Freshly disclosed emails and travel itineraries have unveiled that Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier convicted for sex crimes, continued to mingle with Silicon Valley's elite for years after serving prison time. The documents, released by the Department of Justice, indicate that as late as 2018, Epstein was a regular at exclusive dinners alongside some of the world's most prominent billionaires and intellectuals.
High-Profile Connections Post-Release
The emails reveal that Epstein was invited to or attended events with figures such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Twitter co-founder Evan Williams, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and former Google vice-president Marissa Mayer. Many of these gatherings were orchestrated by the Edge network, a platform founded by literary agent John Brockman, which hosted sumptuous dinners and conferences for the rich and powerful.
In response to the file release, Elon Musk took to social media to clarify his limited interactions with Epstein, stating he declined invitations to Epstein's island and private jet, known as the 'Lolita Express'. Musk emphasized that he pushed for the files' disclosure but labeled the release as 'performative' without subsequent arrests.
Secretive Dinners and Funding
The events, held in upscale venues across North America's west coast from Vancouver to Long Beach, were often shrouded in secrecy. Emails show attendees advising Brockman to maintain 'radio silence' to preserve exclusivity. Epstein's financial contributions to Edge were substantial, with records indicating he donated $638,000 between 2001 and 2015, making him the network's largest funder.
Despite Epstein's 2008 conviction for procuring an underage girl for prostitution and his registration as a high-risk sex offender, his association with Edge persisted. In 2009, while still under house arrest, Brockman emailed Epstein seeking sponsorship for an Edge master class, highlighting the ongoing relationship.
Ongoing Invitations and Attendance
Epstein's presence at Edge events continued through the 2010s, with emails detailing his attendance at annual 'Billionaires' Dinners' and other exclusive gatherings. For instance, in 2011, he was listed among guests including Musk, Bezos, and Gates at a dinner in Long Beach, though his name was omitted from public retrospectives.
In 2014, Epstein confirmed his attendance at a Vancouver dinner via his assistant, and later humorously remarked to Brockman about the lack of Jewish attendees. The emails also show Epstein's involvement in events as late as 2015, where he expressed concerns about potential backlash from female attendees, to which Brockman reassured him after checking with other guests.
Scandal Re-emergence and Networking
The scandal regained attention in 2015 when victim Virginia Giuffre alleged Epstein forced her into sexual relations with Prince Andrew. Despite this, Brockman continued to invite Epstein to events, such as a 'Superforecasting' masterclass, and sought his networking assistance, including in 2018 regarding a Middle Eastern investor potentially acquiring Brockman, Inc.
Throughout, Epstein's role remained largely unpublicized by Edge, with website retrospectives excluding his name while featuring other high-profile attendees. The emails provide a stark insight into how his conviction did not hinder his access to influential circles in technology and academia.
