meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Lever Time

The Spy Planes That Helped Jeffrey Epstein Take Off

Lever Time

The Lever

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.8560 Ratings

🗓️ 28 May 2026

⏱️ 33 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Everyone knows Jeffrey Epstein as a sex trafficker who died in 2019. But Epstein’s story goes further back than most people realize — and includes surprising links to the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s. Today on Lever Time, producer Natalie Bettendorf speaks with Drop Site News journalist Murtaza Hussain about his investigation into Epstein's ties to Iran-Contra and how Epstein built his wealth and connections in the shadows of public power.  Listen to “President Rambo,” our episode of Master Plan about the Iran-Contra scandal. Read Murtaza’s full investigation on Drop Site News. Check out Dylan Gottlieb’s book Yuppies. Get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and extended interviews by becoming a member at ⁠levernews.com/join⁠. To leave a tip for The Lever, ⁠click here⁠. It helps us do this kind of independent journalism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You're listening to the free ad-supported version of our podcast. For an ad-free experience, visit levernews.com

0:07.1

slash upgrade. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money, whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings. There's a money side to every story. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe now at

0:23.3

Bloomberg.com. Changes in sexual performance are more common than most people realize,

0:30.4

and support doesn't need to feel awkward. With MedExpress, everything happens privately online.

0:36.3

Start by completing a short consultation reviewed by

0:38.6

UK registered clinicians. If eligible, treatment is delivered discreetly to your home with ongoing

0:44.0

support whenever you need it. You're not alone in this. Visit medexpress.com.combe.com

0:48.9

to learn more. You're not crazy. This is the gaslighting. I'm Tara Palmieri, an independent

0:56.4

journalist, and for nearly two decades, I've chased the story's powerful people, hope you'll

1:02.1

miss. On the Tara Palmieri show, we cut through the noise, especially in moments when we're

1:06.8

told not to believe our own eyes. I'll tell you what the insiders are really saying behind closed doors,

1:12.1

what the headlines are missing,

1:13.8

and what the powerful are trying to spin into something it's not.

1:16.7

No talking points, no permission slips,

1:20.0

just real reporting, real conversations, and real accountability.

1:24.1

Watch and listen to the Tara Palmieri show on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts,

1:28.5

wherever you get your podcast. Subscribe now.

1:32.5

The Lever.

1:35.5

From The Lever's reader-supported newsroom, it's Lever Time. I'm Natalie Bettendorf.

1:41.4

Earlier this year, the U.S. Justice Department released a huge batch of documents.

1:47.0

Maybe you've heard of them.

1:48.0

The Justice Department released so many records from the Epstein files today, more than

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 20 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Lever, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Lever and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.