Benny Shabtai: Businessman, FIDF Fundraiser, and Jeffrey Epstein Associate
Benny Shabtai is an Israeli American businessman, investor, jewelry executive, philanthropist, and longtime supporter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. Publicly released records show that Shabtai had an active personal and commercial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after Epstein became a registered sex offender. The record includes direct correspondence, repeated calendar entries, an inquiry about a possible visit to Little Saint James, a reported 2008 tour of Israeli military bases, a diamond sale, and a $6,100 check from Epstein in 2017.
No reviewed record accuses Shabtai of participating in Epstein’s sexual abuse or trafficking. His presence in contact books, correspondence, schedules, and financial records establishes association and transactions. It does not, by itself, establish knowledge of or participation in Epstein’s crimes.
Snapshot
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Benny Shabtai, also identified as Benjamin Shabtai in court and business records |
| Hebrew name | ืื ื ืฉืืชืื |
| Born | 1949 in Israel. Published profiles conflict between Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan |
| National identity | Israeli American |
| Known for | Raymond Weil USA, Di Modolo, investment in Viber, FIDF fundraising, Shabtai Society support |
| Epstein connection | Direct correspondent, scheduled social and business contact, seller of diamonds, recipient of a 2017 check, reported companion on a 2008 Israeli military base tour |
| Earliest documented Epstein link reviewed | April 2008 press report preserved in a federal prosecution email |
| Latest direct message reviewed | March 5, 2019 |
| Contact book | Listed on the published page 49 with two telephone numbers and no address |
| Flight records | No verified Epstein flight log entry for Shabtai was located in the sources reviewed for this article |
| Criminal status in the Epstein matter | No Epstein related criminal charge or adjudication located |
| Evidence standard | Association, correspondence, scheduling, and transactions are documented. Participation in abuse is not |
Why Benny Shabtai Matters to the Epstein Record
Shabtai is significant because the surviving record is broader than a single name in an address book. It spans several different evidence classes:
| Evidence class | What appears in the record | What it establishes |
|---|---|---|
| Contact record | Shabtai appears in Epstein’s contact book | Epstein’s circle maintained his contact information |
| Travel related reporting | A 2008 clipping says Epstein toured Israeli military bases with Shabtai | A contemporary report connected them during Epstein’s Israel trip |
| Calendars | Meetings, dinners, and proposed visits appear repeatedly | Epstein’s staff expected recurring contact |
| Island logistics | Staff discussed whether Shabtai would come to the island on February 13, 2013 | A visit was contemplated, but the same thread says it probably would not occur |
| Direct messages | Device extractions identify messages from Shabtai through 2019 | The relationship continued after Epstein’s 2008 conviction |
| Commercial records | A $71,000 diamond invoice and price dispute survive | Shabtai sold or offered jewelry to Epstein |
| Banking records | A $6,100 check from Epstein to Shabtai survives | Epstein paid Shabtai in April 2017, though the released check does not state the purpose |
The evidence supports a sustained relationship. It does not support treating every search result as a distinct encounter. Released datasets contain duplicates, repeated schedules, OCR errors, and device exports in which unrelated conversations can appear on the same page.
Early Life and Career
Published profiles say Shabtai was born in Israel in 1949 and raised on a kibbutz. The precise birthplace is inconsistent. A 2015 profile and several biographies say Tel Aviv, while a 2025 self reported profile gives Ramat Gan. He served in the Israel Defense Forces, including service associated with the 1967 Six Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, according to biographical reporting.
Shabtai later moved to the United States and entered the watch business. He established Raymond Weil’s United States operation in 1977 and served as its president and exclusive American distributor. He sold the business in 2009. He also led the luxury jewelry company Di Modolo.
The Shabtai family became a major shareholder in Viber, the Israeli messaging and internet calling company. Rakuten announced the acquisition of Viber for $900 million in February 2014. Contemporary business reporting placed the family’s stake at 55.2 percent and estimated its proceeds at about $500 million. Rakuten’s announcement confirms the total acquisition value, while the family allocation comes from financial reporting rather than Rakuten’s release.
