LEGAL DISCLAIMER:** This article is based solely on documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice and archived at InvArchives. It is published for public informational and historical record purposes only. Nothing in this article constitutes a finding of guilt, wrongdoing, or legal liability on the part of any named individual. All characterizations are drawn directly from archived records. Where conduct is described, readers should understand that the documents reflect alleged or recorded communications and events, not judicial findings. The presence of an individual's name in these records does not imply criminal conduct.
Records in the federal InvArchives document repository — comprising approximately 1,959 documents referencing Nicole Junkermann by name — trace a sustained relationship between the German-British investor and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that documents indicate spanned at least five years, from early 2013 through late 2017. The records include direct email correspondence with Epstein, attendance at a meeting held at his Manhattan mansion alongside Valar Ventures representatives, a documented joint venture investment in an Israeli AI startup that later became known as Carbyne, and exchanges in which Epstein allegedly instructed Junkermann to invoke his name during a visit to Peter Thiel's data analytics firm Palantir.
Nicole Junkermann is a German-British entrepreneur and venture capitalist who co-managed the sports rights company Infront with former Adidas chief Robert Louis-Dreyfus before it was acquired by Bridgepoint for reportedly more than 500 million euros in 2011. Since then she has operated NJF Capital and NJF Holdings from London, with stated investments in healthcare technology, fintech, and early-stage companies across twelve countries. In November 2018, a Handelsblatt interview reported that UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock had appointed her to the Department of Health's Scientific Advisory Board (Handelsblatt interview, November 2018).
The earliest exchanges in the archive date to February 2013. A chain of emails between Junkermann and Epstein, recovered in the federal seizure, shows Epstein asking Junkermann whether he could trust her and describing a potential function for her. In one exchange, Epstein wrote: "i would like you to help orgainze staff houses, meetings, presentations. follow up. etc." Junkermann responded that to add value she "would have to be close to you, I live in europe." Epstein replied: "you exist in europe, not really live there, i will give you an apt in ny" (Epstein-Junkermann exchange, February 25–26, 2013).
The exchange indicates that Epstein was discussing giving Junkermann a New York apartment and a coordinating role — though subsequent correspondence does not confirm that any such arrangement was finalized.
By April 2013, the emails shifted toward investment topics. Documents show Junkermann writing to ask about interesting people to meet, to which Epstein replied: "money, tech, movies, fun, investment, you choose." Junkermann responded: "Tech, start ups for investment" (Epstein-Junkermann exchange, April 9, 2013).
In April 2014, Junkermann asked Epstein directly: "any thoughts on my role?" Epstein replied that he had "many" thoughts and proposed discussing the matter in Paris later that month (Junkermann to Epstein, April 2014). The archive does not contain a follow-up record of that Paris conversation.
Among the more precisely documented entries in the archive is a December 2014 meeting at Epstein's Manhattan mansion, located at 9 East 71st Street. A schedule maintained by Epstein's executive assistant Lesley Groff lists the afternoon of Wednesday, December 3, 2014, as follows: "2:00 Valar ventures (Andrew McCormack & James Fitzgerald and Nicole Junkermann)" (Groff schedule, December 2, 2014).
Valar Ventures is the venture capital fund associated with Peter Thiel. Andrew McCormack and James Fitzgerald were identified in that period as partners at the firm. The Groff schedule places the meeting in a week that also included a Bill Gates breakfast on Friday, December 5, a meeting with former Obama White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler on Thursday, an appearance by Reid Hoffman, and a separate session with Leon Black.
An email chain from the same day confirms that Junkermann had traveled from Europe specifically to attend. One email reads: "Hello Nicole. Reconfirming you will come see Jeffrey today at 2pm and join the Valar Venture meeting / 9 East 71st Street between 5th and Madison." Junkermann confirmed her arrival, writing: "Just landed in NY so yes I am joining the meeting and if Jeffrey wants to see me before or after pls let me know." After the meeting she wrote: "Thanks u are the best :)" (Junkermann correspondence, December 3, 2014).
The archive does not establish what topics were discussed at the Valar Ventures meeting or what Junkermann's formal relationship, if any, to the fund was.
In October 2014, documents show Junkermann emailing Epstein while en route to a meeting with Palantir, the data analytics company co-founded by Peter Thiel: "On my way to see palantir...are u well?" Epstein replied: "thiel? knows me well." When Junkermann noted she was "meeting the little cheese" rather than Thiel himself, Epstein wrote: "use my name, and tell them you are a friend of mine, who are you meeting with." Junkermann replied: "Thank you but no you are my secret weapon" (Junkermann-Epstein exchange, October 20, 2014).
In February 2017, documents indicate that Junkermann did meet Peter Thiel in person. She informed Epstein of the meeting, writing "Seeing peter tmr." Epstein asked which Peter, and she clarified it was Thiel. Epstein instructed: "tell him you are my buddy." A follow-up message from Junkermann, dated February 19, 2017, reads: "He said small world....liked him" — relayed in response to Epstein's one-word query: "Thiel?" (Junkermann-Epstein exchange, February 17–19, 2017; Junkermann response, February 19, 2017).
