Epstein Files Reveals Election Fraud and Corruption during Karzai Presidency
DID Press: New archival documents attributed to the Epstein files allege widespread election fraud, structural corruption, and the influence of powerful political and financial networks during Hamid Karzai’s presidency in Afghanistan. These revelations have once again raised questions about the international community’s role in supporting Kabul government at the time.
According to the documents, internal assessments by U.S. officials and international bodies reveal evidence of organized vote buying, election manipulation, and the influence of money and political connections that undermined Afghanistan’s democratic system post-2001.
The files refer to the 2009 presidential election, citing widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing, fraudulent voting, voter intimidation, and vote tally manipulation in several provinces.
The documents also reveal that the UN annulled nearly one million votes in favor of Hamid Karzai, which accounted for about a quarter of the total votes counted at the time.
Additionally, the files claim that despite the U.S. being aware of these irregularities, Washington continued to support Karzai’s leadership to prevent political instability. Critics argue this decision weakened public trust in democratic institutions.
The revelations also include 2010 Kabul Bank scandal, describing it as one of Afghanistan’s biggest financial scandals, involving fraudulent loans and alleged connections to key figures within the political elite.
Over the years, analysts have highlighted that corruption, weak oversight, and clientelist networks severely undermined the effectiveness of Afghanistan establishment, exacerbating public discontent during the international community’s two-decade presence in the country.
The release of these documents reignites discussions about accountability, governance failures, and the role of foreign actors in shaping Afghanistan’s political system. Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, has yet to publicly comment on these allegations.