Julian Dorey Podcast
Julian Dorey Podcast
April 8, 2026

"OCCULT!" - Epstein Investigator UNLOADS on Craziest Elite Global Network | Henry Abbott • 406

Quick Read

Investigative journalist Henry Abbott details his deep dive into the Jeffrey Epstein network, revealing a complex web of offshore finance, intelligence operations, and elite corruption stretching from NBA ownership to World War II-era banking.
Elite networks use 'compromat' (compromising material) to control powerful individuals, ensuring loyalty in illicit financial schemes.
Key figures with CIA ties facilitated major financial events (e.g., Microsoft IPO, Apollo Global's funding) and had connections to Epstein.
Historical financial structures, like Swiss banking and multinational corporations, were established through shadowy dealings with figures linked to Nazi Germany and intelligence agencies.

Summary

Henry Abbott, a former NBA writer, shares his journey into investigating Jeffrey Epstein, starting with connections to NBA team ownership and Apollo Global. His research uncovered a global financial system where oligarchs, mobsters, and intelligence agencies launder billions through legitimate American companies like Apollo. Abbott details the 'compromat' system, where elites are filmed in compromising situations to ensure loyalty and control. He connects key figures like Buzzy Krongard (CIA, Microsoft IPO, Apollo board) and the origins of Apollo Global from Drexel Burnham Lambert's collapse, funded by Credit Lyonnais, which was linked to Robert Maxwell's KGB money laundering. The investigation extends to historical events, including the Treaty of Versailles, the rise of multinational corporations like IG Farben, and the establishment of Swiss banking, all facilitated by figures like the Dulles brothers. Abbott highlights the disturbing pattern of individuals with intelligence ties holding significant positions, such as Jay Clayton's controversial appointment to the Southern District of New York after serving on Apollo's board. The discussion also touches on Steve Bannon's enigmatic career and the pervasive, high-level corruption that remains largely unaddressed.
This investigation exposes how deeply intertwined global finance, intelligence, and elite networks are, suggesting a systemic corruption that transcends political affiliations and historical periods. It challenges the public's understanding of power structures, demonstrating how individuals like Epstein may have operated within a larger 'compromat' system designed to control powerful figures. The insights reveal how seemingly legitimate institutions and historical events are linked to illicit activities, raising critical questions about accountability, transparency, and the true beneficiaries of global economic and political systems.

Takeaways

  • Henry Abbott's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein began with NBA team ownership ties to Apollo Global.
  • Russian oligarchs, including Mel Prokhorov, used American blue-chip companies like Apollo Global to park billions of dollars offshore, often with mob and intelligence agency involvement.
  • The global financial system has seen offshore money grow from 1% to 10% of all money, making it a major source of 'easy money' for institutions.
  • The death of Jeffrey Epstein in custody solidified Abbott's belief that a deeper, systemic issue was at play.
  • The 'compromat' theory suggests that powerful individuals are recorded doing terrible things to ensure their compliance and control within elite networks.
  • Buzzy Krongard, a high-ranking CIA official, was instrumental in taking Microsoft public and later served on Apollo Global's board, highlighting deep intelligence-finance connections.
  • Apollo Global emerged from the collapse of Drexel Burnham Lambert, a firm known for attracting billionaires with 'questionable money' and mob ties.
  • Credit Lyonnais, a bank linked to Robert Maxwell (Ghislaine Maxwell's father) and KGB money laundering, provided a significant initial loan to Apollo Global.
  • Epstein had power of attorney over Leon Black's Deutsche Bank accounts, and emails show him facilitating a $2.4 million payment from Josh Harris to Leon Black's assistant.
  • The 'hubris syndrome' describes how prolonged power can diminish empathy, leading to transactional relationships and moral decay among elites.
  • Jay Clayton, former SEC chairman and Apollo Global board chairman, was controversially appointed to run the Southern District of New York, raising concerns about conflicts of interest in prosecuting financial crimes.
  • Steve Bannon's career trajectory, from financing Seinfeld to working with Guo Wengui on digital currency and serving on the National Security Council, suggests a role beyond a typical political operative, possibly as an intelligence asset.
  • The origins of Swiss banking and multinational corporations like IG Farben (which produced Zyklon B) are tied to post-WWI financial manipulations by figures like the Dulles brothers, who later shaped the CIA.

Insights

1NBA as a Front Door to Billionaire Behavior

Henry Abbott's initial work covering the NBA exposed him to the behaviors of billionaires who owned teams, leading him to question the sources and movements of their wealth. This curiosity eventually led him to investigate offshore money and its connections to intelligence agencies and criminal networks.

Abbott states, 'the NBA was kind of a front door for me to see like billionaires and how they behave because essentially the league offices work at the behest of 30 billionaires.'

2Oligarchs, Mob, and Offshore Money

Abbott's investigation into Russian oligarch Mel Prokhorov revealed a system where billions are siphoned out of Russia monthly, laundered through the Russian mob and intelligence agencies, and then parked in 'blue-chip American companies' like Apollo Global to avoid seizure.

Abbott explains that Putin's oligarchs 'are taking... 5 to 10 billion dollars a month for 20 plus years just out of Russia and then they want to park it somewhere where it can't be seized... parking it basically with blue chip American companies... through a network that's hard to follow.'

3Buzzy Krongard: CIA, Microsoft, and Apollo Global

A central figure connecting intelligence, finance, and Epstein's network is Buzzy Krongard, a confirmed CIA operative who took Microsoft public as a banker and later served on the board of Apollo Global. This suggests a deep, long-standing integration of intelligence personnel into high-level finance.