Later public profiles identify Shabtai with Eplane, Botanika Life, Zert, Serafina Miami, and other investments. A 2025 profile placed him in Miami Beach. These ventures provide biographical context but do not, on their own, connect to Epstein.
Philanthropy, FIDF, and the Shabtai Society
Shabtai served for years on the board of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, commonly called FIDF. Reporting credits him with developing its New York fundraising dinner into a large annual gala. Contemporary coverage identifies him as dinner chairman and records fundraising totals of about $23 million in 2011 and $26 million in 2012.
His FIDF position matters because the 2008 Epstein clipping described him as the person accompanying Epstein on a tour of Israeli military bases. The clipping used the shortened label โFriends of Israel chairman.โ In context, reporting about Shabtai identifies the organization as Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.
Shabtai and his family also supported the Shabtai Society, a Yale adjacent Jewish intellectual and leadership society. Reporting says the family financed the purchase of an Anderson Mansion property in New Haven in 2014. In an October 2012 message preserved in Epstein’s records, Shabtai solicited Epstein in connection with a society then described as Eliezer and referred to Beit Shabtai, a building he said he had dedicated in 1996. That message is documented in EFTA01804076.
Relationship With Jeffrey Epstein
The reviewed documents show personal familiarity, planned meetings, commercial dealings, and continued contact. The record does not establish when the two men first met. The earliest dated item reviewed here is a federal email from April 25, 2008 that preserved a press report about Epstein’s visit to Israel.
An independent corpus review published by Epstein Data counted 568 documents containing the exact phrase โBenny Shabtai,โ within 632 documents containing the surname. Those figures are search counts, not 568 unique communications. The larger result set includes duplicates, schedules circulated to several employees, OCR variants, records about relatives, and some unrelated surname matches. That review reported opening 125 documents and classified many others by record type. The counts are useful for scale, but they should not be converted into a claim about the number of meetings.
The safest conclusion is that Shabtai and Epstein maintained a relationship from at least 2008 through March 2019, with especially visible scheduling and correspondence from 2012 onward.
April 2008 Israel Trip and Reported Military Base Tour
On April 25, 2008, an Assistant United States Attorney circulated an update about Epstein while his Florida case was still active. The email discussed an alleged attempt by one of Epstein’s private investigators to pressure a victim. It then attached or reproduced a New York press item about Epstein’s Passover trip to Israel.
The clipping said Epstein had been seen at the Tel Aviv Hilton, was meeting Israeli scientists about medical research he was funding, and was โtaking a tour of military bases with [Friends of Israel chairman] Benny Shabtai.โ The document is EFTA00013730.
This record has several limits:
- It is a federal email preserving a press clipping, not a military visitor log.
- It shows that prosecutors saw and circulated the report in real time.
- It does not identify the bases, the officials who authorized access, the purpose of the tour, or who else attended.
- It does not prove an intelligence relationship.
Published flight records place Epstein’s aircraft in Tel Aviv during this period and show a later departure from Ben Gurion Airport to Heraklion, Crete, and then Paris. Those records corroborate Epstein’s presence in Israel. They do not place Shabtai aboard the aircraft.
Contact Book Entry
Shabtai appears on page 49 of Epstein’s published contact book. The public index reports two telephone numbers and no address under his name. The Justice Department’s redacted release also displays the entry as โShabtai, Benny.โ
A contact book entry proves that Epstein or his staff retained contact information. It does not identify who entered the information, how often it was used, or what Shabtai knew about Epstein’s conduct.
