By News Editor 
Generations of intelligence agencies have sought out clandestine markets, like those linked to drug trafficking, as a way to control markets. Whitney Webb frames Epstein not as a lone predator, but as a culminating figure within a sprawling web of corruption. In Volume 1, she traces a legacy of collusion between intelligence services and organized crime—starting from WWII’s Operation Underworld—and shows how those longstanding networks set the stage for Epstein’s rise. In Volume 2, she situates Epstein within that infrastructure, suggesting he was a tool or “asset” rather than an isolated actor
Webb argues that sexual blackmail has historically been a preferred means for intelligence agencies to control influential figures. This isn’t unique to Epstein’s era—it dates back decades, evolving into sophisticated tactics to coerce politicians, financiers, and elite actors Iron County News
Webb builds on claims—including those from intelligence operative Ari Ben-Menashe—that Epstein may have served as a “honey-trap” operative, collecting compromising data for Mossad or other agencies WikipediaThe Last American Vagabond. She highlights how intelligence entities have historically collaborated with criminal networks—blurring national lines and power claims—in the name of security or geopolitical leverage Iron County NewsThe Published ReporterBlaze Media.
In Volume 2, Webb explores the interconnected roles of Epstein’s highest-profile associates: Leslie Wexner as Epstein’s financial benefactor, Ghislaine Maxwell’s family ties, and their broader access to political elites. While she doesn’t solely focus on specific prosecutions, her research highlights how these connections enabled Epstein’s influence and shielded him from accountability
Volume 2 delves into the technological dimension of control. Webb examines how Maxwell’s family links to major tech players—like individuals connected to purported successors of the PROMIS software—and how this suggests a convergence between intelligence, elite surveillance tools, and exploitative digital blackmail in the modern era
While Webb’s work is dense and investigative, she also speaks to solutions. In interviews, she underscores the power of localism, grassroots transparency, and decentralized media as antidotes to centralized surveillance and elite secrecy Academia. Her approach echoes a broader strategy: expose structures, empower communities, and dismantle systems of control from the ground up.