Ron Soffer
Soffer illustrates the figure of the multi-jurisdictional legal intermediary whose tri-national bar admissions, IDF JAG background, European Court of Human Rights practice, and high-end art litigation portfolio position him at a convergence of investigation threads without generating a proportionate documentary footprint — a profile that illustrates the investigative challenges posed by multi-jurisdictional legal practice.
Ron Shaul Soffer (born November 12, 1960, Tel Aviv) is a Paris-based Israeli-French-American international litigation attorney and the founder of Soffer Avocats, a boutique firm established in 1994 at 8 Rue Magellan (later 4 Rue Quentin-Bauchart) in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. Admitted to the bars of Israel (1984), New York (1990), Paris (1992), and Split, Croatia, Soffer holds a law degree from Hebrew University (1982) and served five years as an officer in the International Law Branch of the Israel Defense Forces Judge Advocate General, where he worked on cases before the Israeli Supreme Court concerning the laws of war during the 1982 Lebanon War period. He went on to work in banking law at Edmond Safra's Republic National Bank of New York from 1988 to 1991 before founding his Paris practice. Soffer is admitted to practice before the International Criminal Court at The Hague, has presented cases to the European Court of Human Rights, and teaches ECHR jurisprudence annually at Hebrew University. His firm's practice spans criminal defense, art law, securities litigation, banking law, and international human rights across more than a dozen jurisdictions 12.
Soffer surfaces in the Epstein investigation through two distinct documentary traces spanning twenty-three years. In the mid-1990s, he operated as a partner in Fisher & Soffer (also rendered Fisher & Sophir) with criminal defense attorney Ivan Fisher at 34 East 69th Street, the former Iranian Deputy Consul General residence that Jeffrey Epstein had leased from the U.S. State Department's Office of Foreign Missions and illegally sublet to Fisher in 1996. The government sued for ejectment (SDNY 1:96-cv-08307), naming Soffer as a defendant; Judge Chin granted summary judgment ejecting all defendants on April 1, 1998 3. Then in January 2019, Soffer's name resurfaced in a single House Oversight document 4 when Reid Weingarten, Epstein's defense attorney at Steptoe, asked Epstein about "a french/Israeli lawyer named ron soffer who has his main office in paris" whom Weingarten was considering hiring for "the Softbank caper" — the Rajeev Misra/Alessandro Benedetti honey trap scheme against rival SoftBank executives. Epstein counseled Weingarten to "go slow" and offered to vet Soffer through his European connections 56.
Based on comprehensive corpus searches, Soffer appears to be referenced in exactly one document across the 331,000-page Epstein document collection — the January 2019 Weingarten email. He has no SEC filings, no FARA registrations, no corporate entities in U.S. registries, no offshore leak database entries, and no LittleSis or OCCRP records. His only U.S. campaign finance activity is a single $1,000 FEC donation to the American Association for Justice PAC in July 2007 7. The French SIRENE registry confirms his sole proprietorship (SIREN 380866657) closed on June 30, 2024. This minimal footprint notwithstanding, analysis of available records suggests Soffer's professional orbit intersects multiple Epstein investigation threads: his representation of Yves Bouvier against Dmitry Rybolovlev in the billion-dollar Bouvier Affair involved the same Xitrans Finance Ltd (BVI) entities that appear in the Panama Papers and Epstein's money laundering theory, while Epstein's claim that Soffer was connected to Thorbjørn Jagland, then Secretary General of the Council of Europe, links him to the same figure now facing aggravated corruption charges in Norway over his relationship with Epstein 8910.
IDF JAG Service and Early Career
Soffer graduated from Hebrew University School of Law in 1982 and was admitted to the Israel Bar in 1984. He then served approximately five years (c. 1982–1987) as an officer in the International Law Branch of the IDF Judge Advocate General's Corps, a division responsible for advising the military on international humanitarian law, laws of armed conflict, rules of engagement, and representing the IDF in Supreme Court petitions. His tenure overlapped with the 1982 Lebanon War and its aftermath, including the Sabra and Shatila massacre inquiry and numerous Supreme Court petitions challenging IDF conduct. His firm website states he "worked on dozens of cases presented to the Israeli Supreme Court on issues of laws of war." No public source identifies specific cases Soffer handled, and exhaustive searches for "Ron Soffer intelligence" or connections to Mossad, Shin Bet, or AMAN returned zero results. The IDF JAG International Law Branch is a legal rather than intelligence function, though personnel routinely hold security clearances and work with classified material 11.
In 1988, Soffer moved to New York to work in banking law at Edmond Safra's Republic National Bank of New York, where he remained until 1991. Republic National Bank was Safra's flagship U.S. institution, operating 80 branches in the New York metro area with deep Middle Eastern, Latin American, and European connections. The bank was later sold to HSBC for $10.3 billion in 1999; Safra died in a suspicious fire in Monaco in December 1999. Soffer's three-year tenure at Republic overlaps with his New York Bar admission in 1990 and provides the banking law expertise that would characterize his later practice 12.
34 East 69th Street and the Fisher Partnership
The first documented point of contact between Soffer and the Epstein network is the property at 34 East 69th Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The building was the former residence of the Deputy Consul General of Iran; after the United States severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980, the Office of Foreign Missions took custody of the property. Jeffrey Epstein leased the building from OFM beginning February 1, 1992 at $15,000 per month. In January 1996, Epstein abandoned the premises, and in May 1996 he sublet the building to criminal defense attorney Ivan Fisher at $20,000 per month — pocketing a $5,000 monthly markup — without obtaining the required written consent from OFM. Fisher then further sublet portions of the building to multiple attorneys and businesses, including Soffer, with the two operating as Fisher & Soffer (a/k/a Fisher & Sophir), a general partnership 13.
The arrangement collapsed in November 1996 when the U.S. government sued for ejectment (SDNY 1:96-cv-08307, Judge Denny Chin). The Second Amended Complaint, filed December 17, 1997, named seventeen defendants including Epstein, Fisher, Fisher & Soffer as a partnership, and Soffer individually — described as "a resident of both the State of New York and France, with a business address at 34 East 69th Street." Soffer used the address for his New York State Office of Court Administration attorney registration. Epstein separately sued Fisher for nonpayment of rent (SDNY 1:97-cv-01489), which Fisher had stopped paying after an AUSA meeting in September 1996. The government sought partial summary judgment specifically targeting Soffer and Diane Fisher, the two holdout subtenants who declined a February 1998 stipulation that all other subtenants signed 14. Judge Chin granted summary judgment ejecting all defendants on April 1, 1998, ruling that Soffer "can have no greater rights than Fisher" 1516.
The Fisher partnership is notable for what it placed in proximity. Fisher was one of New York's most prominent criminal defense attorneys. Soffer brought IDF JAG training, tri-jurisdictional bar admissions, and Republic National Bank experience. Together they occupied a building under Epstein's control on a block where Epstein would later establish his townhouse headquarters. Soffer represented himself pro se in the federal proceedings, while Fisher was represented by Gage & Pavlis. The case terminated March 17, 1999 1718.
The Bouvier Affair and Rybolovlev Litigation
Soffer's most prominent professional engagement was as lead counsel for Yves Bouvier, the Swiss art dealer accused by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev of more than $1 billion in art fraud in what became known as the Bouvier Affair. Review of court filings indicates Soffer Avocats defended Bouvier across multiple jurisdictions — Monaco, Switzerland, Singapore, France, and the United States — from approximately 2015 through the final settlement in December 2023. In the United States, the firm appeared as co-counsel alongside McKool Smith and Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady in several related proceedings: In Re: Accent Delight International Ltd., Xitrans Finance Ltd. (SDNY 1:16-mc-00125, Judge Jesse Furman), a Section 1782 discovery application; a second Section 1782 application (SDNY 1:18-mc-00050); and Accent Delight International Ltd. v. Sotheby's (SDNY 1:18-cv-09011), a diversity fraud case that went to jury trial in January 2024, resulting in a verdict for Sotheby's. Review of the filings shows the multi-jurisdictional scope of the representation 192021.
The investigative significance of this litigation lies in the identities of the plaintiff entities. Accent Delight International Ltd. and Xitrans Finance Ltd. are British Virgin Islands companies controlled by Rybolovlev. Xitrans Finance appears in the Panama Papers and is the same entity referenced in Epstein's money laundering theory 22, an email in which Epstein described how wealthy individuals are approached to serve as front-men for trophy property purchases. Rybolovlev is independently connected to the Epstein network through his $95 million purchase of Donald Trump's Maison de l'Amitié in Palm Beach — a transaction in which Epstein was a court-approved stalking horse bidder — and through Deutsche Bank nexus points. In May 2019, Epstein himself discussed the Rybolovlev-Bouvier-Salvator Mundi triangle with Michael Wolff, asking: "is it a coincidence that the russian that bought the house in palm beach and knows all, is the same guy that sold a painting last year to mbs for 450 million dollars that was only worth 1.5m?" 23. Analysis of this representation suggests Soffer would have acquired detailed knowledge of Rybolovlev's financial structures and art dealings — information potentially relevant to Epstein's network of interests 2425.
