The latest trove of Epstein files released by the Department of Justice on Friday shed new light on his vast social network, with several high-profile figures mentioned in repeated correspondence with the convicted sex offender.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch were among those mentioned in more than 3.5 million pages of materials related to Jeffrey Epstein, while the documents also revealed that FBI officials compiled a summary of allegations against President Donald Trump last year in relation to Epstein, who who died by suicide while awaiting sex trafficking charges in 2019.
Former President Bill Clinton also appeared in the files, including when Epstein was asked about him in a 2016 deposition. House Republicans are preparing a contempt resolution for Clinton and his wife next week over their refusal to testify as part of their Epstein investigation.
The men referenced in the files have vehemently denied any criminal association with Epstein, including after the latest release on Friday, and the president has never been accused of wrongdoing by law enforcement. Clinton maintains that he has never visited Epstein’s island.
In a July 2013 email sent to himself, Epstein appeared to accuse Gates of a series of improprieties. The email was strangely formatted as a resignation letter to “BG3” and the Gates Foundation.
“In my role as his right hand I had been asked on mulitple occassion and in hindsight , wrongly acquiesced into participating in things that have ranged from the morally inappropriate , to the ethically unsound and had been repeatedly asked to do other things that get near and potentially over the line into the illegal,” Epstein wrote.
“From helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with russian girls , to facilictating his illicit trysts, with married women, to being asked to provide adderall,” he said.
The philanthropic organization has denied any business partnership or personal relationship with Epstein.
“These claims — from a proven, disgruntled liar — are absolutely absurd and completely false,” a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation said. “The only thing these documents demonstrate is Epstein’s frustration that he did not have an ongoing relationship with Gates and the lengths he would go to entrap and defame.”
Lutnick once planned a trip to Epstein’s private island in December 2012, according to email records. The businessman apparently wanted to visit Little St. James in the U.S. Virgin Islands with his wife, children, and another family to dine with Epstein over a meal.
The exchange is notable, considering it had not been previously disclosed. Lutnick once claimed he cut ties with Epstein in 2005, but the email messages show he kept in touch with the financier several years later.
Lutnick said he couldn’t comment on the latest Epstein files because he hadn’t reviewed them, according to the New York Times. The newspaper noted the Cabinet secretary claimed to have “spent zero time” with Epstein before hanging up the phone.
Musk also reportedly tried coordinating multiple visits to Epstein’s island, but it appears those plans didn’t fall into place based on several email exchanges with Epstein. The billionaire has denied ever visiting the island, although his past statement that he declined a trip is contradicted by the emails.
A spokesperson for X, one of his companies, did not respond to a request for comment by press time, but in September, Musk posted that “Epstein tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED.”
Tisch was also among Epstein’s contacts. The two seemingly discussed women, with correspondence suggesting that Epstein tried to arrange introductions for the billionaire sports owner.
“I can invite the [Russian]…to meet if you like,” Epstein wrote in May 2013. Tisch replied, “Is she fun?”
They reference additional women from Tahiti and Ukraine. Epstein told Tisch that the latter was “a little freaked by the age difference” and advised him to “go slow.”
In response to the latest reporting, Tisch acknowledged a “brief association” with Epstein “where we exchanged emails about adult women, and in addition, we discussed movies, philanthropy, and investments.”
“I did not take him up on any of his invitations and never went to his island,” he added, according to ESPN. “As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.”
EPSTEIN FILES SHOW MUSK PLANNED TO VISIT INFAMOUS ISLAND FOR ‘WILDEST PARTY’ DESPITE DENIAL OF TIES
In the latest release of files, some of the unverified sexual misconduct allegations center on Trump. The president has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Likewise, the DOJ has said the disclosure “may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos.”
First Lady Melania Trump appears to have exchanged niceties with Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell in an October 2002 email, but the sender’s last name was not included. It remains unclear if the “Melania” email signature referred to Trump’s wife. The couple married in 2005, so Melania would have gone by Knauss three years earlier.