Calendars, Meetings, and Dinners
Schedules attributed to Epstein’s staff contain repeated references to Shabtai. Because staff often circulated revised versions of the same schedule, each document should not be counted as a separate meeting. A calendar entry also records an intention, not necessarily a completed event.
| Date or period | Calendar language or event | Record and assessment |
|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2012 | Reminder that Shabtai wanted to see Epstein that day | EFTA00307036. Planned contact, completion not independently verified |
| October 2012 | Shabtai sent Epstein information about the Eliezer society and a tax deductible gift | EFTA01804076. Direct correspondence |
| February 13, 2013 | Proposed island visit by Shabtai and a friend | EFTA00299816 and related schedules. Proposed, not proven completed |
| February 19, 2013 | โEvening with Steve Sinofsky & Benny Shabtaiโ | EFTA02147363. Calendar alert, attendance not independently verified |
| 2013 and later | Multiple New York appointments and dinners | Examples include EFTA00284928, EFTA00375435, and EFTA00285377 |
| December 2016 | Planned meeting at Avra | EFTA00285207. Schedule entry |
| November 2017 | Device extraction identifies a message from Shabtai asking Epstein to call | EFTA01210395. Direct message attribution in the extraction |
| September 2018 | Shabtai sent a Yom Kippur greeting | EFTA00516346. Direct social message |
| March 5, 2019 | Shabtai wrote that he hoped โthey will leave u aloneโ after Epstein had sent an article concerning scrutiny of him | Direct message discussed in the released corpus. The referent is supplied by the preceding message, but the word โtheyโ is not separately defined |
These entries demonstrate recurring access and familiarity. They do not establish the subject of every meeting or prove that every scheduled event took place.
Proposed Visit to Little Saint James
The clearest island related record is a February 2013 staff email chain. One message asks whether anyone has information about Benny Shabtai โcoming to the island on the 13thโ and requests an estimated arrival time.
The rest of the thread is crucial. Staff said they had no confirmation, had sent Epstein Shabtai’s number, and hoped the two had spoken. A later message said Epstein never replied and the writer did not think Shabtai would come after all. The complete thread appears in EFTA02148337. A related document appears as EFTA02148317.
Therefore, the record proves that a visit was being discussed. It does not prove that Shabtai reached Little Saint James. No corroborating arrival record, photograph, or flight entry was located in the sources reviewed for this article.
The 2013 Diamond Transaction
The released records contain an invoice on Shabtai’s letterhead for two diamonds. Invoice BS 0113 1 listed one stone at $37,000 and another at $34,000, for a total of $71,000. The invoice appears in EFTA02706850.
On March 6, 2013, Epstein wrote in two messages that an appraisal had valued the stones at $51,000 and that โwe might return them.โ Those messages appear in EFTA01900319 and EFTA01900340.
Two days later, Shabtai wrote to Epstein’s bookkeeper. He defended the pricing, offered to accept the return of the diamonds, or to accept whatever amount Epstein chose to pay. He also said his friendship with Epstein mattered more than the money. The letter appears in EFTA00955931.
The reviewed records do not establish the final outcome. They do not show whether Epstein returned the stones, paid the invoice, or negotiated a different price.
The 2017 Payment
Deutsche Bank included Shabtai in an exhibit titled โNotable Payments to High Profile Individualsโ during a September 12, 2019 presentation to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. The exhibit recorded a $6,100 payment from Epstein’s account to Shabtai on April 13, 2017. The exhibit is within EFTA01681865, on the sheet stamped EFTA01681901.
The underlying instrument also survives. Check number 1111, drawn on Epstein’s Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas account, was dated April 13, 2017 and made payable to Benny Shabtai for $6,100. It appears in EFTA01292472, on the sheet stamped EFTA01292478.
The released check does not state the purpose of the payment. Its existence proves payment, not why it was made. Inclusion in a bank exhibit prepared for prosecutors is not a criminal finding about the recipient.
Direct Messages Through 2019
Device extractions identify Shabtai as the sender in multiple messages to Epstein. Examples include a 2017 request to call, a question about Epstein’s back, a 2018 religious greeting, and the March 2019 message concerning scrutiny of Epstein.
