What did the Epstein files reveal about his ties to politicians and business titans?

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New Epstein images released by U.S. Justice Department
Jeffrey Epstein is seen in this image released by the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., U.S., on December 19, 2025 as part of a new trove of documents from its investigations into the... Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab Read more
February 19 - The U.S. Justice Department's release of millions of internal documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has revealed the late financier and sex offender's ties to many prominent people in politics, finance, academia and business - both before and after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges, including soliciting an underage girl.
Evidence in multiple legal and criminal cases has also shed light on these connections. Epstein was arrested again in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. His 2019 death in a Manhattan jail cell was ruled a suicide.
The Justice Department has said the material could include fake images or untrue allegations, as well as pornographic material. The Justice Department's No. 2 official, Todd Blanche, has said the material does not amount to evidence of criminal sexual activity by those named in the files.
Here are some of the prominent people whose ties to Epstein were revealed in the newly released material.

DONALD TRUMP

Trump socialized extensively with Epstein in the 1990s and 2000s and is quoted in a magazine profile during that period as saying that Epstein likes women "on the younger side." Documents released by the Justice Department include photos of Trump with several women whose faces are redacted and a suggestive note to Epstein, framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to bear Trump's signature. Evidence and testimony submitted in the 2021 trial of Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell indicate Trump traveled on Epstein's plane multiple times. Epstein wrote in one email that Trump "knew about the girls," though it is not clear what he meant.
The Republican president has denied any knowledge of Epstein's crimes and says he broke off ties in the early 2000s, before Epstein's plea deal. Trump denies ever flying on Epstein's plane and says the suggestive note was faked.

ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN-WINDSOR

The former Prince Andrew, Duke of York, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Epstein. Documents released by the Justice Department suggest he forwarded reports to Epstein in 2010 about Vietnam, Singapore and other places he had visited as a British trade envoy.
Mountbatten-Windsor has already been stripped of his royal title and evicted from his mansion due to his social and business relationship with Epstein. He has denied wrongdoing and has expressed regret for his friendship with Epstein. He has said he never saw any sex crimes.
The former royal settled a civil lawsuit in 2022 brought by the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her while she was a teenager, and he has rebuffed requests by the Justice Department to cooperate in multiple criminal investigations. The Justice Department files include several photos of him with women whose faces are redacted.

BILL CLINTON

The Democratic former U.S. president socialized with Epstein and flew on his plane several times in the early 2000s, after Clinton left office. Photos released by the Justice Department show him swimming and posing with women whose faces are redacted. Clinton has denied wrongdoing and says he regrets his past association with Epstein. He is due to give a closed-door deposition to a House of Representatives committee on February 27. Clinton has dismissed the Republican-led investigation as a partisan effort to protect Trump.

HOWARD LUTNICK

Trump's Commerce Secretary visited Epstein's private island for lunch in 2012 and invited him to a fundraiser in 2015 for Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic rival in the 2016 presidential election, emails show. That contradicts Lutnick's claim that he vowed never to "be in a room" with Epstein following a 2005 incident in which the financier showed Lutnick a massage table at his townhouse and made a sexually suggestive comment. The former Cantor Fitzgerald CEO lived next door to Epstein in New York at the time. Lutnick told Congress that he "barely had anything to do with that person," and the White House has rejected calls for him to resign.

ELON MUSK

The billionaire Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab CEO asked Epstein if he had any parties planned on his island in 2012 but apparently decided not to visit. Epstein responded that "the ratio on my island" might make Musk's female companion uncomfortable, without elaborating further. Musk invited Epstein to visit him for drinks on another island a few days later, but it is unclear whether they met. Musk said on Saturday he had few interactions with Epstein and turned down repeated invitations to visit the island or fly on Epstein's plane.

PETER MANDELSON

UK police say they are reviewing reports of alleged misconduct involving the veteran British politician following the release of emails suggesting he had leaked discussions on possible UK asset sales and tax changes to Epstein during the financial crash, and that Epstein had recorded payments to Mandelson or his then-partner. He was fired as ambassador to the United States last year after an earlier batch of emails showed him calling Epstein "my best pal" and advising him on seeking early jail release. Mandelson has apologized to Epstein's victims. He has denied wrongdoing.
The scandal represents the biggest challenge yet to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who faces calls to resign for appointing Mandelson, and three senior members of his government have stepped down.

KATHY RUEMMLER

Goldman Sachs' top lawyer resigned after revelations that she accepted gifts from Epstein and gave him public relations advice between 2014 and 2019. Ruemmler, a former White House counsel to Democratic President Barack Obama, says she dealt with Epstein as a defense attorney and was not aware of any ongoing criminal conduct.

