Jeffrey Epstein’s private bodyguard was once a UFC fighter. Igor Zinoviev, a Russian-born sambo and judoka, spent years at Epstein’s aspect till his monetary world collapsed following prison costs. His story lies on the coronary heart of early MMA historical past and is likely one of the most notorious scandals in trendy reminiscence.
How UFC fighter Igor Zinoviev ended up guarding Jeffrey Epstein
Zinoviev grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, skilled in judo, sambo, and fight sambo, after which served two years within the Russian military. He immigrated to america in 1991, arriving in New York with little English. He discovered work in a Russian bathhouse and met matchmaker John Peretti, who had based a martial arts group known as Excessive Preventing. Zinoviev defeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standout Mario Sperry within the inaugural match in 1995 to change into the group’s middleweight champion.
He knocked out Enson Inoue at Valitud Japan in 1996, giving him an expert document of 4 wins, 1 loss, and a couple of attracts. His final battle was at UFC 16 in March 1998, when Frank Shamrock knocked him unconscious in 22 seconds, breaking his collarbone and ending his profession.
By the early 2000s, Zinoviev moved to work in personal safety. He labored as Epstein’s bodyguard, driver and private coach for about 5 years. Epstein’s docket data that he traveled with Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and different associates on 19 flight data between 2001 and 2010. He was listed in Epstein’s black pocket book together with two telephone numbers. A number of victims recognized him as a home workers member who had seen younger ladies coming and going from the property.
In a 2019 interview with New York Journal after Epstein’s demise, Zinoviev mentioned he believed Epstein didn’t act alone.
“Somebody helped him do this. That is slightly too deep.”
In an earlier alternate in 2015, he addressed Epstein’s affect extra immediately.
“He has sufficient cash to pay him again. That man might sue me and attempt to manipulate the state of affairs with that cash. That is the American means.”
On the 2024 Combined Martial Arts Historical past podcast, Zinoviev answered Epstein’s questions head-on.
“I labored for him for a number of years. I by no means noticed any teenage ladies. He had two or three girlfriends who had been about 24 or 25 years previous. If I had seen one thing like that, I most likely would have performed one thing myself.”
Maybe a very powerful allegation associated to Zinoviev considerations the CIA. Brad Edwards, a lawyer who represented Epstein’s victims, recalled his dialog with Zinoviev, warning him to again off, saying, “You do not know who you are coping with.” As Edwards approached, Zinoviev whispered three letters: “CIA.” Palmeri additionally reported that Zinoviev claimed that in Epstein’s 2008 jail sentence, he was despatched to CIA headquarters in Langley to retailer materials supposed for Epstein.
Zinoviev was not charged with any crime in reference to the incident. His identify stays a type of unusual footnotes in each MMA historical past and the Epstein story.