Art Law and ECHR Practice
Beyond the Bouvier Affair, Soffer maintained a significant art law practice with particular expertise in Nazi-era looted art restitution. He represented Holocaust survivor Leone Meyer in obtaining restitution of Camille Pissarro's La Bergère Rentrant des Moutons from the University of Oklahoma, and represented American collectors Bruce and Robbi Toll in litigation over another looted Pissarro, La Cueillette des pois, stating publicly that they would appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. His firm partner Agnes Peresztegi, who is Of Counsel at Soffer Avocats and reportedly his wife, has more than twenty years of experience in WWII looted art restitution and is associated with the Commission for Art Recovery of the World Jewish Congress. Peresztegi testified before the U.S. Senate and helped secure passage of the HEAR Act in 2016 2627.
Review of court records shows Soffer also represented clients in the Chowaiki & Co. Fine Art Ltd. bankruptcy (SDNY Bankr. 17-13228, Chapter 7), filed November 2017, and appeared as counsel in the SIPC v. Madoff liquidation proceeding (SDNY Bankr. 08-01789); gallery owner Ezra Chowaiki was later criminally charged with wire fraud for selling consigned artworks and pocketing the proceeds (SDNY 1:18-cr-00323) 28.
HUDOC records show Soffer appeared as counsel in four European Court of Human Rights cases between 2010 and 2012: Broadhurst Investments Ltd (Cyprus) v. Romania (App 34868/03), two additional applications against Romania and France, and a judgment finding non-violation of Article 7 29. He teaches ECHR jurisprudence annually at Hebrew University and is a member of the scientific committee of the criminal law institute of the Paris Bar. He writes opinion columns for Israel Hayom — the newspaper founded by Sheldon Adelson — and JNS.org, focusing on ICC proceedings against Israel. Examination of this profile suggests it is consistent with access to Council of Europe institutional circles, and may provide a plausible professional basis for the Jagland connection that Epstein claimed 3031.
The Jagland Connection and the Two Soffers
Epstein's claim that Soffer was connected to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe requires careful disambiguation, because the Epstein document corpus contains two distinct individuals named Soffer in Jagland-adjacent contexts. The Secretary General was Thorbjørn Jagland, who served from 2009 to 2019 and whose relationship with Epstein is extensively documented: Epstein arranged and paid for Jagland's lodging, travel, and medical care, and in June 2018, Jagland agreed to approach Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov as part of an Epstein-brokered back-channel. In September 2012, when Epstein's personal physician Dr. Rony Shimony was unavailable for Yom Kippur, Epstein's assistant Lesley Groff arranged for Jagland to see "Dr. Soffer" — Shimony's medical partner — at 485 Madison Avenue, 17th Floor. Epstein paid $1,995 for the visit 3233. This medical Dr. Soffer is definitively not the lawyer Ron Soffer 34.
Whether Epstein, when telling Weingarten in January 2019 that Soffer and the Council of Europe Secretary General "know each other well," was referring to a genuine relationship between the lawyer and Jagland remains unresolved. He may have been accurately describing a professional connection rooted in Soffer's ECHR practice; he may have been conflating the two Soffers; or he may have been asserting intelligence authority he did not possess. The lawyer Ron Soffer's ECHR practice and annual teaching at Hebrew University on ECHR jurisprudence provide a plausible professional nexus to Council of Europe officials. However, examination of available records shows no independent source confirms a Soffer-Jagland relationship: HUDOC records show Soffer appeared in four ECHR cases (2010–2012), but no Council of Europe expert or consultant listings name him, and web searches for "Ron Soffer Jagland" return only articles about Jagland's February 2026 corruption charges — charges filed by Norwegian Økokrim specifically over his Epstein relationship, with the Council of Europe waiving his immunity on February 11, 2026 3135.
The timing adds a further layer: on January 14, 2019 — twelve days before the Soffer exchange — someone forwarded Epstein the official Council of Europe press release announcing four candidates for the next Secretary General election 36. Jagland's term was ending October 1, 2019. Analysis of this document suggests Epstein was monitoring CoE succession politics, and that Soffer's claimed connection was to an outgoing official whose replacement was already being selected — a detail that does not necessarily diminish the connection's value but contextualizes Epstein's interest in the CoE at that moment 37.
The SoftBank Exchange and Epstein as Intelligence Node
The January 21–26, 2019 email thread (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576–028588) between Reid Weingarten and Epstein reveals the operational context in which Soffer's name arose. On January 25, Weingarten asked Epstein about Rajeev Misra of SoftBank Vision Fund, seeking "any special jeffrey insights." Epstein confirmed Misra wanted representation and that Brad Karp of Paul Weiss already represented SoftBank itself — but not Misra directly. The following evening, Weingarten raised Soffer: "Ever hear of a french/Israeli lawyer named ron soffer who has his main office in paris...He wants me to hire him thinking about using him on the Softbank caper." Epstein's response was cautious: "go slow." He then asserted independent knowledge of Soffer's network, claiming to be "very good friends with the sec gen council of europe, human rights court" and that Soffer and the Secretary General "know each other well." Weingarten asked Epstein to "get the book on him" — a request for intelligence vetting 538.
The "SoftBank caper" referred to the scheme in which Misra allegedly paid $500,000 from Standard Chartered to Barkmere Group, a BVI entity controlled by Alessandro Benedetti, to sabotage rival SoftBank executives Nikesh Arora and Alok Sama through negative media leaks and a honey trap operation in Tokyo. Benedetti was Paris-based and appears in Epstein's Paris contact lists 3940. On the same day Weingarten asked about Soffer, Epstein separately emailed Brad Karp asking "Rajeev Misra do you represent?" 41. Analysis of the exchange suggests Epstein was functioning as a shared intelligence node between Karp/Paul Weiss (representing SoftBank) and Weingarten/Steptoe (potentially representing Misra), with the instruction to conceal this dual channel: "obviously dont mention my role with brad till we both think it useful" 42.
Whether Weingarten ultimately hired Soffer is unknown from the documentary record. Analysis of the exchange indicates a gatekeeper function in which a lawyer seeking work on a covert corporate operation was subjected to Epstein's intelligence vetting before engagement, with Epstein's "go slow" counsel and claim of independent access to Soffer's network connections suggesting he asserted value not through legal expertise but through the ability to verify and contextualize contacts across jurisdictional boundaries 8.
Regulatory Footprint and Jurisdictional Opacity
Review of records across more than twenty-five United States regulatory and corporate databases returned no results for Ron Soffer. He has no corporate entities in Florida, New York, New Mexico, or Pennsylvania registries; no SEC EDGAR filings; no NYC property records; no UCC filings; no FAA aircraft registrations; no lobbying registrations; no FARA foreign agent registrations; no OCCRP Aleph records; no LittleSis power network entries; no GLEIF legal entity identifiers; and no OpenSanctions hits. Records show his only United States financial trace is the single $1,000 FEC donation to the American Association for Justice PAC on July 25, 2007, where he listed his employer as "CABINER RON SOFFER" (French phonetic spelling of Cabinet) at 8 Rue Magellan, Paris 75008 4344.
Soffer is similarly absent from ICIJ offshore leak databases. Searches of the Panama Papers, Paradise Papers, and Pandora Papers returned seventeen "Soffer" results, none matching Ron Soffer. A "Gil Soffer" from France appears as an officer in the Paradise Papers Malta corporate registry, but this is a different individual. According to the French government SIRENE registry, Soffer's sole proprietorship was registered under full name RON SHAUL SOFFER (SIREN 380866657) on December 3, 1990, with French nationality. The practice operated from 8 Rue Magellan (1995–2015) then 4 Rue Quentin-Bauchart (2015–2024) with one to two employees at peak. Records indicate the entity closed on June 30, 2024, with all four registered establishments now inactive 945.
For a practicing attorney admitted to three major bars and conducting multi-jurisdictional litigation across more than a dozen countries — including the billion-dollar Bouvier Affair, the Madoff SIPC proceeding, and ECHR cases — analysis of this profile indicates the absence from United States registries is consistent with a lawyer whose practice is headquartered in Paris and operates primarily through French or European entities 46.
All Connections
12 total
All Connections
12 totalWeingarten (Steptoe) considered hiring Soffer for the SoftBank caper in Jan 2019. Soffer had approached Weingarten seeking work. Weingarten asked Epstein to vet him.
Soffer Avocats served as lead counsel for Bouvier in the billion-dollar Bouvier Affair against Rybolovlev. SDNY cases: Accent Delight/Xitrans (1:16-mc-00125) and Accent Delight v. Sothebys (1:18-cv-09011).
Soffer was lead counsel for Bouvier AGAINST Rybolovlev in Accent Delight/Xitrans litigation. Adversarial relationship. Rybolovlev independently connected to Epstein network through Trump property deal and Xitrans Finance/Panama Papers.