Abbott states, 'this guy Buzzy, who is definitely in the CIA... and later was on the Apollo board... was the banker who took Microsoft public... So, I have to believe the most likely thing is that this guy's been in the CIA since college.'

4Apollo Global's Drexel Burnham Lambert Roots

Apollo Global was founded by former Drexel Burnham Lambert executives after its collapse. Drexel was known for attracting billionaires with 'questionable money' and mob ties, suggesting a continuity of these networks and practices within Apollo.

Abbott notes, 'everybody at Apollo like Apollo was born out of the explosion of Drax and Lambert.' He also mentions Drexel brought in 'a bunch of billionaires who had felt rejected by the other banks... some of them kind of blatantly had mob ties.'

5Credit Lyonnais and Robert Maxwell's KGB Money

Apollo Global's initial funding came from Credit Lyonnais, a French bank heavily associated with Robert Maxwell (Ghislaine Maxwell's father). Maxwell allegedly created 600 companies to offshore KGB money before the Soviet Union's collapse, implying that Apollo's foundational capital had ties to Russian intelligence.

Abbott recounts Leon Black's story of Credit Lyonnais offering $4 billion to found Apollo. He then links Credit Lyonnais to Robert Maxwell, who 'apparently created like 600 companies to like hold all this money outside of Russia, outside of the Soviet Union.'

6Epstein's Power over Leon Black's Finances

Recent file dumps revealed emails from Deutsche Bank bankers confirming Jeffrey Epstein had power of attorney over Leon Black's accounts, allowing him to trade on Black's behalf. This indicates a significant level of financial control and trust, far beyond mere 'estate planning.'

Abbott refers to 'emails from these Deutschbank bankers and they're basically saying like... Jeffrey Epstein now has authority to trade on behalf of Leon Black through Deutschbank.'

7Josh Harris's $2.4 Million Payment

An email from Jeffrey Epstein to Leon Black's assistant, Melanie Spanella, discusses a $2.4 million payment from Josh Harris (Apollo co-founder) to Spanella, facilitated by Epstein. The purpose of this payment remains unclear but raises questions about financial transactions within the network.

Abbott cites an email from Epstein: 'I've asked Rich Joslin to follow up with Brad Oaken on Josh Paris payment to you for 2.4 million.'

8Jay Clayton's Controversial SDNY Appointment

Jay Clayton, after serving as SEC chairman and then chairman of Apollo Global's board, was appointed to run the Southern District of New York. This appointment is highly controversial given SDNY's jurisdiction over many of the financial entities and individuals connected to the Epstein case, including Leon Black.

Abbott details Clayton's career path: 'he goes right from that appointment into running... the Southern District of New York.' He notes that SDNY 'have in their files just a fat trove of Leon Black stuff that nothing's happening with that.'

9Steve Bannon's Enigmatic Career

Steve Bannon's diverse and seemingly contradictory career, from financing Seinfeld to working with Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui on digital currencies and serving in the Trump administration, suggests a role as a sophisticated operative or 'spy' rather than a conventional political figure.

Abbott mentions Bannon's involvement with Credit Lyonnais, his move to Beverly Hills, his arrest on Guo Wengui's yacht, and his interest in 'mind control' companies like Cambridge Analytica, concluding, 'it just doesn't make sense that this would be a career.'

10Historical Roots of Financial Corruption

The investigation traces modern financial corruption back to the Treaty of Versailles, where figures like the Dulles brothers manipulated Germany's economy, leading to the rise of multinational corporations (e.g., IG Farben) and the establishment of Swiss banking as a means to launder money, including Nazi gold.

Abbott explains the Dulles brothers' role in the Treaty of Versailles negotiations and how 'Germany has the world's leading dye companies... somehow in cahoots with their American meetings... they convinced them to become basically pharma companies... and they make the gas that kills the Jews.'

Key Concepts

Compromat

A system where compromising material (often sexual or criminal in nature) is collected on powerful individuals to ensure their loyalty, control their actions, and prevent them from betraying a larger network. This acts as a powerful leverage tool within elite circles.

Hubris Syndrome

A psychological condition observed in individuals who hold power for extended periods, characterized by a loss of empathy, increased transactional thinking, and a diminished ability to relate to others as equals. This can lead to moral degradation and a willingness to engage in corrupt or abusive behavior.

Lessons

  • Cultivate a deep skepticism towards official narratives, especially concerning powerful individuals and institutions, and seek out rigorously sourced investigative journalism.
  • Recognize the 'compromat' system as a potential mechanism for control within elite circles, where compromising information is used to ensure loyalty and silence.
  • Demand greater transparency and accountability from financial institutions and government appointments, particularly when individuals with conflicts of interest are placed in positions of oversight.

Quotes

"

"This is the only story I've ever encountered where it's like, 'No, the crazy version is the true version.'"

Henry Abbott
"

"You don't get to be senior if you don't if you're not on video doing something terrible."

Henry Abbott
"

"Epstein was running a compromat operation on behalf of a bigger group, right? It wasn't just for him."

Henry Abbott
"

"The first most shocking day at CIA is the day you figure out who really runs the world when they tell you that. And the second most shocking day is is learning how you operate within that system because you ain't going to change it."

Andy Bamante (via Julian Dorey)

Q&A

Recent Questions

Related Episodes