One large device export begins at EFTA01210023. Because device exports can interleave unrelated conversations by timestamp, a name appearing near disturbing language on a printed page must not be treated as authorship. A separate review of EFTA01208815 found that abuse related vocabulary near Shabtai’s name belonged to another, fully redacted sender in a different conversation. No reviewed abuse exhibit was attributed to Shabtai.
This distinction is essential. Search co occurrence is a lead for review, not a factual conclusion.
Flight Log Review
No verified flight log entry placing Benny Shabtai aboard an Epstein aircraft was located in the published logs and databases reviewed for this article.
That negative finding should be read narrowly. Flight records are incomplete, names can be abbreviated, and travel could occur commercially or on another aircraft. The absence of a located flight entry does not prove that Shabtai never traveled with Epstein. It does mean that claims he flew on Epstein’s aircraft require a specific document before publication.
The 2008 Israel trip establishes Epstein’s presence in Israel and a reported base tour with Shabtai. It does not establish that Shabtai was on Epstein’s inbound or outbound aircraft.
Intelligence and Covert Operations Claims
The reported military base tour, Shabtai’s FIDF role, and Epstein’s wider contacts with Israeli officials have generated claims that the relationship was connected to intelligence activity. The reviewed record does not establish that Shabtai was an intelligence officer, that he recruited Epstein, or that the two men funded covert operations together.
The evidence supports only narrower propositions:
- Shabtai had served in the Israeli military and became a prominent FIDF fundraiser.
- A contemporary press clipping said he accompanied Epstein on a tour of Israeli military bases in April 2008.
- Epstein maintained extensive contacts in Israel and with Israeli public figures.
- None of those facts, alone or together, proves an intelligence relationship.
Any stronger claim should be labeled an allegation and tied to a named source. It should not be presented as an established fact.
Separate Civil Litigation and Allegations
In 2023, litigation connected to Shabtai, Stacey Cooper Shabtai, Samantha Cooper, and the Serafina restaurant business generated serious allegations unrelated to the evidentiary record of Epstein’s crimes. Samantha Cooper alleged in court filings that Shabtai sexually harassed her, touched her inappropriately, demanded that she dress in a sexualized manner at work, and threatened her. Reporting also quoted a filing that invoked Shabtai’s relationship with Epstein and alleged secret meetings involving the Israeli military and covert operations.
Shabtai denied the allegations and characterized them as retaliation connected to a divorce and business dispute. Public docket services list related Miami Dade cases as closed, but a closed docket does not by itself establish that the factual allegations were adjudicated as true or false. This article does not adopt the allegations as fact.
The civil claims must not be used to fill gaps in the Epstein record. The documented 2008 military base report is evidence that a tour was reported. It is not proof of the later litigant’s covert operations theory.
Relationship Map
| Person or institution | Relationship to Shabtai | Relevance to the Epstein record |
|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Epstein | Friend, correspondent, customer, and recurring scheduled contact | Central relationship documented by messages, calendars, a diamond invoice, and a check |
| Lesley Groff and Epstein staff | Coordinated Epstein’s calendar and travel logistics | Staff messages recorded proposed meetings and the possible island visit |