Fisher and Soffer shared office space at 34 E 69th St NYC from 1996, operating as Fisher and Soffer aka Fisher and Sophir. Fisher was prominent criminal defense attorney (Pizza Connection Trial). Building was Epstein sublease from US Office of Foreign Missions
Ron Soffer worked in banking law at Edmond Safra's Republic National Bank of New York (1988-1991). Republic was Safra's flagship US banking institution. Soffer was an employee/in-house counsel, not a principal.
Agnes Peresztegi is Of Counsel at Ron Soffer's firm Soffer Avocats and reportedly his wife. She specializes in WWII looted art restitution and is associated with the Commission for Art Recovery of the World Jewish Congress.
Epstein claimed knowledge of Soffer's connections: very good friends with Jagland (Council of Europe SG), they know each other well. Epstein served as intelligence node when Weingarten asked about Soffer Jan 2019.
Epstein stated Soffer was very good friends with Jagland (Council of Europe SG 2009-2019) and they know each other well. Soffer's ECHR practice provides professional basis for this relationship.
Subtenant in Epstein 34 E 69th St building 1996-1998 as Fisher & Soffer; Epstein claimed friendship with CoE Sec Gen who knows Soffer well (Jan 2019); considered for SoftBank caper
Epstein stated Soffer and the Council of Europe SG (Jagland) 'know each other well.' Epstein was 'very good friends' with Jagland. Soffer's CoE connection was through Jagland, whose term was ending Oct 2019.
Weingarten considered hiring Soffer for the SoftBank caper — the Misra/Benedetti honey trap scheme. Soffer multi-jurisdictional criminal litigation expertise and European court access made him a candidate. Unknown if engagement proceeded.
In the same email thread where Soffer was discussed, Epstein revealed Brad Karp (Paul Weiss) represented SoftBank (not Misra). Weingarten was considering Soffer for Misra's side. Epstein brokered intelligence between the two camps: obviously dont mention my role with brad till we both think it useful.
All Findings
58 total
All Findings
58 totalfinancial (2)
Republic National Bank of New York (1988-1991): Soffer worked in banking law at Edmond Safra's Republic National Bank before founding his Paris practice. Republic National Bank was founded by Edmond J. Safra (Lebanese-Brazilian-Israeli banker), later sold to HSBC for $10.3B in 1999. Safra died in a suspicious fire in Monaco Dec 1999. The bank was a major institution in the Israeli/Sephardic banking world with deep Middle East and Latin American connections. Soffer's 3-year tenure there (1988-1991) preceded his Paris career and overlaps with his New York Bar admission (1990).
Ron Soffer moved to New York in 1988 to join Republic National Bank of New York where he worked until 1991. Republic National Bank was Edmond Safra's flagship US institution. Safra was one of the wealthiest bankers in the world with extensive Middle East, Latin American, and European connections. The bank operated 80 branches in the NY metro area. Safra's death in Monaco (Dec 3, 1999 fire) remains controversial. The FBI has records on Safra and Republic National Bank. Soffer's banking law background at this institution is consistent with his later practice areas (banking law, corporate finance, international contracts) and his tri-jurisdictional career (Israel-US-France). This also provides context for the Fisher & Soffer partnership at 34 E 69th St -- Soffer was practicing law in NY during the same period Epstein leased the building (1992).
FEC records confirm Ron Soffer donated $1,000 to American Association for Justice PAC (AAJ PAC, C00024521) on July 25, 2007. Listed as 'SOFFER, RON MR. ESQ.' with employer 'CABINER RON SOFFER' (French spelling for Cabinet Ron Soffer), occupation 'ATTORNEY', location 'PARIS, 75008'. This is the 8th arrondissement of Paris, the business/luxury district near Champs-Elysees. This is the ONLY US campaign finance record for Ron Soffer the Paris lawyer. AAJ is the trial lawyers' association (formerly ATLA).
communication (5)
EFTA01898034 email (March 19, 2013) from unidentified woman to Epstein: 'Just came back from 1 week of holidays in Miami with the Soffer and my husband. Lovely time\! I am very tan and beautiful. Husband back to Italy. Me in London, worked today with my architect on our London apartment to be renovated...Going back tomorrow to Cannes in our house.' The reference to 'the Soffer' (with definite article) suggests a Soffer family known to both parties. Given the London/Italy/Cannes context and Epstein's network, this could reference Ron Soffer or could be a different Soffer entirely (e.g. the Turnberry Soffers in Miami). Cannot confirm identity without more context.
Jan 26, 2019 email chain (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576): Weingarten asks Epstein about Ron Soffer, describing him as a french/Israeli lawyer named ron soffer who has his main office in paris (a yid who also works out of nyc). Weingarten says Soffer wants me to hire him and is thinking about using him on the Softbank caper. Epstein responds go slow and claims he is very good friends with the sec gen council of europe, human rights court and that they know each other well. Weingarten then asks Epstein to get the book on him. This shows: (1) Soffer sought out Weingarten for the SoftBank matter, (2) Epstein claimed to have independent intelligence channels to evaluate Soffer via Council of Europe connections, (3) Epstein exercised vetting authority over Weingarten legal counsel choices.
House Oversight document HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576 reveals January 26, 2019 email exchange where Reid Weingarten (Epstein defense attorney) asks about Ron Soffer: 'Ever hear of a french/Israeli lawyer named ron soffer who has his main office in paris...(a yid who also works out of nyc)'. Response from unknown party states 'they know each other well' - suggesting Epstein and Soffer maintained a connection. This exchange occurred ~6 months before Epstein's July 2019 arrest. Weingarten was considering Soffer for 'the Softbank caper' (per existing finding #779).
The full HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576 email thread (Jan 21-26, 2019) reveals far more than just the Soffer inquiry. Key intelligence from the same thread: (1) Epstein told Weingarten SDNY was 'trying to get out a rico claim against the org' — foreknowledge of his July 2019 arrest. (2) Epstein had 'two more bidders' (possibly for Google project). (3) Weingarten noted Epstein owed Steptoe ~$300K of ~$750K in fees: 'seems disinclined to make Steptoe whole.' (4) Epstein was leaving for Europe (Paris) the next day. (5) 'Lily Sanchez' mentioned in sexual context. (6) 'Kathy would tackle me' — reference to Kathy Ruemmler (Weingarten's wife). (7) 'obviously dont mention my role with brad till we both think it useful' — compartmentalization between Karp (SoftBank counsel) and Weingarten (potential Misra counsel) with Epstein as connector.
EFTA01898034 (Mar 19, 2013): Email to Epstein from an unidentified European woman ('A') mentions 'Just came back from 1 week of holidays in Miami with the Soffer and my husband. Lovely time\! I am very tan and beautiful.' Sender has Italian husband, London apartment being renovated, house in Cannes, organizing art exhibitions. The reference to 'the Soffer' (with definite article) suggests a family name, possibly the Miami-based Soffer family (Turnberry Associates / Donald Soffer). This is NOT Ron Soffer the lawyer — the context (Miami vacation, married couple socializing) and phrasing suggest a social acquaintance family. The sender signs 'Love, A' to Epstein. This is the only 'Soffer' reference in the DOJ email corpus besides the medical Dr. Soffer and the geographer Arnon Soffer — none of the 3 corpus 'Soffer' references are the lawyer Ron Soffer.
relationship (2)
Dr. Rony Shimony (whose medical partner is 'Dr. Soffer') had a direct email relationship with both Jeffrey Epstein and Terje Rod-Larsen. EFTA02531040 shows Shimony emailing Rod-Larsen with cc to Epstein about 'Procedure' (Feb 2018). EFTA01888282 shows Epstein staff arranging for 'Dr. Soffer' (Shimony's partner) to see 'Jagbland' (likely Thorbjorn Jagland, Council of Europe Sec Gen). EFTA02293949 shows Epstein requesting to see Dr. Shimony (Sept 2018). This 'Dr. Soffer' is likely a DIFFERENT person from lawyer Ron Soffer, but the Jagland connection appears in both contexts - Ron Soffer the lawyer was reportedly considered for a role involving Jagland per target briefing.
Agnes Peresztegi (Soffer's wife/partner) is Of Counsel at Soffer Avocats specializing in WWII looted art restitution. She is associated with the Commission for Art Recovery of the World Jewish Congress, and has 20+ years experience advising non-profit organizations on restitution claims and representing Holocaust survivors/heirs. She recently represented heirs in claims against the Folkwang Museum and in the Pissarro painting seizure case in France. The Nazi art restitution practice adds another layer to Soffer Avocats' profile: the firm operates at the intersection of international litigation, art law, human rights, and Holocaust justice.
Agnes Peresztegi is Of Counsel at Soffer Avocats. She is described as a renowned attorney in World War II looted art litigation, both in Europe and in the United States, with over 20 years of experience in advising non-profit organizations on restitution claims and representing Holocaust survivors and heirs. She is associated with the Commission for Art Recovery of the World Jewish Congress. Recent cases include filing formal claims with the Folkwang Museum and representing an American collector in a Nazi-looted Pissarro painting seizure case in France. The WJC Commission for Art Recovery connection links Soffer Avocats to the broader World Jewish Congress institutional network.
legal (18)
In 1992, Epstein leased 34 East 69th Street (former Iranian Deputy Consul General residence seized by US State Dept Office of Foreign Missions) for $15,000/month. In 1996, Epstein sublet the building to criminal defense attorney Ivan S. Fisher for $20,000/month (pocketing $5K/month). Fisher sublet portions to several subtenants including Ron Soffer, operating as 'Fisher & Soffer a/k/a Fisher & Sophir.' The US sued for ejectment in Nov 1996 (SDNY 1:96-cv-08307, Judge Denny Chin). Epstein separately sued Fisher (SDNY 1:97-cv-01489). This places Soffer in Epstein's physical orbit in the mid-1990s, sharing office space in an Epstein-controlled building on the Upper East Side.
