Masha Bucher addresses ties to Jeffrey Epstein

Masha Bucher, a Venture Capitalist (VC) in Silicon Valley and the founder of Day One Ventures, has publicly addressed reports detailing her past professional and personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The San Francisco Standard reported that Bucher’s name appeared in the latest dump of Epstein files over 1,600 times. Bucher agreed to become the publicist for Epstein, a convicted sex offender, in 2017. In a public statement, Bucher described herself as naive and apologized to her founders, team, and investors, stating that the situation “caused pain I never intended.” She explained her decision to work with him by writing, “I believed his story that his earlier conviction was about sleeping with a girl who lied about her age and trusted validations from multiple investors and scientists.” Epstein had previously received a sex-trafficking conviction in 2008.

The scrutiny arrives as Bucher’s firm, Day One Ventures, has grown its capital base. Bucher asserted that the firm closed a $150 million third fund in 2024, bringing its Assets Under Management (AUM) to $450 million. Day One Ventures has backed companies including Superhuman, Remote, Worldcoin, Truebill, and Valar Atomics. Truebill exited in 2021 when it was acquired by Rocket Companies. The revelation of her past association with Epstein creates a stark contrast with her professional reputation in the U.S. tech sector as a public relations expert who advises startup founders on their public image.

Bucher also addressed past controversies regarding her time in Russia, specifically her involvement with Nashi, a pro-Putin youth group. CNN previously reported on her appearance in a 2012 documentary about the group. Bucher asserted that she has since given up her Russian passport and denounced Russian leader Putin, stating that she had sought protection from Epstein because she feared threats from the Russian regime after obtaining her U.S. green card. However, a Russian investigative journalist disputed Bucher’s claims regarding her family’s safety and the surrender of her passport.

According to reports by SFGate, the files include emails where Epstein asked Bucher for nude photos, though there is no indication of whether she complied. Forbes reported that Bucher engaged in friendly correspondence with Epstein until 11 days before his arrest in 2019. Epstein died in jail roughly one month later. While the files do not indicate any illegal activity by Bucher, they highlight the extent of Epstein’s connections within Silicon Valley.

Why it matters

Bucher’s public reckoning with her past association with Epstein highlights the reputational risks facing venture capitalists who built their careers on proximity to powerful, controversial figures. The situation underscores how historical personal and professional ties can resurface to challenge the standing of investment firms and their leadership.