Here are some of the high-profile names in the Epstein emails
Dozens of people who had contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein over the years are being scrutinized for their relationships based on emails that lawmakers released to the public.
The late financier’s reporters are mostly men, and recognizable names include an economist, a scientist, an investor and a journalist. They asked for advice on pursuing women, discussed current events, and otherwise joked around in this pen pal friendship.
These email exchanges occurred years after Epstein became a registered sex offender in 2008. Between a federal indictment, police investigation, civil lawsuits and public allegations, Epstein is indicted He recruits and trafficks more than 1,000 girls under the age of 14 to have sex with him, his partner Ghislaine Maxwell, and other men.
Geoffrey Berman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein as the financier announces charges of sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, July 8, 2019, New York, USA.
Women around the world — in California, Florida, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, the United Kingdom and the Virgin Islands — said they were abused and sold to other men by Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell.
Let’s take a look at what some of the men and women who corresponded with Epstein had to say in their exchanges.
Larry Summers
Summers, former Treasury secretary and former president of Harvard University. Get advice from Epstein about a romantic relationship he was considering starting with a female economist he described as a “mentee.”
In an email message dated November 20, 2018, the female economist appears to ask Summers about edits to a research paper. Summers forwards the email to Epstein and says: “I think it would probably be appropriate not to respond for a while.” Epstein replies: “He’s already starting to look needy 🙂 nice.”
Summers’ email correspondence ran from November 2018 to July 5, 2019. Harvard Crimson. Miami Herald blockbuster reveal The case against Epstein was published in November 2018. A federal court decision in February 2019 paved the way for federal charges against Epstein, and he was indicted on July 6, 2019. Epstein died by suicide about a month later while awaiting trial.
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Elisa New
Elisa New, who has been married to Summers since 2005, sent Epstein a copy of the invitation to an unnamed event on November 25, 2018. He is a professor of American literature at Harvard and was also discussing literature with her.
In one of his messages, he says that he will go on a trip to Australia and read Vladimir Nabokov’s book “Lolita”. The book is about the sexual obsession of a married scientist in his 30s with a 12-year-old girl. People later named Epstein’s private plane. flight logs show “Lolita Express” carrying VIPs and women all over the world.
New recommends reading “My Antonia” the next time she goes on a long plane ride. “The prose is gorgeous, and the book – come to think of it – has similar themes to Lolita , about a man whose entire life is forever marked by his impression of a young girl.”
Lawrence Krauss
Lawrence Krauss, co-chair of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, appears at a press conference in New York on January 14, 2010.
Physicist Lawrence Krauss, who wrote the book “The Physics of Star Trek,” texted Epstein to ask for advice after a reporter from BuzzFeed News contacted him about sexual harassment allegations he was facing. Versions of these claims published later.
“I submitted to that woman but never forced myself on her and we talked about kissing or going beyond that and decided not to,” Krauss wrote to Epstein on December 11, 2017. Krauss wrote to Epstein on December 11, 2017. He includes a long list of events in his description of the encounter that led to the investigation and asks the reporter if he should respond.
Epstein asks whether Krauss had sex with her accuser and, if so, details of the encounter. He then concludes: “I will not answer. My advice is consistent. Off the record.” “We didn’t have sex. We decided it wasn’t a good idea,” Krauss writes.
Steve Bannon
President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign CEO Steve Bannon takes a phone call outside Trump Tower in New York, United States, December 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich
Steve Bannon, a top White House aide during President Donald Trump’s first term, warned Epstein on November 16, 2018, that he would miss a flight at London Heathrow Airport. Epstein replies: “There. There’s a gulf vibe that would stop in Bahrain at 950.” Then “Arriving. 1130.”
Bannon replies: “You’re a great assistant.”
The two exchanged multiple emails throughout 2018; some just shared news articles. Records also show that Epstein planned to have breakfast with Bannon at 7 a.m. on February 16, 2019. By then, Epstein knew he was under federal investigation.