LEGAL TIMELINE RECONSTRUCTION of all Ron Soffer US court appearances: (1) 1992-1998: Fisher & Soffer partnership at 34 E 69th St (Iranian consular property subleased via Epstein). Soffer was a NAMED DEFENDANT (not counsel) in US v. Epstein, 96 Civ 8307 (DC). Represented himself pro se. Ejected by summary judgment Apr 1, 1998. (2) 2008-ongoing: SIPC v. Madoff (SDNY Bankr. 08-01789) — appeared as counsel, details of representation unclear from docket alone. (3) 2016-2017: In Re: Accent Delight/Xitrans (SDNY 1:16-mc-00125) — Section 1782 discovery, appeared as co-counsel for Bouvier. Went to 2d Cir. (16-3655, 869 F.3d 121). (4) 2017: Chowaiki & Co. Fine Art bankruptcy (SDNY Bankr. 17-13228) — appeared as counsel. (5) 2018-2024: Accent Delight v. Sothebys (SDNY 1:18-cv-09011) — diversity fraud case, appeared as co-counsel for Bouvier. Trial Jan 2024, verdict for Sotheby's. (6) 2018: In Re: Accent Delight (SDNY 1:18-mc-00050) — second Section 1782 application. Total: 1 case as defendant, 5 cases as counsel, spanning 28 years of US court presence from 1996 to 2024.
Epstein v. Fisher holdover proceedings (SDNY 1:97-cv-01489, Judge Denny Chin): Filed Mar 5, 1997, terminated Mar 31, 2000. Cause: 28:1443(1) Removal from State Court - Civil Rights: Rent, Lease, and Ejectment. Epstein initiated holdover proceedings in NYC Civil Court against Fisher for nonpayment of rent under the sublease (Fisher had stopped paying rent after Sept 1996 AUSA meeting). Fisher removed to federal court; Judge Chin granted consolidation with the government's ejectment action (96-cv-8307). This case is significant because it confirms: (1) Epstein treated the Iranian consular property as income property (profiting $5K/month markup), (2) Fisher stopped paying when informed the sublease was illegal, (3) Epstein pursued legal claims against Fisher even after the government moved to eject them all. The Soffer reference in this docket is the same Apr 9, 1998 show-cause order cross-filed from 96-cv-8307.
Ron Soffer was a defendant in 96 CIV 8307 as a subtenant at 34 East 69th Street. He was listed as a resident of New York and France, and was part of Fisher & Soffer a/k/a Fisher & Sophir (Ivan Fisher's law partnership). Soffer was one of two holdout subtenants (with Diane Fisher) against whom the government sought partial summary judgment in March 1998 (EFTA01325003). This places Soffer in Epstein's physical orbit as early as 1996. Soffer later appears in the Jan 2019 Weingarten-Epstein email exchanges regarding the SoftBank matter.
Full docket reconstruction of US v. Epstein (SDNY 1:96-cv-08307): Second Amended Complaint (Dec 1997) named 17 defendants including Epstein, Fisher, Fisher & Soffer, and Ron Soffer individually. Judge Chin's Apr 1, 1998 opinion (1998 WL 159055) granted summary judgment for ejectment of all defendants. Soffer was the last holdout subtenant, declining the stipulation signed by all others. Key details: Epstein leased 34 E 69th St from OFM on Feb 1, 1992 at $15K/month, abandoned Jan 3, 1996, sublet to Fisher May 7, 1996 at $20K/month despite OFM denial. Fisher further sublet to multiple attorneys and businesses including Fisher & Soffer. The property was the former Iranian Deputy Consul General residence, making occupants trespassers on Iranian government property under US custodianship. Soffer registered the address with NY State Office of Court Administration for attorney registration purposes. Case terminated Mar 17, 1999.
Soffer represented Holocaust survivor Leone Meyer in obtaining restitution of Pissarro painting 'La Bergere Rentrant des Moutons' from University of Oklahoma, and represented American collectors Bruce and Robbi Toll in litigation over another looted Pissarro ('La Cueillette des pois'), stating they would appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. Soffer's firm partner Agnes Peresztegi has 20+ years experience in WWII looted art restitution and testified before the US Senate, helping secure passage of the HEAR Act (2016). This art restitution expertise gives Soffer deep connections in the European institutional and cultural property world.
Ron Soffer / Soffer Avocats served as lead counsel for Yves Bouvier in the Bouvier Affair — a billion-dollar art fraud dispute with Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev. Cases include: In Re: Accent Delight International Ltd, Xitrans Finance Ltd. (SDNY 1:16-mc-00125, filed 2016-03-25, Judge Jesse Furman) — a Section 1782 subpoena case involving Xitrans Finance Ltd (the same BVI entity from Panama Papers linked to Rybolovlev-Trump property deal in our investigation). Also Accent Delight International Ltd. v. Sotheby's (SDNY 1:18-cv-09011, filed 2018-10-02, fraud, Judge Furman) — jury sided with Sotheby's Jan 2024. Soffer Avocats also appears in the Madoff SIPC liquidation proceeding (SDNY, filed 2008-12-11). The Rybolovlev connection is investigatively significant: Rybolovlev is already linked to Epstein through the Trump-Maison de l'Amitie deal, Xitrans Finance/Panama Papers, and the money laundering theory in EFTA02625537.
Accent Delight Section 1782 case reconstruction (SDNY 1:16-mc-00125, Judge Jesse Furman): Filed Mar 25, 2016 by Accent Delight International Ltd. and Xitrans Finance Ltd. (BVI entities controlled by Dmitry Rybolovlev) seeking 28 USC 1782 discovery for use in foreign proceedings. Respondents included Sotheby's, Yves Bouvier, MEI Invest Ltd., Warren Adelson, Robert Simon, and Alexander Parish. Subpoenas sought documents from US-based art dealers and auction houses about Bouvier's art transactions on Rybolovlev's behalf. Went to Second Circuit (16-3655), argued Dec 13, 2016, decided Aug 28, 2017 (869 F.3d 121) — a precedential ruling on Section 1782 discovery scope. Case terminated Sep 20, 2017 at district level. A second Section 1782 application filed Feb 13, 2018 (1:18-mc-00050, also Judge Furman). Counsel for Accent Delight/Xitrans included Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP and Goodwin Procter LLP. Counsel for Bouvier/MEI Invest included McKool Smith and Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP — Soffer Avocats was co-counsel on the Bouvier side. Bouvier filed a Monaco Court of Appeal Decision (French) as exhibit in Dec 2019.
Chowaiki & Co. Fine Art Ltd. bankruptcy (SDNY Bankr. 17-13228, Chapter 7): Filed Nov 13, 2017 by gallery owner Ezra Chowaiki. Trustee: Albert Togut (Togut Segal & Segal LLP). Ezra Chowaiki was later criminally charged (SDNY 1:18-cr-00323) for wire fraud in connection with art consignment fraud — he sold consigned artworks and pocketed the proceeds. The Rosen v. Chowaiki adversary proceeding (17-01242, filed Dec 12, 2017) sought recovery of money/property and declaratory judgment. Multiple related adversary proceedings were filed by trustee Togut against galleries (Helly Nahmad Gallery, Benenson, Aryeh, Stein). Soffer Avocats appeared as counsel in this bankruptcy — this connects to Soffer's art law practice and expertise in the same high-end NYC art market where the Bouvier-Rybolovlev disputes played out. The Chowaiki gallery was at 24 E 73rd St, just 4 blocks from Epstein's 34 E 69th St.
Accent Delight International Ltd. v. Sothebys (SDNY 1:18-cv-09011, Judge Furman): Filed Oct 2, 2018 as diversity fraud case. Plaintiffs: Accent Delight International Ltd. and Xitrans Finance Ltd. Defendants: Sotheby's Inc., Sotheby's, and later Yves Bouvier and Sanford Heller added. Case terminated Feb 2, 2024. Jury trial resulted in verdict for Sotheby's in Jan 2024. Defendant counsel included Hogan Lovells LLP and Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP. Plaintiff/intervenor counsel included Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP. Soffer Avocats was involved on behalf of Bouvier. Law firms also included McKool Smith, Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP, Kaufman Lieb Lebowitz & Frick LLP, Democracy Forward Foundation, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America (likely amicus). The case alleged Sotheby's conspired with Bouvier in fraudulent art markups against Rybolovlev. Referred to Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo. This was the culmination of the Bouvier Affair in US courts.
