Former Intern Says Epstein Used Peace Institute as Cover for Exploitation

**TL;DR:** A former intern says Jeffrey Epstein used the International Peace Institute to mask a scheme that brought young women to the U.S. under false diplomatic pretenses, citing $650,000 in institute funding and over $8,000 monthly payments to her.

Svetlana Pozhidaeva, a Russian national in her early thirties at the time, joined the institute in 2014 after Epstein facilitated her entry through modeling contacts. She was assigned to help organize a Geneva conference on pandemic preparedness, an event hosted at the Palais des Nations with institute staff present.

Pozhidaeva tells Le Temps that the diplomatic role promised was a façade; instead she performed peripheral tasks like photo‑taking and note transcription while Epstein controlled her visa, finances, and housing. She says she was among several women exploited under the guise of professional opportunities.

She states outright, "My diplomatic work was just a façade." The International Peace Institute received roughly $650,000 from Epstein, according to disclosed records. A bank statement shows Pozhidaeva received monthly payments exceeding $8,000 from Epstein, a detail corroborated by the Epstein files.

The revelations suggest Epstein leveraged the institute’s credibility to move victims across borders while maintaining an appearance of legitimate work. The institute’s leadership, including former director Terje Rød‑Larsen, acknowledged close personal ties to Epstein, though the organization now says it has cut contact and is reviewing the documents.

Observers may see this as a case study of how philanthropic or academic fronts can be repurposed for illicit networks, raising questions about vetting procedures for funding and affiliations.

Watch for any official responses from the International Peace Institute, potential investigations by Swiss or U.S. authorities, and whether additional former associates come forward with similar accounts.