There are many famous names in the Epstein files

CTV’s Royal Commentator Afua Hagan on the consequences Andrew and Sarah Ferguson are facing after the recent release of Epstein documents.

The major headlines from the latest dump of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein focus on U.S. President Donald Trump, former president Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and the former prince Andrew, among others. And rightly so. Those names are sprinkled throughout the documents.

Epstein’s alleged victims, meanwhile, were horrified that the U.S. Department of Justice posted unredacted nude images before taking them down, according to reporting that first appeared in The New York Times.

The overdue saga of releasing files related to the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will continue. Millions of files have now been released; more are expected.

There are many boldface names sprinkled throughout the millions of documents released so far. Some mentions seem to contradict previous statements, such as Elon Musk’s apparent desire in an email to attend a “wild” party on Epstein’s island. Musk denies ever going to the island or attending such a party.

There are countless awkward revelations in the files, including Martha Stewart trying to get Epstein’s cellphone number and Katie Couric commending a “ROCKIN” lasagna she had at his party. The crown princess of Norway offered some strange comments about infidelity. The celebrity doctor Peter Attia made crass jokes. New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch was apparently in pursuit of women.

These are some of the glimpses of the rarefied air in which Epstein travelled, even after the controversial 2008 plea deal in which he was convicted on charges related to the solicitation of a minor.

The inclusion of a person’s name in the file release does not indicate they participated in or were aware of Epstein’s crimes, although most of the exchanges below occurred after his initial conviction.

Bill Gates is the subject of salacious draft messages

The long relationship between Gates and Epstein is well documented. The latest document release only raises new questions. It’s not clear who wrote what look to be draft messages from 2013 saved in Epstein’s email account. But they appear to document, in stream-of-consciousness style, feelings of betrayal aimed at the Microsoft co-founder. The drafts mention marital discord between Gates and his then-wife Melinda. There is discussion of business deals, the idea of Gates having concerns about a sexually transmitted disease, and soured business ventures. The draft message expresses concern that a public divorce between Bill and Melinda Gates would hurt their foundation. Later, that divorce would be a yearslong process.

“These claims — from a proven, disgruntled liar — are absolutely absurd and completely false. 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,” a Gates representative told the New York Times.

Musk, rather than ‘REFUSE’ an invite, tried to co-ordinate trip to Epstein’s island

Elon Musk has previously said he rebuffed Epstein’s attempts to invite the Tesla and SpaceX billionaire to his private island. But in released documents, it is Musk who appears to be involved in trying to set up a visit.

In a 2012 email, Epstein asked Musk how many people will need a helicopter ride to the island. Musk wrote back that it would be only him and his then-wife Talulah Riley, and wondered what night would yield the “wildest party.”

The detailed emails between the two men run counter to Musk’s claim last year that he’d “REFUSED” to attend a party on Epstein’s island.

After Friday’s files release, Musk said this on X:

I have never been to any Epstein parties ever and have many times call for the prosecution of those who have committed crimes with Epstein. The acid test for justice is not the release of the files, but rather the prosecution of those who committed heinous crimes with Epstein.

Lutnick wanted co-ordinates for his boat captain to find Epstein’s private island

In December 2012, Trump’s now-secretary of commerce was trying to get coordinates for his boat captain in order to link up with Epstein, presumably at Epstein’s private Caribbean island, for dinner. Lutnick was on his boat with his wife, another couple, and each family’s four children. They later discussed meeting for lunch. Lutnick sent a message to an unidentified recipient with directions:

Below from Jeffrey: come sat or sunday lunch? little st jamcs on the map, behind christmans cove

Years later, in 2015, Lutnick tried to invite Epstein to a political fundraiser for Hillary Clinton.

“Secretary Lutnick had limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing,” a Commerce Department spokesperson told CNN.

Richard Branson: Told Epstein to ‘bring your harem’

The Virgin Group founder was a known Epstein acquaintance before the release of documents. In one 2013 email released by the Department of Justice, Branson told Epstein he’d be happy to meet any time the two are in the same area “as long as you bring your harem!”

Branson also counseled Epstein to get Bill Gates to vouch for him after Epstein was required to register as a sex offender.

A Virgin Group spokesperson said the phrase “harem” referred to three adult women from Epstein’s team and that Branson was repeating the term back after it was originally used in an email by Epstein. Further, the spokesperson said Branson made the comment about Gates in response to Epstein’s request for advice after Epstein mentioned his own prison sentence and said he was an adviser to Gates.

