The release by the U.S. Justice Department of a large trove of internal files tied to Jeffrey Epstein has revealed numerous connections between the deceased financier and a wide array of prominent people in politics, finance, academia and business. The documents, alongside evidence and testimony submitted in legal proceedings, cover interactions that occurred both before and after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges that included soliciting an underage girl.
Epstein was arrested again in 2019 on federal charges accusing him of sex trafficking of minors. He died in a Manhattan jail cell later that year; his death was ruled a suicide. The Justice Department has cautioned that the released material could contain fabricated images, unfounded allegations and pornographic content, and it has underscored that inclusion in the files does not alone constitute proof of criminal sexual behavior.
Todd Blanche, who served as acting attorney general and previously was the Justice Department’s second-ranking official, has stated that the material does not amount to evidence that those named in the files committed criminal sexual acts. Still, the documents include photographs, emails and other communications that illuminate relationships between Epstein and a number of well-known figures. The following sections summarize the connections revealed in the files and in related legal disclosures.
Donald Trump
The documents and other evidence show extensive social contact between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein in the 1990s and 2000s. A magazine profile from that period quoted Trump as saying that Epstein liked women "on the younger side." Photographs in the released material include images of Trump with several women whose faces are redacted, and the files include a suggestive note addressed to Epstein that appears to carry Trump’s signature framed within the outline of a naked woman.
Evidence and testimony from the 2021 trial of Ghislaine Maxwell indicate Trump traveled on Epstein’s airplane multiple times. In an email, Epstein wrote that Trump "knew about the girls," although the meaning of that line is not clarified in the material. A 2019 FBI interview summary of a Palm Beach police chief cites a 2006 phone call in which Trump reportedly called Maxwell "evil" and told the chief: "Thank goodness you’re stopping him, everyone has known he’s been doing this."
Trump has said he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes, that he ended his association in the early 2000s before Epstein’s 2008 plea deal, and that the suggestive note was fabricated. He also has denied ever flying on Epstein’s plane.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
The files indicate that the former Prince Andrew was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office in connection with allegations that he transmitted confidential government documents to Epstein. Released documents suggest he forwarded reports in 2010 to Epstein about visits to locations such as Vietnam and Singapore that he made as a British trade envoy.
As a result of his relationship with Epstein, the former royal was stripped of a royal title and evicted from his residence. He has denied wrongdoing, expressed regret for his friendship with Epstein, and maintained that he never witnessed sexual crimes. He settled a civil suit in 2022 brought by the late Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. He has declined multiple requests by the Justice Department to cooperate with criminal investigations. The Justice Department files include several photographs of him with women whose faces have been redacted.
Bill Clinton
Material in the Justice Department release shows former U.S. President Bill Clinton socializing with Epstein and traveling on Epstein’s plane several times in the early 2000s, after he had left office. Photographs posted among the files show Clinton swimming and posing with women whose faces are redacted.
Clinton has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and said he regretted his past association. He provided a closed-door deposition to a House of Representatives committee in February, during which he said he "saw nothing that gave me pause." He dismissed the Republican-led inquiry as politically motivated and intended to protect Donald Trump.
Howard Lutnick
Emails show that Howard Lutnick visited Epstein’s private island for lunch in 2012 and later invited Epstein to a 2015 fundraiser for Hillary Clinton. Those records contradict Lutnick’s statement that he had vowed never to "be in a room" with Epstein after a 2005 incident in which Epstein displayed a massage table at his townhouse and made a sexually suggestive remark. At the time of that earlier incident, Lutnick lived next door to Epstein in New York.
Lutnick, the former CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, told Congress he "barely had anything to do with that person." The White House has rejected calls for his resignation. Lutnick has agreed to answer questions in Congress in May.
Elon Musk
Communication in 2012 indicates that Elon Musk asked Epstein whether any parties were planned on Epstein’s island but appears to have decided not to attend. Epstein replied that "the ratio on my island" might make Musk’s female companion uncomfortable, without elaborating. Musk invited Epstein to drinks on another island a few days later, though it is not clear from the records whether that meeting occurred.
Musk has said he had limited interactions with Epstein and declined repeated invitations to visit Epstein’s island or travel on his plane.
Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson, a veteran British politician, was arrested in February and is under investigation by UK police on suspicion of misconduct in public office after emails suggested he leaked talks on possible U.K. asset sales and tax changes to Epstein during the financial crisis. The documents also indicate Epstein recorded payments to Mandelson or his then-partner.
Mandelson was dismissed as ambassador to the United States last year after earlier emails showed him referring to Epstein as "my best pal" and advising Epstein in seeking early release from jail. He has apologized to Epstein’s victims and denied any unlawful behavior. Following his appointment to a position by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, calls for Starmer’s resignation ensued and several senior government members resigned.
Kathy Ruemmler
Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer, Kathy Ruemmler, resigned after disclosures that she accepted gifts from Epstein and provided public relations advice to him between 2014 and 2019. Ruemmler, who previously served as White House counsel to President Barack Obama, has said she acted as a defense attorney with respect to Epstein and was not aware of ongoing criminal conduct.
Larry Summers
Documents show that Larry Summers, a former U.S. Treasury secretary and one-time president of Harvard University, flew on Epstein’s jet on multiple occasions dating back to 1998 and met with Epstein to discuss economic and business matters during Summers’ Harvard presidency. The pair maintained contact as recently as 2019, with emails showing Summers seeking Epstein's advice about a romantic interest.
No evidence of unlawful activity by Summers has been disclosed, but the document release prompted Summers to step down from roles at Harvard, OpenAI and other institutions. In November he described his actions as a source of deep shame and said he would retreat from public commitments to repair personal relationships affected by his decisions.