| Friends of the Israel Defense Forces | Board and fundraising role | Provides context for the reported 2008 military base tour |
| Steve Sinofsky | Named with Shabtai in a February 2013 evening calendar alert | Shows a scheduled group social event, not wrongdoing |
| Epstein’s bookkeeper | Recipient of Shabtai’s diamond pricing letter | Connects the commercial dispute to Epstein’s financial administration |
| Deutsche Bank | Epstein’s bank | Preserved the $6,100 check and highlighted it for federal prosecutors |
| Shabtai Society and Eliezer | Philanthropic and intellectual network supported by Shabtai | Appears in a 2012 solicitation sent to Epstein |
| Rakuten and Viber | Business history | Explains Shabtai’s wealth and technology profile, not an Epstein link |
| Stacey Cooper Shabtai and Samantha Cooper | Family and business litigants | Source of later civil claims, which remain separate from proof in the Epstein matter |
Chronology
| Date | Event | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Shabtai establishes Raymond Weil’s United States operation | Well documented biography |
| 1990s onward | Shabtai becomes a prominent FIDF fundraiser | Supported by contemporary charity and press coverage |
| April 2008 | Press report says Epstein toured Israeli military bases with Shabtai | Documented report, not a base access log |
| 2008 | Epstein becomes a registered sex offender following his Florida conviction | Established public record |
| May 2012 | Epstein schedule says Shabtai wanted to see him | Planned contact |
| October 2012 | Shabtai sends Epstein a philanthropic solicitation | Direct correspondence |
| February 2013 | Staff discuss possible Shabtai visit to Little Saint James | Planned but apparently unconfirmed |
| February 2013 | Calendar alert lists an evening with Shabtai and Steve Sinofsky | Scheduled event |
| March 2013 | Diamond invoice, appraisal dispute, and Shabtai response | Direct commercial records |
| February 2014 | Rakuten announces $900 million Viber acquisition | Official corporate record |
| December 2016 | Epstein schedule lists an Avra meeting with Shabtai | Planned meeting |
| April 13, 2017 | Epstein account issues $6,100 check to Shabtai | Bank exhibit and underlying check |
| November 2017 | Device extraction records Shabtai asking Epstein to call | Direct message attribution |
| September 2018 | Shabtai sends a Yom Kippur greeting | Direct message attribution |
| March 5, 2019 | Shabtai sends supportive message concerning scrutiny of Epstein | Direct message attribution |
| September 12, 2019 | Deutsche Bank presents notable payment exhibit to federal prosecutors | Bank and prosecution record |
What the Record Establishes
The public record establishes that:
- Shabtai was in Epstein’s contact book.
- Their association was reported by April 2008.
- A contemporary report said Shabtai accompanied Epstein on an Israeli military base tour.
- Epstein’s staff repeatedly scheduled or discussed meetings with Shabtai.
- Staff considered a February 2013 visit by Shabtai to Little Saint James, then indicated it probably would not happen.
- Shabtai offered Epstein two diamonds for $71,000 and responded personally to Epstein’s price objection.
- Epstein paid Shabtai $6,100 by check in April 2017.
- Shabtai and Epstein remained in direct contact into March 2019.
What the Record Does Not Establish
The reviewed public record does not establish that:
- Shabtai participated in Epstein’s sexual abuse or trafficking.
- Shabtai knew the details of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
- Shabtai visited Little Saint James on February 13, 2013.
- Shabtai flew on Epstein’s aircraft.
- Shabtai or Epstein acted for Israeli intelligence.
- The reported military base tour involved covert activity.
- The $6,100 check was payment for an unlawful purpose.
- The 2013 diamond dispute ended in a completed $71,000 sale.