Soffer Avocats serves as lead counsel for Yves Bouvier, the Swiss art dealer accused by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev of $1B art fraud in the 'Bouvier Affair.' Soffer defended Bouvier across jurisdictions (Monaco, Switzerland, Singapore, France, US) from 2015 until settlement in Dec 2023. Monaco Court of Appeal dismissed fraud charges Dec 2019. Geneva prosecutor closed investigation Dec 2023. This is investigatively significant because: (1) Rybolovlev is a key figure in the Epstein-Trump property thread (purchased Trump's Maison de l'Amitie for $95M); (2) the CourtListener search for 'Ron Soffer' returns Accent Delight v. Sotheby's and In Re: Accent Delight/Xitrans Finance -- the same Xitrans Finance Ltd (BVI, Panama Papers) that appears in Epstein's money laundering theory (EFTA02625537).
Ron Soffer has ZERO presence in US federal court records as a named party — no cases with 'Ron Soffer' as plaintiff or defendant were found in CourtListener. His only US federal court appearances are as COUNSEL (attorney of record) in: (1) Accent Delight/Xitrans v. Sotheby's (Bouvier-Rybolovlev art fraud), (2) Madoff SIPC liquidation, and (3) Chowaiki & Co. Fine Art Ltd. bankruptcy. He has zero FARA registrations, zero LDA lobbying filings, zero SEC EDGAR filings, zero entries in investigation reports (ingested PDFs), zero OCCRP Aleph records, and zero LittleSis entries. For a practicing attorney described as working out of both Paris and NYC, this minimal US footprint is consistent with someone whose primary practice is in French/European courts (Paris Bar, ECHR, ICC) rather than the US system.
CRITICAL: Ron Soffer / Soffer Avocats represented Yves Bouvier in the Accent Delight International / Xitrans Finance litigation (SDNY 1:16-mc-00125 and 1:18-cv-09011, Judge Furman). Accent Delight and Xitrans Finance are BVI entities controlled by Dmitry Rybolovlev, the Russian oligarch who purchased Trump's Maison de l'Amitie for $95M. Rybolovlev sued Bouvier alleging $1B+ art fraud. Soffer as Bouvier's Paris-based counsel connects directly to the Epstein network: (1) Xitrans Finance appears in the Panama Papers and our investigation linked it to Epstein's alleged money laundering theory (EFTA02625537), (2) Rybolovlev is the buyer of Trump's Palm Beach property in the transaction where Epstein was court-approved stalking horse bidder, (3) Wolff manuscript corrections reference Rybolovlev and Deutsche Bank. This makes Soffer not just a peripheral contact but someone operating in the Rybolovlev litigation orbit that intersects with Epstein's financial intelligence network.
Judge Denny Chin ruled April 1, 1998 (1998 WL 159055, SDNY 96 Civ. 8307) granting ejectment against all defendants including Ron Soffer from 34 E 69th St. Soffer was the ONLY subtenant who refused to sign stipulation agreeing to be bound by court ejectment order. All 11 other subtenants signed. Chin ruled Soffer can have no greater rights than Fisher. Soffer used 34 E 69th as his NY bar registration address.
Government motion (March 13, 1998) for partial summary judgment specifically targeting Diane Fisher and Ron Soffer for ejectment from 34 E 69th St. Government had requested all subtenants stipulate on Feb 2, 1998. Soffer apparently declined. Government noted Soffer used premises as business address and registered it as his office with NY State OCA for attorney registration. Motion filed by AUSA Serene K. Nakano under US Atty Mary Jo White.
Second Amended Complaint (EFTA01324981, Dec 17 1997) formally describes Ron Soffer as 'a resident of both the State of New York and France, with a business address at 34 East 69th Street, New York, New York.' Fisher & Soffer described as 'a general partnership with a business address at 34 East 69th Street' where 'Defendants Fisher and Soffer are partners.' Also listed as 'Fisher & Soffer a/k/a Fisher & Sophir' suggesting alternate spelling/alias. Case brought by USAO SDNY under Mary Jo White on behalf of Office of Foreign Missions re Iranian consular property.
34 E 69th St was the former residence of the Deputy Consul General of Iran. After diplomatic ties severed in 1980, OFM took custody. Epstein leased it from Feb 1992 at 15K/mo, extended to Jan 1997. Epstein abandoned in Jan 1996 and sublet to Ivan Fisher at 20K/mo in May 1996 WITHOUT OFM written consent. Fisher further sublet to Soffer and others. Soffer represented himself pro se in the federal case, while Fisher was represented by Gage & Pavlis. The property connection means Soffer was occupying Iranian government property under US State Department custody, illegally sublet through two layers (Epstein to Fisher to Soffer).
HUDOC confirms Ron Soffer appeared as counsel in 4 ECHR cases: (1) Broadhurst Investments Ltd (Cyprus) v Romania (App 34868/03, admissibility 15/06/2010) - Cypriot commercial company; (2) App 10787/08 et al v Romania (admissibility 10/04/2012); (3) App 50425/06 et al v France (partly admissible 31/08/2010); (4) App 50425/06 et al v France (judgment 06/10/2011, non-violation Art 7). Cases span 2010-2012. Soffer described as 'Me Ron Soffer, avocat a Paris' in ECHR documents.
intelligence (17)
Comprehensive US financial/corporate footprint search yielded ZERO results across 14 databases: no US corporate entities (FL, NY, NM, PA registries), no SEC EDGAR filings, no NYC property records, no UCC filings, no FAA aircraft, no lobbying registrations, no FARA foreign agent registrations, no OCCRP Aleph records, no LittleSis entries, no nonprofit organizations. Only US financial trace: single $1,000 FEC donation in 2007. This near-total absence from US registries is consistent with a lawyer whose practice is headquartered in Paris and operates primarily in European/international jurisdictions. It means any financial arrangements involving Soffer would be conducted through French or offshore entities, outside the reach of these US-focused databases.
FL SunBiz re-verified Feb 15 2026 after entity-name search fix (corprindata→cordata). Generic name matches found but none connected to Epstein network (no known associates as officers, no known addresses). Original conclusion unchanged.
SYNTHESIS: Ron Soffer is a network convergence node across 5 independent Epstein investigation threads. (1) RYBOLOVLEV: Lead counsel for Bouvier vs Rybolovlev — same Xitrans Finance Ltd (BVI/Panama Papers) from Epstein money laundering theory. (2) JAGLAND/NORWAY: Claimed CoE Sec Gen connection — same Jagland from Putin back-channel. (3) IDF/ISRAEL: 5yr IDF JAG officer, Israel Hayom columnist, Hebrew University lecturer. (4) SOFTBANK: Considered for Misra/Benedetti honey trap operation. (5) PHYSICAL CO-LOCATION: Office at 34 E 69th St (Epstein-controlled building) in 1990s via Fisher & Soffer. Additionally, EFTA00925685 (Dec 2011) reveals Benedetti was Epstein's NEIGHBOR on Avenue Foch, Paris — 4 years before SoftBank campaign. Soffer appears in only 1 document in entire 331K-page corpus (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576), yet connects to 5 major threads. The convergence suggests Soffer occupied a rarefied position: a French/Israeli lawyer with IDF intelligence background, ECHR/CoE institutional access, Rybolovlev litigation knowledge, and physical proximity to Epstein in both NYC (1990s) and Paris (via Avenue Foch neighborhood).
IMPORTANT DISAMBIGUATION: DOJ Vol 11 contains 7 documents referencing 'Dr. Soffer' (EFTA02560788, EFTA02560717, EFTA02561366, EFTA02561192, EFTA02560232, EFTA02561171) — these refer to a MEDICAL DOCTOR at 485 Madison Ave (between 51st-52nd), 17th Floor, who is the partner of Dr. Rony Shimony (Epstein's personal physician). In Sept 2012, Groff arranged for Jagland to see Dr. Soffer when Dr. Shimony was unavailable (Yom Kippur). Epstein paid $1,995 for the visit. This Dr. Soffer is NOT the lawyer Ron Soffer. The lawyer Ron Soffer appears ONLY in HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576 (Jan 2019 Weingarten exchange).
Epstein claimed Ron Soffer was 'very good friends with the sec gen council of europe, human rights court' and 'they know each other well.' The Secretary General of the Council of Europe was Thorbjorn Jagland (2009-2019). The DOJ Vol 11 contains 6 emails (EFTA02560788, EFTA02560717, EFTA02561366, EFTA02561192, EFTA02560232, EFTA02561171) showing Epstein arranged and paid $1,995 for Jagland's medical appointment with a DIFFERENT Dr. Soffer — an ophthalmologist at 485 Madison Ave (partner of Dr. Rony Shimony) — on Sept 27, 2012. This medical Dr. Soffer is NOT Ron Soffer the lawyer. However, the Soffer surname overlap in the Epstein-Jagland relationship is notable. Epstein's deep relationship with Jagland (paying for his medical care, coercing Rod-Larsen through Norwegian intelligence) establishes the Council of Europe connection independently.