The Virgin spokesperson said Epstein framed his legal troubles as having stemmed from a consensual relationship with someone who was nearly 18. If he had known the full facts, the spokesperson said, Branson would never have become involved with Epstein.

“Any contact Richard and Joan Branson had with Epstein took place on only a few occasions more than twelve years ago, and was limited to group or business settings,” the Virgin Group spokesperson said in a statement. “Richard believes that Epstein’s actions were abhorrent and supports the right to justice for his many victims.”

Hosting the former leader of Norway. Talking to the crown princess…

Separately in that email exchange with Branson, Epstein referred to the head of the committee that awards the Nobel Peace Prize, former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland, staying at his New York house.

Jagland exchanged many emails with Epstein; so too, separately, did Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Both have said they showed poor judgment in their relationship with Epstein

Steve Tisch asked Epstein to connect him with a woman

The New York Giants co-owner is a new face in the documents. He emailed Epstein asking about a woman he met at Epstein’s house and wondered if she was a professional or a “civilian.” In another exchange, Epstein said he would have a “present” for Tisch. Days later, Epstein described a woman he would introduce Tisch to as “tahitian speaks mostly french, exotic.”

Tisch asked if she was a “working girl.” Epstein said “Nwver.”

In a statement to CNN, Tisch said this:

“We had a brief association 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. As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with.”

The NFL said Monday it will look into Tisch’s association with Epstein.

Larry Summers gossiped about Trump

The former Harvard president, treasury secretary and economic adviser to former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama has long been known as an acquaintance of Epstein’s. After a first tranche of Epstein files was released, Summers left the board of the firm OpenAI and stopped teaching at Harvard. In newly released emails from 2017, Summers and Epstein gossiped about President Donald Trump during his first term and insulted Trump’s intelligence.

“Your world does not understand how dumb he really is,” Epstein told Summers in one email.

Summers was also, as previously reported, named as executor in an early version of Epstein’s will.

“Mr. Summers had absolutely no knowledge that he was included in an early version of Epstein’s will and had no involvement in his financial matters or the administration of his estate,” a Summers spokesperson told CNN back in December.

Summers had previously said he is “deeply ashamed” and takes “full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein.”

Peter Attia made crass jokes

The viral anti-aging influencer had a chummy relationship with Epstein. The men exchanged hundreds of emails. Attia acknowledged that being friends with Epstein was not something he could share publicly. They discussed a 2018 Miami Herald story that identified Epstein victims.

Attia also made jokes about sex acts and the female anatomy.

Attia said in a statement that while he was not involved in any criminal activity, “I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where emails, some of them embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible, are now public.”

Katie Couric enjoyed Epstein’s ‘ROCKIN’ lasagna

The TV host and journalist Katie Couric emailed about stopping by Epstein’s house in 2010 and thanked him for dinner and what was apparently a tasty lasagna, for an “eclectic crowd” that included her and someone she refers to as “Brooks.” Couric at the time was dating Brooks Perlin.

At one point, when Couric declined an invitation for tea, Epstein said he and someone named Andrew were disappointed they wouldn’t see her.

In 2011, Couric emailed the publicist Peggy Siegal perhaps ironically thanking her for an Epstein invite. Couric wrote:

Oy, thanks for the Jeffrey Epstein invite… it’s brought me a world of trouble!

Siegal forwarded the message to Epstein as evidence of a “witch hunt” against him and Andrew and offered her services to help.

Couric recounted the dinner, alongside other celebrities and Andrew, in her 2021 memoir. She described the atmosphere at Epstein’s home as “creepy” and conceded she “should have done a little more research” into Epstein. Reached by text on Monday, she declined further comment.

Martha Stewart wanted Epstein’s number, was invited to dinner with Woody Allen

Epstein’s assistant Lesley Groff asked Epstein if it was OK to give his cell number to Stewart’s assistant in 2013. Groff also included Stewart’s cell number in the email and said Stewart would be on St. Croix starting Dec. 23 that year.

On Dec. 26, a calendar entry for “martha stewart st. croix” blocks off an hour on the morning of Dec. 26.

A few years later, Groff emailed a “Martha Stewart” contact in her address book to invite Stewart to a dinner with Epstein, Woody Allen and Allen’s wife Soon Yi. Groff included Epstein’s New York address and said the party would start at 7 or 7:30, but she was still working on the time. It’s unclear whether she accepted the invitation.

A spokesperson for Stewart did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lots of dinners with Allen

In 2016, Epstein emailed a contact for Deepak Chopra wondering if “l=o dicaprio would want to have dinner with Woody.”

