Philosophers, political leaders, scientists, members of royal families, sports team owners and one acclaimed film director: the release of more than three million documents by the U.S. Department of Justice related to the investigation of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has exposed the depth of his ties to a long list of prominent figures. The disclosures raise serious questions about the extent of his influence among a wide circle of people who continued to associate with him even after he had been convicted and served prison time for soliciting a minor for prostitution about a decade and a half ago.
In the United States, newspaper headlines for weeks focused on how often former and current presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton were mentioned — material used as political ammunition by both sides. In Britain, the affair finally tore away the mask surrounding Prince Andrew, who was photographed on Epstein’s island in a series of embarrassing images, as well as senior Labour figure Peter Mandelson, appointed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as ambassador to the U.S. It emerged that Mandelson not only remained a friend of the convicted pedophile billionaire, but also leaked government documents containing sensitive economic information to him and received money in return. In Israel, attention has focused, unsurprisingly, on former prime minister Ehud Barak.
Trump on Epstein: 'Innocent and respectable people met him years ago, they were all his friends'
But a long list of other figures have also been named repeatedly and in sensitive contexts, and for most of them it has been a week in which their public image suffered significant damage. While it was already known that many had socialized with Epstein in the past, newly released emails between them and Epstein, or references to them by Epstein and third parties, reveal the depth of those relationships and cast their past efforts to downplay them in a farcical light.
One example is Microsoft founder and former CEO Bill Gates. His association with Epstein was known, but Gates consistently sought to minimize it. A series of newly revealed emails from the past two weeks expose how deep the relationship went. In one, Epstein even invited Gates to his notorious island, though Gates has firmly insisted he never went there. In two draft emails from 2013 that were released and apparently written by Epstein himself, Epstein allegedly claimed he helped arrange sexual encounters for Gates and even assisted in obtaining medication for a sexually transmitted disease that Gates supposedly contracted “as a result of encounters with Russian girls.”
Gates said last week in an interview with Australian television that all of Epstein’s claims were “completely false,” reiterating that “I regret every minute I spent with him and apologize for it.” His former wife, Melinda French Gates, who divorced him in 2021, reportedly due to her disappointment over his friendship with Epstein, responded by saying: “I feel a deep sadness about this. People will have to answer questions, including my former husband.”
Another iconic figure whose ties to Epstein were known but whose depth of connection has now been exposed is filmmaker Woody Allen. Allen, who himself carries a cloud of allegations of sexual abuse involving his daughter, maintained a close friendship with Epstein together with his wife, Soon-Yi Previn. The documents reveal that Epstein used his extensive connections to help Allen and Previn’s daughter, Bechet Allen, gain admission to Bard College. Epstein connected Allen to the college’s president, Leon Botstein, effectively arranging “preferential treatment” for the director’s family. The revelation reinforces claims that Epstein served as a “fixer” and conduit of influence for Allen, even in sensitive personal matters.
Epstein also helped arrange a tour of the White House for Allen during the Obama presidency and toured the Musée d’Orsay in Paris with him. Remarkably, Allen’s wife Previn — who is also the adopted daughter of Allen’s former partner Mia Farrow and is regarded by many as another victim of Allen — sent an email to Epstein attacking a 15-year-old sexual assault victim, claiming she had committed a “disgusting act” by exposing her attacker, a Democratic congressman who was forced to resign following the scandal. “I hate women who use men like that… she lured him in like a fisherman with a hook,” Previn wrote.
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Jeffrey Epstein with an unidentified escort
(Photo: House Oversight Committee Democrats/Handout via REUTERS )
There is more. In the worlds of philosophy and science, a number of intellectuals — most notably philosopher and linguist Noam Chomsky — continue to appear in Epstein’s meeting calendars and mailing lists. Recent revelations show that Epstein conducted ongoing dialogues with them on topics such as “the future of humanity.” While Chomsky previously said his meetings with Epstein were a “private matter,” the new documents reveal a close relationship between the anti-capitalist thinker and the corrupt billionaire, including financial consultations and plans for shared dinners with “the Allen couple.”
In one email, Chomsky wrote that he was “fantasizing about the Caribbean island,” apparently referring to Epstein’s infamous island. Chomsky, known as a figure of the far left, also requested in one email to meet Steve Bannon, Trump’s far-right adviser, saying: “We have a lot to talk about.” In another email, Epstein wrote to an acquaintance that Chomsky had advised him during the eruption of Epstein’s second sex scandal in 2019 on “how to deal with the terrible things being said about you in the press and in public… the best way is to ignore it.” Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 before his trial, sparking numerous conspiracy theories.