NETWORK CONVERGENCE: Ron Soffer sits at a remarkable intersection of multiple Epstein investigation threads. (1) RYBOLOVLEV THREAD: Soffer represents Bouvier, who is adversary of Rybolovlev -- the same Rybolovlev connected to Epstein via the Trump Maison de l'Amitie purchase and Xitrans Finance Ltd (BVI/Panama Papers). Soffer would have deep knowledge of Rybolovlev's financial structures and art dealings. (2) JAGLAND/NORWAY THREAD: Epstein claims Soffer knows CoE Sec Gen Jagland well. Jagland is central to the Epstein-Norway-Putin back-channel (June 2018 Jagland agreed to approach Lavrov). (3) IDF/ISRAEL THREAD: 5 years in IDF Judge Advocate General's International Law Branch. Israel Hayom columnist (Adelson's paper). Israeli bar member. (4) SOFTBANK THREAD: Considered for the Misra/Benedetti honey trap scheme. (5) 34 E 69TH ST: Physical co-location with Epstein in 1990s. Soffer may have served as an intelligence conduit between European institutional circles and Epstein's network.
The Soffer-Rybolovlev-Epstein triangle: Ron Soffer's primary high-profile client Yves Bouvier was locked in a billion-dollar legal war with Dmitry Rybolovlev (Accent Delight/Xitrans cases). Rybolovlev is independently connected to Epstein's network through: (a) the Trump-Maison de l'Amitie deal where Epstein was court-approved stalking horse bidder, (b) Xitrans Finance Ltd (BVI, Panama Papers) as alleged money laundering vehicle, (c) Deutsche Bank nexus, (d) the Epstein-drafted Wolff manuscript describing the $95M property deal. When Weingarten asked Epstein about Ron Soffer in Jan 2019, this meant Epstein had potential access to intelligence from BOTH sides of the Rybolovlev-Bouvier dispute — a pattern consistent with his role as intelligence broker. Whether Epstein was aware of Soffer's representation of Bouvier is unknown but would have been easily discoverable.
In the Jan 21-26, 2019 Weingarten-Epstein email chain (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576-028588), Weingarten reveals complex parallel operations: (1) Brad Karp (Paul Weiss) represents SoftBank, not Rajeev Misra directly; (2) Weingarten is considering Ron Soffer for 'the Softbank caper'; (3) Epstein is the shared intelligence node between Karp and Weingarten; (4) Weingarten says 'obviously dont mention my role with brad till we both think it useful'; (5) Epstein counsels 'go slow' on Soffer and Weingarten agrees to 'get the book on him'; (6) Epstein owes Steptoe ~$300K in unpaid bills (paid ~$450K, owes ~$300K); (7) Epstein mentions SDNY 'trying to get out a rico claim against the org' and has 'two more bidders' (possibly for Google deal). The 'SoftBank caper' refers to the Misra/Benedetti honey trap scheme against rival SoftBank executives Nikesh Arora and Alok Sama.
COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONNECTION: When Weingarten asked about Ron Soffer, Epstein replied 'as you may know i am very good friends with the sec gen council of europe, human rights court. they know each other well.' The 'sec gen' was Thorbjorn Jagland (13th Secretary General, 2009-2019). On Jan 14, 2019 — just 12 days before this exchange — someone forwarded Epstein the official Council of Europe press release announcing 4 candidates for the NEXT Secretary General election (June 2019), showing Epstein was actively tracking CoE succession politics. Jagland's term was ending Oct 1, 2019. This means Soffer's claimed CoE connection was to an outgoing official whose replacement was already being selected. Investigative questions: (1) Was Soffer's CoE connection specifically to Jagland, or to the institution more broadly? (2) Was the European Court of Human Rights angle relevant to the SoftBank matter, or to Epstein's own legal exposure? (3) Did Weingarten ultimately hire Soffer?
Epstein's Jan 26, 2019 claim that he was 'very good friends with the sec gen council of europe, human rights court' and that 'they know each other well' (referring to Soffer) is confirmed as referring to Thorbjorn Jagland, who served as Secretary General of the Council of Europe 2009-2019. Jagland's relationship with Epstein is extensively documented in the corpus (medical appointments arranged by Groff, stays at Epstein properties, the June 2018 Lavrov back-channel). On Feb 5, 2026, Jagland was charged by Norwegian Okokrim with aggravated corruption related to Epstein. The Council of Europe waived his immunity Feb 11, 2026. Soffer's ECHR practice and Hebrew University ECHR teaching provide the professional nexus for knowing Jagland.
EXHAUSTIVE CORPUS SEARCH: Ron Soffer appears in exactly ONE document across all databases — HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576, the Jan 21-26, 2019 Weingarten-Epstein email thread. Zero results in: DOJ Vol 11 (331K pages), DugganUSA (204K docs, rate-limited but 'Ron Soffer' yielded 0 in DOJ), LMSBAND (60K files), Unified DB (70K docs, 1 match = same email), Doc-Explorer (1 match = same email), DDoSecrets EML (13K emails), Barak emails (1.2K files), FBI Files parquet (8K docs), Investigations DB (ingested PDFs), HF Parquet (4.2K emails). The name 'Soffer' in DOJ returned 7 results — 6 are Dr. Soffer (NYC medical doctor, partner of Dr. Shimony at 485 Madison), 1 is Israeli geographer Arnon Soffer. ZERO matches for 'Ron Soffer' or 'Ronnie Soffer' in any database. This confirms: (1) Soffer was a late-stage contact raised by Weingarten on Jan 26, 2019, (2) Soffer never entered Epstein's operational correspondence, (3) the relationship appears to be Weingarten→Soffer, with Epstein as intelligence consultant, not principal.
CONTEXTUAL TIMELINE: The Ron Soffer exchange (Jan 26, 2019) sits within a dense 5-day email thread (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576-028588) revealing: (1) Jan 21: Epstein warned Weingarten 'Southern District trying to get out a rico claim against the org'; (2) Jan 22: Weingarten revealed Epstein owed Steptoe ~$300K in legal fees (had paid ~$450K); (3) Jan 25: Weingarten asked 'Rajeev misra...softbank vision fund...any special jeffrey insights here?' Epstein said 'If he wants you to rep him. YES'; (4) Jan 26: Epstein clarified 'brad represent softbank, not rajeev, but did speak to him yesterday, re DB' — revealing Paul Weiss/Karp already had SoftBank, and Epstein spoke to Karp about Deutsche Bank; (5) Jan 26: Weingarten warned 'obviously dont mention my role with brad till we both think it useful'; (6) Jan 26 evening: The Soffer exchange. Weingarten was thus considering Ron Soffer for European legal work related to SoftBank while simultaneously concealing his own involvement from Karp. Epstein's 'go slow' counsel and request to 'get the book on him' reveal his gatekeeper function.
The 'SoftBank caper' for which Weingarten considered hiring Soffer was the Rajeev Misra/Alessandro Benedetti scheme: Misra allegedly paid $500K from Standard Chartered to Barkmere Group (BVI, Benedetti-controlled) to sabotage rival SoftBank executives Nikesh Arora and Alok Sama via negative media leaks and a honey trap operation in Tokyo. Benedetti is Paris-based (appears in Epstein's Paris contact lists in EFTA02575276, EFTA02575400, EFTA02297224). The same day (Jan 26, 2019) Weingarten asked about Soffer, Epstein separately emailed Brad Karp (Paul Weiss chairman) asking 'Rajeev Misra do you represent?' — confirming Epstein was the shared intelligence node between Karp/Paul Weiss (representing SoftBank) and Weingarten/Steptoe (representing Misra).
CRITICAL DISAMBIGUATION INSIGHT: Epstein may have conflated TWO different Soffers when telling Weingarten about the Council of Europe connection. Dr. Soffer the ophthalmologist (partner of Dr. Rony Shimony, 485 Madison Ave) actually treated Jagland on Sept 27, 2012 when Shimony was unavailable for Yom Kippur (EFTA01888282). Epstein paid $1,995 for the visit. This medical Dr. Soffer had a REAL, documented interaction with Jagland. Ron Soffer the lawyer teaches ECHR jurisprudence and practices international human rights law. Both are Israeli-origin professionals in their respective fields. When Epstein told Weingarten 'they know each other well' regarding Soffer and the CoE Secretary General, he may have been: (a) correctly referring to the lawyer's institutional knowledge, (b) conflating the medical Dr. Soffer's actual patient relationship with Jagland, or (c) deliberately blurring the two to assert intelligence authority.
The two Soffers in the Epstein corpus: (1) Dr. Soffer, ophthalmologist, partner of Dr. Rony Shimony at 485 Madison Ave 17th Floor. Documented in EFTA02560788, EFTA02560717, EFTA02561366, EFTA02561192, EFTA02560232, EFTA02561171. Saw Jagland Sept 27, 2012 when Shimony unavailable (Yom Kippur). Epstein paid $1,995. (2) Ron Soffer, lawyer, born Tel Aviv 1960, Soffer Avocats Paris. Teaches ECHR at Hebrew University. Appeared only in HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576 (Jan 2019). The surname coincidence in the Epstein-Jagland relationship is striking: Epstein arranged for a Dr. Soffer to see Jagland in 2012, then in 2019 told Weingarten that lawyer Ron Soffer 'knows the CoE Secretary General well.' This could be a genuine parallel connection or a deliberate/accidental conflation of two different Soffers to appear more knowledgeable.
