Vitaly Churkin

Vitaly Ivanovich Churkin was a Russian career diplomat. He was born in Moscow on February 21, 1952, and served as Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from May 1, 2006, until his death on February 20, 2017. Before the UN posting, he held several ambassadorial roles, including Ambassador to Belgium and Ambassador to Canada, and served as a Deputy Foreign Minister. He died in New York City at the age of 64.

Churkin is named in connection with the released Epstein files. Reporting on the files indicates they suggested he regularly met with Epstein and that Epstein offered to help Churkin’s son Maxim find work at a wealth management firm. According to Meduza, which reviewed the released documents, Churkin “corresponded in 2016 with someone whose identity was redacted in one of the documents,” and that person “appears to be Epstein himself” when cross-referenced with a separate U.S. Justice Department record. Meduza reports the exchange “suggests that Epstein helped arrange employment for Churkin’s son, Maxim,” quoting Epstein writing “Max doing better. He just needed to understand American biz habits,” to which Churkin replied “U r a great teacher!” Meduza’s account of these documents centers on the 2016 correspondence and does not document any additional dates.

Is Vitaly Churkin in the Epstein files?

Yes. Vitaly Churkin, who was Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2006 until his death in 2017, is named in connection with the released Epstein files. The documented reference is 2016 correspondence between Churkin and a counterpart that Meduza identifies as Jeffrey Epstein, primarily concerning Epstein helping Churkin’s son Maxim secure work in the United States. Being named in these files is not evidence of any crime or wrongdoing; people appear in such documents in many contexts, including ordinary correspondence. See the sources above for the specific documented context.

Documents

Primary-source records that reference Vitaly Churkin. Inclusion in these documents is not, by itself, evidence of wrongdoing; the documented context is ordinary correspondence, and no allegation of misconduct has been reported against Churkin.

• House Oversight Committee — Epstein email correspondence release (Nov. 2025) — Churkin appears in Epstein’s email correspondence among the records made public in the 2025–2026 disclosures. As reported by Meduza, 2016 emails between Churkin and a counterpart it identifies as Epstein concern Epstein helping Churkin’s son Maxim find work — including Epstein writing “Max doing better” and Churkin replying “U r a great teacher!”
• DOJ Epstein Files (full EFTA release portal) — The Churkin correspondence forms part of the broader body of Epstein records released by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.