The DiIorio Emails: A Whistleblower Mapped Apollo → Kushner → Epstein → Putin in 2019
- Patrick Duggan
- Feb 13
- 4 min read
# The DiIorio Emails: A Whistleblower Mapped Apollo → Kushner → Epstein → Putin in 2019
**Published**: February 13, 2026
**Author**: DugganUSA Research
**Category**: Epstein Files Investigation
The Diagram That Connected Everything
In May 2019—two months before Jeffrey Epstein's arrest—a whistleblower named Chris DiIorio was sending emails to federal agencies. The subject line: **"Apollo/ Epstein/Kushner connection"**
In one email, DiIorio drew the connections explicitly:
> **Leon Black/Apollo/Schwarzman: Trump Kushner**
> **Black/Apollo/Schwarzman: Epstein**
> **Black/Apollo/Schwarzman: Putin/RU**
He included a Reuters link showing Apollo's Leon Black sharing a stage with Vladimir Putin at a 2011 sovereign wealth fund event.
**Document**: EFTA00010750
Who Was Chris DiIorio?
DiIorio was a financial analyst who spent years documenting what he believed was a web of securities fraud, money laundering, and corruption connecting:
- **Leon Black** (Apollo Global Management founder)
- **Stephen Schwarzman** (Blackstone founder)
- **Jeffrey Epstein** (convicted sex offender, financial advisor)
- **Jared Kushner** (Trump son-in-law, White House senior advisor)
- **Russian oligarchs** and sovereign wealth funds
His emails to the SEC, FBI, and DOJ were preserved in the Epstein files—because he CC'd the same addresses investigating Epstein.
The Apollo Connection
Leon Black paid Jeffrey Epstein approximately **$158 million** between 2012 and 2017 for "tax advice and other services." Black stepped down as Apollo's CEO in 2021 amid scrutiny of the relationship.
DiIorio's emails from 2019 show he was flagging this connection before it became public:
**Document EFTA00029043** (May 23, 2019):
> Subject: Fw: Apollo/ Epstein/Kushner connection
>
> "Well done Ms Strauss" [referring to Audrey Strauss, SDNY prosecutor]
The email references a DOJ press release about bank CEO Stephen Calk being charged with corruption—another thread DiIorio was tracking.
**Document EFTA00009904** (May 6, 2019):
> Subject: Fw: Apollo/ Epstein/Kushner connection
>
> "Greetings grossly corrupt SEC et al scumbags. As with ALL of my allegations: beyond a shadow of a doubt, 100% accurate"
The Putin Platform
DiIorio included a Reuters link in his emails:
> **"Apollo's Black shares platform with Putin"**
> https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-putin-fund-idUSL5E7KG0SI20110916
The 2011 article describes Leon Black appearing at a forum in Sochi where Putin announced a new sovereign wealth fund. The event was attended by private equity executives seeking Russian investment opportunities.
DiIorio's point: the same people who paid Epstein millions were also building financial relationships with Putin's inner circle.
The Kushner Connection
DiIorio repeatedly referenced Jared Kushner in his "Apollo/Epstein/Kushner connection" emails.
The known facts:
- Apollo loaned Kushner Companies **$184 million** in 2017 (after Kushner joined the White House)
- Leon Black paid Epstein **$158 million** in the same period
- Kushner met with Apollo executives in the White House
DiIorio saw these as connected. The FBI preserved his emails in the Epstein evidence file.
The SEC Allegations
DiIorio didn't just connect Epstein—he alleged a broader pattern of securities fraud:
**Document EFTA00010710** (May 15, 2019):
> "Today (5/15/19) the grossly corrupt scumbags at the SEC approved ANOTHER massive fraud on the investing public"
He named specific entities:
- AQT/Greek shipping companies
- Economou/DRYS/ORIG
- 1MDB (Malaysian sovereign wealth fund scandal)
- Various hedge fund operations
Whether his specific allegations were accurate, the FBI considered them relevant enough to preserve alongside Epstein evidence.
What DiIorio Got Right
In 2019, DiIorio alleged:
| Claim | Outcome |
|-------|---------|
| Leon Black paid Epstein secretly | Confirmed ($158M, disclosed 2021) |
| Apollo had Kushner ties | Confirmed ($184M loan) |
| Russian money involved | Under investigation |
| SEC was ignoring fraud | Multiple subsequent enforcement actions |
He was dismissed as a "crank" sending angry emails. The DOJ preserved those emails in the Epstein file.
The Current Relevance
As of February 2026:
- **Howard Lutnick** (Commerce Secretary) appears in FBI tips as Epstein's "neighbor"
- **Scott Bessent** (Treasury Secretary) has Soros/macro fund connections
- **Leon Black** stepped down from Apollo but retains significant wealth
- **Kushner** continues private equity operations in the Middle East
DiIorio's 2019 email subject line was "Apollo/Epstein/Kushner connection."
Seven years later, people are searching our index for the same names.
Document Index
| Document | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| EFTA00010750 | DiIorio's Apollo/Kushner/Putin diagram |
| EFTA00029043 | DiIorio email re: Stephen Calk charges |
| EFTA00009904 | DiIorio email to SEC, May 2019 |
| EFTA00010710 | DiIorio SEC fraud allegations |
| EFTA00010305 | Additional DiIorio correspondence |
| EFTA00010724 | DiIorio healthcare fraud allegations |
The Whistleblower's Fate
We don't know what happened to Chris DiIorio. His emails stop appearing in the file after 2019.
What we know:
- He sent dozens of emails to federal agencies
- He connected dots that would later prove accurate
- His correspondence was preserved in the Epstein evidence file
- He was ignored in real-time
Search the Documents Yourself
All documents cited in this article are indexed and searchable at:
**[epstein.dugganusa.com](https://epstein.dugganusa.com)**
329,442 DOJ documents. Free API. No login required.
Search "DiIorio" and read his emails yourself.
*A whistleblower mapped the network in 2019. The FBI kept his emails. We indexed them. Now you can read them.*
*Her name was Renee Nicole Good.*
*His name was Alex Jeffery Pretti.*
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