Epstein was actively tracking the Rybolovlev-Bouvier art fraud nexus that Soffer was litigating. In EFTA02574883 (Oct 2017), someone shared a NYT article about Bouvier selling his Geneva art storage company. In HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031684 (May 30, 2019), Epstein discussed with Wolff the Rybolovlev-Bouvier-Salvator Mundi transaction, asking: 'is it a coincidence that the russian that bought the house in palm beach and knows all, is the same guy that sold a painting last year to mbs for 450 million dollars that was only worth 1.5m?' Epstein had an 'art guy' who said the painting was not very good. He was connecting Rybolovlev's Palm Beach purchase, the Bouvier art scheme, MBS, and Trump's Yemen override into a single intelligence theory — the exact orbit in which Soffer was operating as Bouvier's counsel.
Epstein claimed to be 'very good friends with the sec gen council of europe, human rights court' and that Soffer and the Secretary General 'know each other well.' The Council of Europe Secretary General in Jan 2019 was Thorbjorn Jagland -- the same Jagland who is a central figure in the Epstein-Norway-Putin back-channel. Epstein arranged and paid for Jagland's medical appointments in NYC (Sept 2012, $1,995 to Dr. Soffer at 485 Madison via Lesley Groff -- NOTE: this is a DIFFERENT Dr. Soffer, a medical doctor, partner of Dr. Shimony). Jagland's immunity was waived by the Council of Europe on Feb 11, 2026 for aggravated corruption investigation by Norwegian Okokrim, and Norwegian police searched his properties on Feb 12, 2026. Soffer's teaching of ECHR jurisprudence at Hebrew University provides the professional nexus to Council of Europe officials including Jagland.
ECHR/Council of Europe involvement confirmed but limited to academic/practice context only -- no direct Jagland connection found in public sources. Soffer 'teaches every year at the law faculty of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on the functioning and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights' (per Soffer Avocats website). He has 'presented cases to the European Court of Human Rights' (per firm website). No HUDOC records or Council of Europe expert/consultant listings were found naming Ron Soffer. The Jagland connection exists only in Epstein's claim to Weingarten (Jan 2019): 'i am very good friends with the sec gen council of europe, human rights court. they know each other well.' No independent confirmation of Soffer-Jagland relationship found in any public source.
Exhaustive web search for Ron Soffer + ECHR/Council of Europe/Jagland yielded: (1) Firm website confirms he teaches ECHR jurisprudence at Hebrew University annually and has presented cases to ECHR. (2) No HUDOC case database results naming Soffer as counsel. (3) No Council of Europe expert/consultant listings found. (4) No public reporting connecting Soffer to Jagland. (5) Web search for 'Ron Soffer Jagland' returned only Jagland immunity/investigation articles (Council of Europe lifted immunity Feb 2026 after Epstein file revelations) with zero mention of Soffer. The Soffer-Jagland link remains exclusively sourced from Epstein's Jan 2019 claim, which itself may be: (a) genuine intelligence, (b) name-dropping to assert authority, or (c) confusion with the ophthalmologist Dr. Soffer who actually treated Jagland in Sept 2012.
SYNTHESIS: Ron Soffer is a 5-thread convergence node with only 4-document corpus presence across 331K pages, yet connects Epstein to: (1) Republic National Bank/Edmond Safra banking world (1988-91), (2) Iranian consular property scheme via Fisher & Soffer partnership (1996-98), (3) Bouvier-Rybolovlev billion-dollar art fraud dispute involving Xitrans/Panama Papers entities, (4) claimed Council of Europe/Jagland connection (likely conflation with ophthalmologist Dr. Soffer who actually treated Jagland), (5) SoftBank/Misra honey trap legal work consideration (Jan 2019). Zero regulatory footprint across 25+ US databases despite tri-jurisdictional bar membership. Ivan Fisher partnership at Epstein-controlled former Iranian diplomatic building combines organized crime defense lawyer (Pizza Connection Trial) with IDF JAG-trained Israeli/French lawyer. Epstein's 'go slow' response to Weingarten about Soffer suggests either genuine unfamiliarity or deliberate caution about a sensitive asset.
identity (12)
Ron Soffer (born Nov 12, 1960, Tel Aviv) is a Paris-based international litigation attorney. Founder of Soffer Avocats (est. 1994). Admitted to bars in Israel (1984), New York (1990), and Paris (1992). Hebrew University School of Law (1982). Speaks English, French, Hebrew. Served 5 years as officer in International Law Branch of the IDF Judge Advocate General. Admitted to act before the International Criminal Court (The Hague). Has presented cases to the European Court of Human Rights and teaches ECHR jurisprudence at Hebrew University. Practice areas include criminal cases, art law, international human rights, European law, securities litigation, banking law.
Ron Soffer identified: born Nov 12, 1960 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Founded Cabinet Ron Soffer (now Soffer Avocats) in Paris 1994. Admitted to bars in Israel (1984), New York (1990), Paris (1992). Served 5 years as officer in International Law Branch of IDF Judge Advocate General. Teaches ECHR jurisprudence at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Practice includes multi-jurisdictional criminal/civil litigation across France, US, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Hungary, Morocco, Hong Kong, Singapore. Firm handles ECHR litigation, art law (Nazi restitution via Agnes Peresztegi), criminal defense, antitrust, securities.
Ron Soffer (born Nov 12, 1960, Tel Aviv) is the founder of Soffer Avocats, a Paris-based international litigation boutique established in 1994. Member of Paris (1992), New York (1990), Israel (1984), and Split (Croatia) bars. Admitted to practice before the ICC at The Hague. Hebrew University law degree (1982). Served 5 years as officer in the International Law Branch of the IDF Judge Advocate General. Teaches annually at Hebrew University on ECHR jurisprudence. Member of scientific committee of criminal law institute of Paris Bar. Writes for Israel Hayom and JNS.org.
IDF JAG background: Soffer served 5 years as officer in the International Law Branch of the Judge Advocate General of the IDF. He 'worked on dozens of cases presented to the Israeli Supreme Court on issues of laws of war' (per firm website). No specific cases, units, or commanding officers identified in public sources. No public reporting links Soffer to intelligence work (Mossad, Shin Bet, AMAN) -- search for 'Ron Soffer intelligence OR Mossad' returned zero results. The IDF JAG International Law Branch handles laws of armed conflict, Geneva Conventions compliance, and represents IDF in Supreme Court petitions -- a legal rather than intelligence function, though personnel may have security clearances and work with classified material.
IDF Military Advocate General's Corps (MAG Corps) International Law Branch is responsible for advising IDF on international humanitarian law, laws of armed conflict, rules of engagement, and representing the military in Supreme Court proceedings. Soffer served there approximately 1982-1987 based on his Israel Bar admission (1984) and move to New York (1988). This was during the 1982 Lebanon War and its aftermath -- a period of intense international law challenges for the IDF including the Sabra and Shatila massacre inquiry and numerous Supreme Court petitions. No public source identifies specific cases Soffer worked on. Web search for intelligence connections (Mossad, national security) returned zero results linking Soffer to any intelligence agency. However, IDF JAG officers routinely work with classified information and maintain security clearances.
French government SIRENE registry confirms: Full name RON SHAUL SOFFER, SIREN 380866657, born November 1960, French nationality. Registered as entrepreneur individuel (sole practitioner), activity code 69.10Z (legal services). Created 1990-12-03. CLOSED 2024-06-30 (status: C). Headquarters: 4 Rue Quentin-Bauchart, 75008 Paris (2015-2024), previously 8 Rue Magellan, 75008 Paris (1995-2015). 4 total establishments, 0 currently open. 1-2 employees at peak.
Ron Soffer full profile from Soffer Avocats: Born Israel 1960. Hebrew University School of Law 1981. Israel Bar 1984. Served 5 years as officer in International Law Branch of the Judge Advocate General of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF JAG). Moved to New York 1988, worked at Republic National Bank of New York until 1991. New York Bar (state 1990, federal 1994). Paris Bar 1992. Founded Cabinet Soffer (now Soffer Avocats) in Paris 1994. Member of Paris/NY/Israel bars. Admitted to act before International Criminal Court in The Hague. Teaches at Hebrew University of Jerusalem on European Court of Human Rights. This IDF JAG + Republic National Bank + tri-bar background makes him a significant figure in the Fisher-Epstein nexus.
Ron Soffer Israel Hayom and JNS column topics focus on ICC proceedings against Israel, positioning him as pro-Israel legal commentator. Described as 'Dr. Ron Soffer' in publications — authorized to appear before ICC at The Hague. Israel Hayom (Sheldon Adelson's newspaper) and JNS.org are both part of pro-Israel media ecosystem.
