Emails show Dublin-based Elkstone CEO Alan Merriman coordinating an investment involving a client, an ex-Israeli prime minister and Jeffrey Epstein in a tech startup founded by former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officers.
The client, German entrepreneur Nicole Junkermann, said Merriman would accompany her to Israel to meet the company’s founders ahead of the 2016 investment involving Ehud Barak, according to leaked emails.
Elkstone said it “had no relationship with Jeffrey Epstein” in a statement issued to The Ditch yesterday evening.
‘Hi Ehud, let me know if we can help here’
Former EBS finance director Alan Merriman co-founded Elkstone Private Advisors Limited in 2011 to manage wealthy families’ investments.
One client, Nicole Junkermann, expressed interest in Reporty Homeland Security (now Carbyne).
Former Israel Defense Forces officers including old Unit 8200 chief and ex-Israel defence ministry director general Pinhas Buchris founded the law enforcement technology startup.
Junkermann and Merriman made plans to meet ex-Israel prime minister Ehud Barak – an early backer of Reporty Homeland Security – and the company’s founders in Tel Aviv to discuss a potential investment, according to leaked emails found in a database published last year.
“Hi Ehud, IL seems to be a hot spot this moment. Give me until tonight worst case I arrive at 23.40. Would you be available to have dinner on the 9th? I will be accompanied by Alan Merrimann,” said Junkermann on 7 September, 2015 in response to Barak’s request for her to have dinner with him and Reporty’s founders in Israel.
Barak forwarded the email chain to Jeffrey Epstein – by then convicted of soliciting a child for sex – the next day after Junkermann had confirmed her flight details.
“Hi Jeff FYI”, said Barak in his 8 September, 2015 email to Epstein.
Months later Merriman emailed Barak about Junkermann’s $500,000 investment, according to documents released by the US Department of Justice last week.
“Hi Ehud, let me know if we can help here. I understand Nicole and you are agreed on her participating for $0.5m,” said Merriman in an email to Barak on 4 January, 2016.
“If you or Amir have the agreement documents to share to enable this, please send to me and I can get the lawyers lined up our end to review speedily and close out,” said Merriman, referring to Carabyne CEO and co-founder Amir Elichai, a former IDF officer.
Barak replied later that day, asking Merriman to liaise with Epstein’s lawyer.
“Hi Alan. Happy New Year to you and Elkstone. Looking forward for this joint project. Within 48 hrs my lawyer Udi Knaani will call you. He holds the documents,” said Barak.
“Later you both could talk to Darren the layer of JE to coordinate everything,” said Barak referring to Jeffrey Epstein and his then lawyer, Darren Indyke.
Merriman and Junkermann, also known as Nicole Brachetti Peretti, hired Israeli lawyer Dubi Gross to represent her in negotiations with lawyers for Barak and Epstein.
Gross acknowledged Epstein’s involvement in the investment in an email to Barak’s lawyer.
“If Ehud contributed zero, Jeff contributed 1mm and Nicole contributes 500,000, how do we reach 1/3 each?,” said Gross in an email to Tomer Toor on 31, January 2016.
The eventual deal saw Junkermann’s Montilla International Corporation enter an agreement in February 2016 with Barak’s Sum (E.B) 2015, an Israeli limited partnership owned by a Cogito.
Just before the agreement was signed Epstein took a 50 percent stake in Cogito through his US Virgin Islands-based Southern Trust Company, Inc.
A spokesperson for Elkstone said the firm had no relationship with Epstein.
“In 2015–2016, Elkstone provided standard advisory services in connection with an individual client’s decision to invest in Reporty Homeland Security, a technology company specialising in the emergency services sector”.
“Elkstone's involvement was limited to the legal and administrative facilitation of this transaction, in the ordinary course of its professional duties. The firm had no relationship with Jeffrey Epstein”, said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson added “Elkstone did not invest in this company” and that it “no longer acts for the client referenced in the emails concerning this investment opportunity”.
“Elkstone is not permitted to comment on confidential matters relating to current or former clients,” said the spokesperson.
