encountered him on the tarmac and arrested him.
Their time together led Epstein to leave Ms Shuliak $100 million, including a $50 million annuity, along with much of his property portfolio, including his $27.5 million ranch in New Mexico, a $10 million apartment in Paris, two private islands and his New York home, which sold for $51 million.
Ms. Shuliak did not receive the full fortune Epstein left her: Much of his fortune was liquidated to fund a victim compensation program that paid out $121 million to settle damages. None of its beneficiaries will receive any money until all claims are settled.
According to the most recent accounts, about $127 million remains in the property, leaving open the possibility of a substantial payout to his girlfriend, who still lives in the Manhattan apartment, which he described as his “model apartment” in his black contact book.
Try full access to The Telegraph for free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus helpful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.