Ron Soffer writes opinion columns for Israel Hayom and JNS.org. JNS article titled 'Irresponsible ICC rulings could trigger further conflict' and 'Israel faces an uncertain path in the wake of the ICC arrest warrants' reflect his ICC expertise. He is described as 'Dr. Ron Soffer, member of the Bar Association of Israel, Paris and New York, authorized to appear before the International Criminal Court in The Hague.' The Dr. title is notable -- his prabook.com and Martindale profiles do not mention a doctoral degree. Column work positions him within pro-Israel advocacy/commentary ecosystem alongside his litigation practice.
NEGATIVE RESULT: Ron Soffer does NOT appear in ICIJ offshore leak databases (Panama Papers, Paradise Papers, Pandora Papers). 17 'Soffer' results returned but none match Ron Soffer. Notable: 'GIL SOFFER' from France appears as officer in Paradise Papers - Malta corporate registry (node 56039854), but this appears to be a different person (possibly Gil M. Soffer, managing partner of Katten's Chicago office). 'David Soffer' from Israel appears in Panama Papers. Ron Soffer also ABSENT from OCCRP Aleph (0 results for Person, Company, or LegalEntity matching Ron Soffer or Soffer Avocats), ABSENT from LittleSis power network database, and ABSENT from GDELT article database.
Exhaustive search of offshore leak and network databases: ICIJ Offshore Leaks (17 Soffer results, none matching Ron), OCCRP Aleph (0 results for Ron Soffer or Soffer Avocats), LittleSis (0 results for Ron Soffer or Soffer Avocats), GDELT (0 article results for Ron Soffer or Soffer Avocats). The GIL SOFFER from France in Paradise Papers Malta registry is likely a different person. This negative result is significant: for a Paris-based international litigator handling billion-dollar art fraud cases across multiple jurisdictions, the absence from offshore databases suggests either: (a) clean operations with no offshore structure involvement, or (b) any offshore activity conducted through client entities rather than personal/firm names.
Soffer Avocats firm team composition reveals multilingual multi-jurisdictional practice: Zorica Percobic (b. 1971, Paris; Sorbonne masters; multi-jurisdictional litigation, competition law, art law, human rights, Serbo-Croatian); Axelle Zenati (b. 1974, Lyon; German LLM Munster magna cum laude; German law, competition, European law); Sarah Chanu (UK-trained; criminal/civil litigation, labor law, international law, Spanish). The firm operates from 4 rue Quentin Bauchart, Paris 75008 (8th arrondissement, near Champs-Elysees). The team's language capabilities (French, English, Hebrew, German, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish) and bar admissions across France, NY, Israel, Split (Croatia) enable the multi-jurisdictional litigation practice described in the Bouvier Affair cases.
Firm details from multiple sources: Address: 4 rue Quentin Bauchart, Paris 75008. Team members include associates Zorica Percobic (Sorbonne, art law expertise, speaks Serbo-Croatian), Axelle Zenati (German legal education, Munster LLM magna cum laude), Sarah Chanu (UK-trained, criminal/labor law). Agnes Peresztegi is Of Counsel (Nazi art restitution). Practice areas span criminal, commercial, antitrust, IP, securities, civil, administrative, human rights. Sectors include banking, investment funds, distribution, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, IT/software, health services, infrastructure, real estate, art. The firm has conducted litigation in US, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Morocco, Hong Kong, Singapore, Israel.
Soffer Avocats practice areas include European Court of Human Rights litigation, criminal litigation, antitrust, art law, commercial litigation, and enforcement of foreign judgments in France. The firm has conducted multi-jurisdictional litigation in US (including 2nd Circuit), Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Morocco, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Israel. Soffer is a member of American Bar Association, NY State Bar, International Bar Association, American Chamber of Commerce in France, Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA). Also listed as lecturer in Commercial Law at University of Le Havre. The firm previously operated from ronsoffer.com as 'Cabinet Ron Soffer' before rebranding to sofferavocats.com as 'Soffer Avocats.'
FEC records confirm Ron Soffer Paris office address as 8 Rue Magellan, Paris 75008, France. Employer listed as 'CABINER RON SOFFER' (French phonetic spelling of Cabinet). Donation of 1000 USD to American Association for Justice PAC on July 25, 2007. Listed as 'RON MR. ESQ.' occupation 'ATTORNEY'. This is the only itemized FEC donation from this individual.
EFTA01888282 email (Sept 26, 2012) references 'Dr. Soffer' as partner of 'Dr. Shimony' who could see 'Jagbland' (likely Thorbjorn Jagland, Council of Europe Secretary General). Lesley Groff wrote to Epstein: 'Dr. Shimony is out today for Yom Kippur...Dr. Shimony s partner, Dr. Soffer, will be in tomorrow after 2pm however and could see Jagbland.' NOTE: This 'Dr. Soffer' appears to be a MEDICAL doctor (dentist/physician), NOT lawyer Ron Soffer. The medical office context distinguishes this from the lawyer. However, both Soffer connections appear in Epstein's orbit, and both involve the Jagland connection.
document (2)
Duggan corpus search for 'Soffer' returns 1000 hits across the Epstein document corpus but ONLY 4 are relevant to Ron Soffer the lawyer: EFTA01324981 (Second Amended Complaint, 96 Civ 8307, Dec 1997), EFTA01325003 (Gov motion for summary judgment against Fisher and Soffer, Mar 1998), EFTA01325008 (Judge Chin opinion granting ejectment, Apr 1998, cited as 27 F.Supp.2d 404). Plus EFTA01888282 referencing a DIFFERENT Dr. Soffer (ophthalmologist seeing Jagland). The remaining results reference Donald Soffer (Miami), Arnon Soffer (geographer), and the Terje Rod-Larsen newsletter series. Confirms the known corpus baseline of 3 legal documents plus the HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576 Weingarten email.
Complete Duggan/LMSBAND/Unified corpus audit: (1) EFTA01324981 - Second Amended Complaint naming Epstein, Fisher, Fisher & Soffer, Ron Soffer, and 13 other defendants. (2) EFTA01325003 - Government memo seeking summary judgment specifically against Diane Fisher and Ron Soffer, the two holdout subtenants. (3) EFTA01325008 - Judge Chin's April 1, 1998 opinion (1998 WL 159055, 27 F.Supp.2d 404) granting ejectment of all defendants. Soffer was last holdout; court ruled he can have no greater rights than Fisher. (4) HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576 - Jan 2019 Weingarten email already documented. LMSBAND returned 1 result (Arnon Soffer the geographer). Unified returned 2 results (the Weingarten email and same Arnon Soffer). DOJ search for 'Ron Soffer' returned 0 (name-indexed search misses OCR).
Comprehensive negative results across US regulatory databases: Zero SEC EDGAR filings for Ron Soffer or Soffer Avocats. Zero FARA registrations. Zero LDA lobbying records. Zero NYC ACRIS property records. Zero UCC filings. Zero FAA aircraft registrations. Zero GLEIF legal entity identifiers. Zero OpenSanctions hits. Zero USVI corporate registrations. Zero DS10 financial transactions. Zero corporate registrations in investigation registry.db matching Ron Soffer specifically (all FL Soffer entities are Turnberry/Aventura Soffer family, unrelated). No UK Companies House results (API key issue). This pattern of zero regulatory footprint despite confirmed bar admissions in NY, Israel, and Paris is notable for a tri-jurisdictional lawyer.
Full Timeline
48 events
Full Timeline
48 events- 1.Finding #798
- 2.Finding #2303
- 3.EFTA01325008
- 4.HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_028576
- 5.Finding #806
- 6.Finding #2304
- 7.Finding #792Sources: FEC Schedule AView source record
- 8.Finding #805
- 9.Finding #3311Sources: SIRENE 380866657View source record
- 10.Finding #818
- 11.Finding #3309
- 12.Finding #3296
- 13.EFTA01324981
- 14.EFTA01325003
- 15.Finding #3283
- 16.Finding #3291
- 17.Finding #800
- 18.Finding #3302
- 19.Finding #789Sources: EFTA02625537Open sourceView source record, https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5586051/in-reaccent-delight-international-ltd-xitrans-finance-ltd/Open sourceView source record, https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/7970308/accent-delight-international-ltd-v-sothebys/Open sourceView source record
- 20.Finding #3284
- 21.Finding #3285
- 22.EFTA02625537
- 23.HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031684
- 24.Finding #796
- 25.Finding #815
- 26.Finding #807
- 27.Finding #3298
- 28.Finding #3287
- 29.Finding #3312
- 30.Finding #3293
- 31.Finding #3306
- 32.EFTA02560232
- 33.EFTA02560717
- 34.Finding #797
- 35.Finding #3308
- 36.EFTA02607465
- 37.Finding #810
- 38.Finding #808
- 39.EFTA02575276
- 40.EFTA02575400
- 41.EFTA02627134
- 42.Finding #811
- 43.Finding #799Sources: ingest_faa.pyView source record, query_990.pyView source record, query_acris.pyView source record, query_aleph.pyView source record, query_edgar.pyView source record, query_fara.pyView source record, query_fec.pyView source record, query_littlesis.pyView source record, query_lobbying.pyView source record, query_registry.pyView source record, query_registry.py ucc-searchView source record
- 44.Finding #3295
- 45.Finding #3301
- 46.Finding #793