LARRY SUMMERS

The former U.S. Treasury secretary and Harvard University president flew on Epstein's jet several times as far back as 1998 and met with him to discuss economic and business matters while he served as president of Harvard. The two maintained a relationship as late as 2019, when email communications show Summers soliciting advice about a romantic interest. No evidence of wrongdoing has surfaced, but Summers stepped down from positions at Harvard, OpenAI and other prominent institutions in November following the release of those documents.
Summers said in November he was "deeply ashamed" of his actions and said he would step back from public commitments to "repair relationships with the people closest to me."

KEVIN WARSH

Trump's nominee to head the Federal Reserve appeared in an email from a publicist to Epstein listing 43 people, including celebrities such as Martha Stewart, headed to a Christmas gathering in 2010. It was not clear whether Warsh knew Epstein or why Epstein was sent the note, and Warsh has not responded to a request for comment.

MELANIA TRUMP

The files include a 2002 email from Trump's wife, Melania Trump, to Maxwell about a magazine piece on Epstein. "You look great," the email says.

BILL GATES

The documents indicate Gates and Epstein met repeatedly after Epstein's prison term to discuss expanding the Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab founder's philanthropic efforts. They also include pictures of the Microsoft founder posing with women whose faces are redacted. Gates has said the relationship was confined to philanthropy-related discussions and has said it was a mistake to meet with him.

JES STALEY

The former JPMorgan and Barclays (BARC.L), opens new tab executive is listed as a participant in Epstein-hosted gatherings. He exchanged around 1,200 emails with Epstein between 2008 and 2012, some of which contained discussions about Disney characters and photographs of young women, according to court documents. Staley has denied knowing about Epstein's criminal activities. He was banned from the UK financial industry and has been sued by JPMorgan, which claims he concealed information about Epstein's misconduct.

PETER ATTIA

The wellness influencer's name appears more than 1,700 times in the latest trove of documents released by the Justice Department. He said on social media he met with Epstein seven or eight times at his New York City home between 2014 and 2019, but never witnessed illegal activity or saw Epstein accompanied by anyone who appeared to be underage.

BRAD KARP

The head of the powerful Wall Street law firm Paul Weiss stepped down after emails revealed longstanding personal and business communications with Epstein through 2019. Karp attended dinners with Epstein and sought his help getting a job on a Woody Allen film, the emails show. The firm said Karp regrets his interactions with Epstein and never witnessed or participated in any misconduct.

BORGE BRENDE

The head of the World Economic Forum is under internal investigation following revelations that he attended dinners with Epstein in 2018 and 2019 and emailed with him. Brende said he would not have participated had he known about Epstein's criminal record.

CASEY WASSERMAN

The top U.S. official overseeing the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles faces calls to step down after the release of flirtatious emails between him and Maxwell as early as 2003. Wasserman has denied having a personal or business relationship with Epstein. A review by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee determined that Wasserman's only interaction with Epstein occurred when he and his then-wife flew on a humanitarian mission to Africa aboard Epstein's plane at the invitation of the Clinton Foundation.

NORWEGIAN CROWN PRINCESS METTE-MARIT AND OTHER NORWEGIAN OFFICIALS

The spouse of the heir to Norway's throne apologized for her extensive email correspondence with Epstein, saying she showed poor judgment.
Former Prime Minister Thorbjoern Jagland faces a corruption investigation for dealings with Epstein when he was head of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and head of the Council of Europe. Documents show he asked Epstein for help financing an apartment in Oslo and discussed a visit to Epstein's private island, while Epstein asked for an introduction to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Jagland has denied wrongdoing and says he never visited the island.
Former diplomats Terje Roed-Larsen and Mona Juul also face a corruption inquiry for their dealings with Epstein. They have denied wrongdoing.

ARIANE DE ROTHSCHILD

The head of the family-owned Edmond de Rothschild Swiss bank agreed to multiple meetings with Epstein in New York and Paris before his 2019 arrest, emails show. They do not contain any sign of criminal wrongdoing, and a spokesperson for the bank said she had no knowledge of his conduct.

MEHMET OZ

The celebrity doctor who now heads the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services invited Epstein to a Valentine's Day party in 2016, and his name appears several more times in the released files. He has not been accused of wrongdoing.

THOMAS PRITZKER

Pritzker stepped down as executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels, acknowledging "terrible judgment" in maintaining contact with Epstein. Documents show numerous business and personal communications with Epstein and Maxwell as late as 2019.

JACK LANG

French police are investigating the country's former culture minister and his daughter Caroline on suspicion of tax fraud, following the release of his correspondence with Epstein between 2012 and 2019. Lang has said he was unaware of Epstein's crimes.

Reporting by Andy Sullivan in Washington; Editing by Craig Timberg, Rod Nickel, Toby Chopra

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Andy Sullivan

Thomson Reuters

Andy covers politics and policy in Washington. His work has been cited in Supreme Court briefs, political attack ads and at least one Saturday Night Live skit.

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