The documents indicate that Junkermann and Epstein both understood the Thiel meeting to be relevant to their correspondence, though the records do not specify whether the Epstein connection was raised with Thiel directly.
Among the most substantive findings in the archive is a joint investment by Junkermann, Epstein, and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in an Israeli artificial intelligence startup initially called Reporty, later renamed Carbyne — known publicly as Carbyne911, a public-safety technology company.
A February 18, 2016 email from Barak to both Epstein and Junkermann states: "Hi Jeff and Nicole, I find attached the report which the start up had to give us, approved by Prof. Kaminka our scientific adviser, before we pass the New .5M." Barak described the company's progress as faster than anticipated and concluded: "The real test will come, as NJ duly noted, when the branding challenge will turn crucial." He then reported: "I ordered today to transfer the New .5M to their account" (Barak to Epstein and Junkermann, February 18, 2016).
The email places all three — Barak, Epstein, and Junkermann — as co-investors receiving progress reports on the company. "NJ" in Barak's message appears to refer to Nicole Junkermann.
In August 2017, Junkermann forwarded signed board minutes from a July 25, 2017 Reporty/Carbyne board meeting to both Barak and Epstein, asking Barak a question about a capital-raise decision the board had approved (Junkermann to Barak and Epstein, August 7, 2017). The board minutes listed Ehud Barak as a signatory to the resolution; Amir Elichai and Alex Dizingof were named as additional board signatories.
In June 2018, Barak emailed Junkermann to answer questions her CFO had submitted about the company's Series B round: "Hi Nicole, I'm well... In regard to Carbyne, which basically moves ahead stably and as of now — successfully." Barak addressed questions about the round's terms, share purchase agreements, warrants, and valuation, noting the pre-money valuation had risen to "about four times higher than our original entry." He added: "In regard to the Warrants, It has to be exercised before March 29 2019. No reason to do it now. We still have about nine months before action. I propose we will discuss the issue together with JE" — a reference, contextually, to Jeffrey Epstein (Barak to Junkermann, June 11, 2018).
The archive also contains, in the same document, an attachment reference labeled "Carbyne (formerly Reporty) - B round_.rtf" and "Reporty_Carbine_Response_to_Carbyne_questions_on_behalf_of_Nicole_Junkermann.docx," suggesting that investment-related documentation was being prepared on her behalf at the time.
Among the later documents in the archive is an April 7, 2017 email from Paul Barrett — identified in the email footer as "Managing Director | Global Investment Opportunities Group | J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | J.P. Morgan Private Bank" — sent to both Nicole Junkermann and Epstein. Barrett wrote: "Let me know what time works for the both of you. Have a great weekend" under the subject line "Monday it is..." (Barrett to Junkermann and Epstein, April 7, 2017).
Paul Barrett has been identified in separate InvArchives records as a J.P. Morgan relationship manager who handled Epstein accounts. The document places Barrett, Junkermann, and Epstein as co-participants in a meeting arrangement in April 2017, several years after J.P. Morgan had first extended banking services to Epstein.
The archive contains numerous shorter exchanges between Junkermann and Epstein spanning multiple years, tracking social contact as well as business logistics. A December 2017 exchange records Junkermann asking Epstein "Can we skype today around 4 cet?" Epstein provided his Skype name — "jeevacation" — and they arranged a call for that afternoon. A separate message from that same day, December 17, 2017, shows Junkermann telling Epstein "She is still asleep will try again at 2030 if that is ok for you," followed by Epstein's reply: "just ping me 30 minutes before." The identity of "she" is not clarified in the documents. After the call, Epstein wrote: "thx great seeing you," and Junkermann replied: "Pls more often :)" (Junkermann-Epstein exchange, December 16–17, 2017).
The documents trace a relationship that appears to have begun no later than February 2013 and continued through at least December 2017 — a period that began approximately five years after his 2008 Florida conviction. The records include business discussions about investment roles, attendance at a meeting at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse, co-investor correspondence about a jointly held startup, and social contact.
In November 2018, Nicole Junkermann told the German financial publication Handelsblatt that UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock had invited her to join the Department of Health's Scientific Advisory Board, where she would provide guidance on how medical innovations could be introduced into the British healthcare system. The article described her as holding 24 minority stakes in companies across 12 countries, with a personal focus on the health sector (Handelsblatt interview, November 2018).
The documents archived at InvArchives do not indicate that Junkermann was aware of, or implicated in, the criminal conduct for which Epstein was ultimately federally indicted in July 2019. The records establish her name and contact information appear in the seized federal archive across 1,959 documents, that she corresponded directly and regularly with Epstein over multiple years, that she co-invested in a company alongside Epstein and Ehud Barak, and that she attended at least one meeting at Epstein's mansion.
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