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Jonathan Farkas
Jonathan Farkas, a scion of Alexander’s department store family and the husband of Trump’s ambassador to Malta, emailed Epstein. May 8, 2017. He asks what Epstein thought of a woman he was seeing who was not his wife.
“Be careful, ALLL is not reliable either,” writes Epstein.
“2 timer?” asks Farkas.
“It’s worse,” says Epstein.
Farkas asked, “Jeffrey please help me, is she a whore?” he asks.
Epstein’s response: “alcoholic. drug. unstable. liar. BE CAREFUL”
Michael Wolff
Michael Wolff seen in 2012
Journalist Michael Wolff emailed Epstein on October 29, 2016, days before Trump was first elected president. He was writing a Book about Trump’s 2016 campaign.
“There is an opportunity this week to step forward and talk about Trump in a way that will get you a lot of sympathy and finish him off,” Wolff writes. “Relating to?” There is no indication in the emails that Epstein responded or acted on Wolff’s request. The president said he ended his friendship with Epstein years before this exchange.
On February 1, 2019, Epstein sent an email to Wolff at 5 a.m. containing typos about the federal investigation into his conduct. He describes some activities that align with what his accusers say they were forced to do for money, but downplays other allegations.
“There were many girls,” he wrote. “The girls returned the house multiple times for $200 for rubbing and tugging (sic). No sex… Some worked at local massage parlors, most in their mid-twenties.”
Boris Nikolic
In January 2010, Epstein emailed biotech venture capitalist Boris Nikolic to ask about an upcoming conference in Switzerland. According to PBS.
Nikolic writes in the email chain that he met with friends of Epstein, former President Bill Clinton and then-Prince Andrew. He then writes: like that I’m bored of meetings and “it would be nice to have you here.”
“I was flirting with a 22-year-old, blonde, blue-eyed Mexican chick,” Nikolic writes. “Turns out she was with her husband. I didn’t have a chance to check on her. But from what we understand, everything good is for rent ;)”
Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is seen in 2025.
In Epstein’s program dated December 6, 2014, he writes: “Reminder: Elon Musk Island cruise on December 6 (is this still happening?)” After Forbes reported on the alleged island cruise in September 2025, Musk posted a response on social media: “This is wrong.”
Musk he told Vanity Fair in 2019 He said he visited Epstein at his home in Manhattan years ago “for about 30 minutes.”
“We didn’t see anything inappropriate other than strange artwork,” Musk said. “He tried many times to persuade me to visit his island. I refused.”
Kathryn Ruemmler
Kathryn Ruemmler, then a federal prosecutor, arrived in federal court on January 30, 2006, for the first day of jury selection in the Enron trial in Houston.
Goldman Sachs executive and former White House adviser Barack Obama made disparaging comments about people in New Jersey in an email to Epstein. On March 24, 2018, he shared an article titled “How close”. Donald Trump To a psychiatric breakdown?”
Later in the thread, Epstein writes: “There’s a lot of blame. Mostly feminists.” Ruemmler replies: “Be careful, or the pendulum will swing hard the other way and feminists will be responsible for everything.” Epstein says he was joking, and Ruemmler replies: “Mostly I was too. :-)”
“See you at 2, I ordered sushi for you,” says Epstein.
“These emails were private correspondence long before Kathy Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs,” Goldman Sachs spokesman Tony Fratto told CNBC.
Transparency Note:
Michael Wolff was a freelance contributor to USA TODAY from 2012 to early 2017. USA TODAY had no knowledge of any relationship between her and Jeffrey Epstein or any actions beyond her submissions for publication. We are committed to honesty and transparency, maintaining our editorial standards and maintaining the trust of our readers.
Credit: Josh Meyer, Zac Anderson
This article first appeared on USA TODAY: Who is in the Epstein emails? Summers and Bannon are also among the names mentioned.
