Documents in the "Epstein case" revealed traces of large money transfers to Minsk. Karyna Shuliak's name surfaced again
On December 19, the US Department of Justice published over 13,000 documents from the case of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. These documents revealed transfers to Minsk and letters concerning a Belarusian woman whose name had previously appeared in the media. The publication "Zerkalo" studied the materials and published details of the Belarusian connection in the American scandal.
Karyna Shuliak and Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. Photo: Billy FarrellBFA.com
How much money Epstein sent to Belarus
In the published court documents, "Zerkalo" found two payment orders for money transfers to Minsk. Both were signed by Jeffrey Epstein.
The first transfer – 10,000 dollars on January 14, 2013. The second – 20,000 dollars on October 15 of the same year.
The name of the final recipient of the money is hidden on the published pages. However, the recipient's bank code is indicated, as well as an address in Minsky Belarus on Koriskogo street. This likely refers to Korytskaha Street in Minsk, located near the "Partyzanskaja" metro station.
Screenshots of correspondence involving Jeffrey Epstein and Karyna Shuliak. Screenshot of a document from the Epstein case investigation, published on the US Department of Justice website
It is difficult to say for sure who exactly in Belarus the American financier was transferring money to. However, according to three online directories, a person with the surname Shuliak lived at the address indicated in the documents. This is the same surname as the Belarusian woman whom the media referred to as Jeffrey Epstein's girlfriend.
The house located at the address indicated in Epstein's payment orders. Minsk, 2023. Photo: "Yandex. Panorama"
What was known about the financier's Belarusian girlfriend
Karyna Shuliak is currently 36 years old. She is a graduate of a Minsk school and a former student of BSMU (Belarusian State Medical University). She first came to the USA in 2009, when she was 20, reported the Daily Mail. It is believed that she met Epstein shortly after.
In 2010, the financier was released after a 13-month prison sentence on charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. At that time, "everyone turned away from him except Karyna, who stayed by his side until the very end," Daily Mail sources claimed. They described her as a sincere, kind, decent girl who "was madly in love with him."
Karyna Shuliak with a friend. New York, August 2014. Photo: vk.com
The Daily Mail claimed that Epstein paid for expensive medical treatment for Karyna's mother and helped with money for her parents' house, who lived in Minsk.
Starting from 2013, the Belarusian woman's registered address was one of Epstein's privately owned US Virgin Islands.
In October 2013, Shuliak entered into a same-sex marriage with the financier's assistant, Jennifer Kalin. Journalists claimed that the marriage was fictitious—to allow the girl to stay in the States. It was dissolved six years later.
Financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein with a woman whose identity is concealed. Photo from case materials published by Democrats of the House Oversight Committee
How Epstein helped the Belarusian woman start a practice in the USA (but something didn't work out)
The recently published documents contain correspondence indicating that Epstein actively participated in Karyna Shuliak's career in the USA. In 2015, the girl graduated from Teachers College at Columbia University. Her specialty was dentistry.
In May, Epstein personally instructed to inquire about dental licensing, as "Karyna is ready to start." The financier wrote directly to Cécile de Jong — the wife of the then-governor of the Virgin Islands. She sent the information, but the process dragged on.
In September, the financier asked if a certain Randy should be involved—likely an influential official. De Jong cautiously replied: "Randy is not very diplomatic, and I don't want the board members to feel pressured to approve Karyna."
It is unclear if Randy helped, but in November, Shuliak received the necessary documents for work. The girl forwarded them to Epstein, who then sent them to several other recipients with the brief comment "next barrier."
Screenshots of correspondence from the Epstein case investigation, published on the US Department of Justice website / justice.gov
According to official registries, at the same time—in November 2015—Karyna obtained licenses to work as a dentist in the American states of California and Florida.
It is difficult to say whether the Belarusian woman worked in her specialty or merely obtained the documents. Her office was registered at the same address as Epstein's residence.
At the time of publication, Karyna's California license had already expired; the Florida one is valid but marked "not practicing."
In one of the photographs from Epstein's mansion, a dental chair surrounded by masks can be seen. The media called this place "one of the strangest rooms." It is difficult to say what the purpose of the room was or if Karyna was ever there.
Interior of the mansion on Little Saint James Island, formerly owned by financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Photo: House Oversight Committee in Washington, December 3, 2025
Last conversation and a million-dollar inheritance
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested again, this time on charges of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. In August of the same year, he hanged himself.
According to The New York Times, Karyna Shuliak was the last person the financier called before his death. The published case materials mention that conversation. The name of the caller is hidden (referred to as "Person 1"), but it is indicated that it was a woman.
Karyna herself refused to speak with investigators; her lawyer provided the information. He claimed that at the time of the call, his client was in Belarus. The report's authors did not verify this point, but it was technically possible.
The conversation was about personal topics, "such as books, music, and hygiene during incarceration," the document states. "Epstein told Person 1, 'They are trying to ensure my safety,' and that his case would take a little longer than he initially thought. He told Person 1 that he loved her, to be strong, and that he would not be able to call her again in the next month," the document quotes the financier's last conversation.
Two days before his death, Epstein drafted a will, leaving all his wealth to a trust created on the same day. Its ultimate beneficiaries are kept secret. According to The New York Times, Shuliak is among them. She herself declined to comment to journalists.
Initially, Epstein's estate was estimated at 600 million dollars. From this amount, compensation was paid to the victims of his crimes—about 200 people received approximately 164 million. Another 105 million was paid to the government of the Virgin Islands, and a 30 million loan was settled.
In January 2025, the remaining amount of the inheritance was estimated at 145 million dollars.
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