“I can certainly ask him if he is around,” Chopra replied.

It’s not clear what, if anything, came of the idea.

In 2017, there are emails inviting the TV personality Dick Cavett and his wife Martha to another dinner with Woody Allen and Soon Yi. Cavett was unable to attend.

A powerful lawyer, Brad Karp, contacted Epstein about getting his son, then a Cornell student, work on an Allen film.

“i will ask, of course,” Epstein responded.

Other exchanges with Chopra

Epstein corresponded frequently with Chopra. They exchanged news articles and set up meetings. Chopra was unable to make one 2017 dinner with Epstein, Allen and Slovakian then- Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajčák, due to being delayed in Washington, D.C.

In a 2016 exchange, Chopra asks Epstein if he knows Marla Maples, Trump’s former wife and the mother of Tiffany Trump. Epstein says that when Trump found out Maples was pregnant, Epstein lost a US$10,000 bet, which he said he paid to Trump with a truck full of baby food.

Diplomat derailed

Lajčák was, at the time of the planned dinner with Chopra, Epstein and Allen, president of the UN General Assembly. He resigned from his position as an adviser to the current Slovakian government after the latest Epstein release, according to Reuters.

Josh Harris had fun at breakfast

Josh Harris, the billionaire co-owner of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, and NHL’s New Jersey Devils, also appears several times in the files.

The files released in September revealed that Epstein invited Harris to an “intimate” breakfast at his estate in New York in 2014, where “Bill Gates will be in attendance.”

While it was previously unclear whether Harris accepted the invitation, Friday’s new files indicate Harris did meet with Epstein. Epstein asked Harris about a week after the intended meeting date “did you hve fun at breakfast,” to which Harris responded, “Yes very much. Thank you for inviting me.”

In a statement to WJLA-TV, a spokesperson for Harris said, “Josh Harris never had an independent relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Harris sought to prevent Epstein’s attempts to develop a corporate relationship with Apollo. As these emails indicate, Harris sought to avoid meeting with Epstein, canceling meetings and having others return his calls.”

‘Melania’ filmmaker appears in a photo on a couch

The newly released files include photos of Bret Ratner, the director of Melania Trump’s new Amazon film, lying on a sofa with Epstein as they both embrace young women. The release by the Justice Department came one day after Ratner appeared on the red carpet for his film Melania,” for which Amazon paid $40 million in rights and another $35 million in marketing.

Ratner was accused of sexual impropriety by six women in 2017. He has denied any wrongdoing. Ratner told Fox News he did not have a personal relationship with Epstein and that he was engaged to one of the women pictured on the sofa at the time the photo was taken.

Steve Bannon bragged about his influence over Trump

New text messages reveal the depth of the relationship between Epstein and Steve Bannon, the populist strategist and one of Trump’s closest advisers in his first term.

Epstein and Bannon frequently messaged about Trump, including poking fun at the president and Bannon’s influence over him

In reference to an Axios post about the president’s schedule, Bannon wrote: “Brother is out of gas.” Bannon also referred to Trump sarcastically as a “‘Stable Genius’ bringing himself down.”

In reference to Bannon’s efforts to start building a private border wall outside El Paso, Texas, Bannon wrote to Epstein “I can’t seem like I’m running trump’s nose in his own incompetence.” This border wall construction led to Bannon facing federal charges for defrauding donors of more than a million dollars, for which Trump pardoned him in the final hours of his first administration

In another message, Bannon wrote “Dude: I just got him to pull the trigger on $400 billion in tariffs on china.”

Among the newly released files is nearly two hours of video of an interview between Bannon and Epstein, including discussion of Epstein’s classification as a sex offender. Bannon asks Epstein what class of predator he is, to which Epstein responds, “Tier one,” or “the lowest.”

Bannon did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Sergey Brin tried to make time for a visit

Sergey Brin, the billionaire co-founder of Google, appears multiple times in the files. Brin exchanged multiple messages with Ghislaine Maxwell, including offering to bring along Google’s then-CEO, Eric Schmidt, to a dinner at Epstein’s residence in New York. That exchange occurred in 2003, long before Epstein’s conviction as a sex offender. Maxwell told Brin, “Dinners at Jeffrey’s are always happily casual and relaxed.”

Epstein accuser Sarah Ransome had previously claimed in court documents in 2024 that she met Brin and his then-fiancée, Anne Wojcicki, on Epstein’s private island.

Brin did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to Google.

By Zachary B. Wolf, Michael Williams, Austin Culpepper, CNN