Evidence Appearances
| Record | Description | Evidentiary value |
|---|---|---|
| EFTA00013730 | Federal email preserving 2008 clipping about Epstein in Israel and a reported base tour with Shabtai | Contemporary reported association |
| EFTA00307036 | May 2012 reminder that Shabtai wanted to see Epstein | Planned meeting |
| EFTA01804076 | October 2012 message about Eliezer and Beit Shabtai | Direct correspondence |
| EFTA02148317 | Related island logistics record | Proposed visit |
| EFTA02148337 | Full February 2013 thread about possible island visit, followed by doubt that it would occur | Proposed but unconfirmed visit |
| EFTA00299816 | Schedule listing possible island visit by Shabtai and a friend | Planning record |
| EFTA02147363 | Calendar alert for evening with Steve Sinofsky and Shabtai | Scheduled social event |
| EFTA02706850 | $71,000 invoice for two diamonds | Commercial transaction record |
| EFTA01900319 | Epstein message reporting lower appraisal | Price dispute |
| EFTA01900340 | Epstein message considering return of diamonds | Price dispute |
| EFTA00955931 | Shabtai letter offering return or revised payment | Direct commercial response |
| EFTA00284928 | Schedule containing a Shabtai appointment | Planned meeting |
| EFTA00375435 | Schedule containing a Shabtai appointment | Planned meeting |
| EFTA00285377 | Schedule containing dinner with Shabtai | Planned dinner |
| EFTA00285207 | December 2016 schedule listing Avra meeting | Planned meeting |
| EFTA01681865 | Deutsche Bank presentation containing notable payments exhibit | Prosecutorial banking context |
| EFTA01681901 | Sheet stamped page identifying $6,100 payment | Payment summary |
| EFTA01292472 | Source document containing check number 1111 | Underlying payment evidence |
| EFTA01292478 | Sheet stamped page showing the $6,100 check | Underlying payment evidence |
| EFTA01210023 | Device extraction containing a message attributed to Shabtai | Direct message evidence |
| EFTA01210395 | Device extraction containing Shabtai request to call | Direct message evidence |
| EFTA00516346 | Device extraction containing 2018 greeting | Direct message evidence |
| EFTA01208815 | Device page illustrating unrelated conversations interleaved by time | Caution against false co occurrence inference |
Research Assessment
Shabtai was not a peripheral name preserved in only one source. The combination of direct messages, calendar entries, a personal commercial dispute, and a later bank payment supports a recurring relationship with Epstein. The relationship continued for years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction and sex offender registration.
The strongest unanswered questions concern purpose and context. The public files do not explain why Shabtai reportedly escorted Epstein to military bases, what Epstein received for the $6,100 payment, whether the proposed island visit ever occurred on another date, or how their relationship began. Those gaps justify further document requests and careful reporting. They do not justify converting inference into fact.
Sources
- United States Department of Justice, Epstein disclosures
- Epstein Data Wiki, Benny Shabtai
- Epstein’s Black Book, Benny Shabtai entry
- United States Department of Justice, redacted contact book
- Rakuten, announcement of Viber acquisition
- Rakuten, completion of Viber acquisition
- eJewish Philanthropy, profile of Benny Shabtai
- Jerusalem Post, 2007 FIDF dinner coverage
- Algemeiner, 2011 FIDF gala coverage
- Yale Daily News, history of the Shabtai Society
- Principal Post, 2025 Benny Shabtai profile
- Ynet, report on 2023 civil allegations and Shabtai’s denial
- FindLaw, Shabtai v. Shabtai appellate decision
- Trellis, Miami Dade business litigation docket summary
- Epstein Graph, primary PDF for the proposed island visit
- R. Howard Stone research archive, Israeli intelligence review
The preferred Substack feeds were searched for Benny Shabtai. No directly relevant indexed article was located in Butterfly Bureau, American Freak Show, Bekah Day, Ellie Leonard, Lisa Podcasts, Lucius Tuck, Greg Conners, Heather Ashley, Hacking But Legal, Edith J. Kohn, or Kait Justice at the time of publication. R. Howard Stone’s research archive produced relevant leads, which were checked against the linked primary documents.
Questions
- Which Israeli military bases did Epstein reportedly visit in April 2008?
- Who authorized the tour, and do visitor logs or official itineraries survive?
- What was the purpose of the $6,100 check dated April 13, 2017?
- Was the diamond transaction completed, repriced, or canceled?
- Did Shabtai visit Little Saint James on another date after the February 2013 plan apparently fell through?
- What did Shabtai understand about Epstein’s conduct after the 2008 conviction?
- What was the origin of their relationship, and did it predate the 2008 Israel trip?
- Which of the repeated calendar entries resulted in completed meetings?
- Are there unredacted visitor, security, hotel, or telephone records that can independently corroborate the Israel trip and later meetings?
- Why did Deutsche Bank classify the $6,100 payment for inclusion in its high profile recipient exhibit, and did investigators ask either man about it?