Kevin Warsh
Kevin Warsh, once nominated by President Trump to lead the Federal Reserve, was named in an email from a publicist to Epstein listing about 43 attendees of a 2010 Christmas gathering, which included celebrities such as Martha Stewart. It is not apparent from the files whether Warsh had personal contact with Epstein or why the publicist’s note was shown to Epstein. Warsh has not publicly commented on the mention.
Melania Trump
A 2002 email from Melania Trump to Ghislaine Maxwell concerning a magazine profile of Epstein appears in the files; the message reads "You look great." Melania Trump has said she never had a connection to Epstein.
Bill Gates
Records show Bill Gates and Epstein met repeatedly after Epstein’s 2008 prison term to talk about expanding Gates’ philanthropic work. The Justice Department documents also include photographs of Gates posing with women whose faces are redacted.
Gates has characterized the relationship as focused on philanthropy and said meeting with Epstein was a mistake. He is reported to be scheduled to appear before a House committee in June.
Jes Staley
Jes Staley, a former executive at JPMorgan and Barclays, appears in the files as taking part in Epstein-hosted gatherings. Court records indicate he exchanged roughly 1,200 emails with Epstein between 2008 and 2012. Some of those messages discussed Disney characters and included photographs of young women, according to the filings. Staley has denied knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct. He was banned from the U.K. financial industry and has been sued by JPMorgan, which alleges he concealed information about Epstein’s misconduct.
Peter Attia
The wellness figure Peter Attia’s name appears more than 1,700 times in the latest tranche of Justice Department documents. Attia said on social media that he met Epstein seven or eight times at Epstein’s New York home between 2014 and 2019, but that he never witnessed illegal activity nor saw Epstein in the company of anyone who appeared to be underage.
Brad Karp
Emails showing long-standing professional and personal communications between Brad Karp, leader of the law firm Paul Weiss, and Epstein through 2019 prompted Karp to step down. Documents indicate Karp attended dinners with Epstein and sought Epstein’s assistance securing a job on a Woody Allen film. The firm stated Karp regrets his interactions with Epstein and that he never observed or took part in any misconduct.
Borge Brende
Borge Brende, who led the World Economic Forum, resigned in February after disclosures that he had attended dinners with Epstein in 2018 and 2019 and exchanged emails with him. Brende said he would not have attended those events had he known about Epstein’s criminal past.
Casey Wasserman
Casey Wasserman, the senior U.S. official in charge of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, has faced calls to step aside following release of flirtatious emails between him and Ghislaine Maxwell dating back to 2003. Wasserman has denied a personal or business relationship with Epstein. An internal review by the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee concluded that Wasserman’s only contact with Epstein was when he and his then-wife flew on Epstein’s plane to Africa on a humanitarian mission invited by the Clinton Foundation.
Norwegian officials including Crown Princess Mette-Marit
The spouse of Norway’s heir to the throne apologized for extensive email correspondence with Epstein, acknowledging poor judgment. Former Prime Minister Thorbjoern Jagland is under a corruption probe for interactions with Epstein while Jagland was head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and the Council of Europe. The documents show Jagland requested Epstein’s help arranging financing for an Oslo apartment and discussed a potential visit to Epstein’s private island; Epstein asked in turn for an introduction to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Jagland has denied any illegal behavior and said he never visited the island. Former diplomats Terje Roed-Larsen and Mona Juul also face corruption inquiries over their dealings with Epstein and have denied wrongdoing.
Ariane de Rothschild
Ariane de Rothschild, who heads the family-owned Edmond de Rothschild Swiss bank, agreed to meetings with Epstein in New York and Paris before his 2019 arrest, according to emails. The records do not show evidence of criminal conduct, and a bank spokesperson said she was unaware of Epstein’s activities.
Mehmet Oz
Dr. Mehmet Oz, now head of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, invited Epstein to a Valentine’s Day party in 2016. His name appears multiple times across the released documents. He has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing.
Thomas Pritzker
Thomas Pritzker resigned as executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels, acknowledging he showed "terrible judgment" by maintaining contact with Epstein. The files include numerous business and personal messages between Pritzker, Epstein and Maxwell as recently as 2019.
Jack Lang
French authorities are probing former culture minister Jack Lang and his daughter Caroline on suspicion of tax fraud after correspondence with Epstein between 2012 and 2019 surfaced in the files. Lang has said he was not aware of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
The Justice Department’s labeled release is extensive and multifaceted. In addition to the specific names and episodes highlighted above, the files contain emails, photographs and other materials that link Epstein to a broader cross-section of elite institutions and high-profile individuals. Many of those named have denied criminal wrongdoing, emphasized that their dealings were limited or professional in nature, or expressed regret for having been associated with Epstein. Several have resigned from positions or faced legal inquiries, while others have been urged to respond to congressional questions or internal reviews.
Officials have reiterated that inclusion of a person’s name or an image in the trove does not automatically amount to evidence of criminal activity. The Justice Department’s caveat about fabricated content and unverified allegations remains central to assessments of the material. Legal and regulatory scrutiny continues in multiple jurisdictions, and criminal probes and civil suits that have already proceeded in the wake of the revelations continue to use the documents as part of their evidentiary record.
As investigators, institutions and the public sift through the released material, the files are likely to continue prompting both reputational consequences and formal inquiries for some of the individuals and organizations named. At the same time, government officials and legal authorities caution against reading the documents as conclusive proof of illegal conduct without corroboration from other evidence.