Additional names appear as well. An FBI document includes anonymous testimony from a young woman who claimed she once “woke up drugged in a room with Harvey Weinstein and Jay-Z” at a party that allegedly took place at Epstein’s Florida estate in 1996, and that Weinstein sexually assaulted her. Weinstein, of course, is the film producer now serving prison sentences for rape; Jay-Z is one of the world’s most successful musicians. The mother of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, filmmaker Mira Nair, is mentioned in one email in which Epstein claimed he met her at a party — though there is no indication of any improper conduct on her part. Filmmaker Brett Ratner (“Rush Hour”), who directed a documentary about Melania Trump and is close to Trump, was photographed hugging young women alongside Epstein.
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Epstein introduced Professor Dan Ariely to a 'red-haired' woman
(Photo: Jonathan Bloom)
Another email concerns a particularly well-known Israeli figure: Professor Dan Ariely, a behavioral economics expert at Duke University. The released documents include an email in which Ariely makes a personal request of Epstein. According to reports, Ariely asked Epstein for the contact details of a “red-haired” woman Epstein had previously introduced to him and whom Ariely said “looks very, very smart.” Another email reveals that Epstein helped Ariely secure a tour of a Ferrari factory.
Ariely responded to the reports by saying: “I met Epstein only four times over more than a decade. Our correspondence was not continuous, dealt with logistics and was related to managing conferences and academic matters, mostly through his assistants. Most importantly, there was zero financial, professional or ongoing relationship with him.”
'Barak’s apartment' and the conversation about Israel
According to the documents, former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak frequently stayed in Epstein’s New York apartment — sometimes for extended periods of several months. Numerous internal communications among Epstein’s staff refer to apartment 11J as the apartment of Barak and his partner, Nili Priel. The correspondence discusses various repairs to be made in the apartment, cleaning, lists of authorized entrants and groceries to be stocked ahead of the Baraks’ arrival. It appears to have been just one of several apartments Epstein used to host acquaintances in New York.
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Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak frequently stayed in Epstein’s New York apartment
(Photo: Avi Muallem)
In the most recent message on the matter, Priel informed Epstein’s staff that she and Barak would arrive at the apartment on June 21, 2019 — two weeks before Epstein’s arrest on suspicion of pedophilia offenses and running a minor sex-trafficking ring. A month earlier, Epstein’s personal assistant, Leslie Groff, told Priel that 24 boxes belonging to her and Barak had been transferred to the apartment.
Beyond the apartment revelations, a roughly three-and-a-half-hour recording was disclosed of a conversation Barak held with Epstein and former U.S. Treasury secretary Larry Summers. The discussion focused on business issues, but Barak also spoke about Israel, saying it should open the gates to mass immigration from Russia. “We can absorb another million easily,” Barak said. “I used to tell Putin we only need one more million, one million Russians who could dramatically change Israel. Many young, beautiful girls would come, tall and slim.”
In the same conversation, Barak warned that Israel was on a “slippery slope” toward becoming a single state with an Arab majority, adding that to solve this, Israel must end the rabbinate’s monopoly over marriage, burial and conversions. He stressed: “We can control the quality of immigrants, unlike our forefathers who brought people from North Africa and Arab countries — anyone who could get here. We can be selective.”
A flood of revelations — fuel for antisemitism
Another prominent name from the worlds of sports and film is Steve Tisch, producer of films such as "Forrest Gump" and one of the owners and chairman of the New York Giants. The most serious allegations concern Tisch’s relationship with Epstein. Tisch has acknowledged the connection and their friendship, which took place after Epstein’s first conviction for soliciting minors for prostitution and after he was designated in New York State as a high-risk sex offender. Tisch insists he did nothing illegal. Tisch’s name adorns the film school at Tel Aviv University, and he is considered an influential voice in Israel.
In a 2013 email exchange, Epstein asked Tisch: “If you want, I can invite the Russian to meet.” Tisch replied: “Fun with her?” In another email, the Giants owner asked: “Is my gift already in New York?” Epstein replied that it was. “Can I get my surprise tomorrow afternoon?” Tisch responded. In another email, Epstein wrote: “I have an exotic girl from Tahiti who speaks mostly French.” Tisch asked: “Working girl?” Epstein replied: “Never.”
In other emails, they refer to women and ask whether they are “professionals or civilians?” “She’s a civilian but Russian,” Epstein replied. “Lies a lot, but very fun.” “Have you already contacted the great ass and fake breasts? She has a 10-out-of-10 butt,” Epstein asked Tisch in another email. According to the emails, first published by The Athletic, Tisch invited Epstein to a suite at the Giants’ home stadium, while Epstein invited Tisch to his Caribbean island. Epstein also emailed women who met Tisch, explaining that Tisch, in his other role as a film producer, could help their acting careers.
The flood of publications related to Epstein — who was Jewish — and the fact that many of his associates are prominent Jews in the U.S., such as Allen, Weinstein, Chomsky and Tisch, has in recent days become major fuel for antisemites online. They view the affair as proof of a supposed “Jewish elite” entangled in sex and money scandals — even though for the vast majority of figures appearing in the correspondence, there is no evidence of criminal conduct in any sphere.