VC Masha Bucher, Epstein associate and Day One founder, explains herself

Masha Bucher, a prominent venture capitalist and founder of Day One Ventures, has publicly addressed her ties to Jeffrey Epstein following extensive media coverage. Bucher, known by her maiden name Masha Drokova, has been mentioned over 1,600 times in recently released Epstein documents, prompting her to clarify her past associations on social media platform X. In her post, Bucher described Epstein as a figure who provided her a sense of safety from potential threats related to her home country of Russia after she acquired her U.S. green card. "I was naive; I didn’t dig deep enough early on," she admitted, reflecting on her decision to collaborate with Epstein. She acknowledged her misjudgment regarding his past, which she initially believed was a minor legal issue involving a false age claim. Bucher expressed remorse to her colleagues and investors for the distress this situation has caused, stating it was never her intention to bring pain to them. Reports indicate that she began working as Epstein’s publicist in 2017, aiming to restore his public image following his conviction in 2008 for sex trafficking. The documents reveal that Epstein played a supportive role in the early success of Day One Ventures, which has recently raised a $150 million fund, increasing its assets to $450 million. Among the more controversial revelations are claims of Epstein gifting her money and luxury items, as well as requests for personal photographs. Despite these unsettling details, there has been no indication of legal wrongdoing on her part. Bucher has made a name for herself in Silicon Valley, backing successful companies such as Superhuman and Remote. In her earlier years, Bucher was associated with Nashi, a youth group supporting Putin in Russia, and gained notoriety from her appearance in a documentary titled "Putin’s Kiss." She has since distanced herself from her past, renouncing her Russian citizenship and engaging with some of Epstein’s victims. Bucher is not alone in facing scrutiny, as many influential figures in the tech industry appear in the Epstein files. Notably, her correspondence with Epstein continued until shortly before his arrest in July 2019, just weeks before his death in custody.