Epstein’s Silicon Valley connections went past Gates and Musk – Imperial Wire

The U.S. Justice Division’s newest launch of tens of millions of paperwork associated to the infamous intercourse prison and financier Jeffrey Epstein has shed extra gentle on the relationships he constructed with varied influential figures, together with many from the American tech trade.

Notably, the recordsdata reference communications and conferences involving tech mogul Elon Musk and Microsoft co-founder Invoice Gates, two of the world’s wealthiest individuals. This has led to a lot scrutiny of the pair in latest weeks, each of whom have denied any wrongdoing associated to Epstein.

However these two billionaires are not the one tech names to look repeatedly in the trove of recent paperwork. Different tech executives named embrace Google co-founder Sergey Brin, enterprise capitalist Peter Thiel, former Microsoft government Steven Sinofsky, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.

Whereas these executives have been linked to Epstein up to now, the brand new disclosures reveal greater than beforehand identified about their affiliation with the convicted intercourse offender by way of information starting from emails, schedules and photographs.

Brin and Sinofsky haven’t commented on the matter, whereas Theil and Hoffman have stated they solely related to Epstein for authorized and bonafide functions.

Authorities have harassed that being named within the information does not point out proof of wrongdoing nor show that the identify was a part of a purported consumer record or blackmail scheme.

Nonetheless, the recordsdata assist paint an image of Epstein’s longstanding efforts to embed himself inside — and generally turn out to be a confidant and power-broker for — a few of Silicon Valley’s strongest circles previous to his demise in 2019

Peter Thiel, a enterprise capitalist and co-founder of Palantir and PayPal, the place he as soon as labored alongside Elon Musk, additionally seems within the Epstein recordsdata, with the newest launch exhibiting correspondence between and about the 2.

These communications started round 2014 and lasted till round 2019, simply months earlier than Epstein was arrested on federal intercourse trafficking prices, and nicely after he was first formally charged with sex-related crimes in 2006.

Among the many supplies is a recording of an undated dialog between Epstein and former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, through which Epstein references Thiel.

Within the recording, Epstein suggested Barak on tips on how to leverage his connections to get a profitable place at a firm, floating Palantir as a possible possibility. He added that he had not but met Thiel however hoped to see him the next week.

The duo would certainly get higher acquainted, with emails over time together with assembly plans, discussions concerning the Trump marketing campaign, and different casual exchanges. Forward of 1 deliberate assembly, Thiel’s group had even despatched his dietary particulars to Epstein’s workers. 

Recordsdata launched by the Home Oversight Committee in November 2025 additionally confirmed Epstein invited Thiel to go to him in “the Caribbean.”

In response to CNBC’s request for remark, a consultant for Thiel stated the enterprise capitalist by no means visited Epstein’s notorious non-public island within the Virgin Islands.

The New York Occasions reported in June that Epstein, in 2015 and 2016, had invested $40 million in two funds managed by a enterprise capital agency co-founded by Thiel.

In a podcast look that aired on Aug. 16, 2024, Thiel mentioned a few of his encounters with Epstein, noting that he met him just a few occasions beginning in 2014, after being launched by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.

Thiel stated the discussions centered on tax and monetary recommendation. He added that he had underestimated the severity of Epstein’s earlier crimes because of Epstein’s lenient sentencing in 2008 and his belief within the judgment of his mutual connections.

The most recent Epstein file releases function many references to Reid Hoffman, who co-founded LinkedIn in 2002, with communications between the 2 exhibiting a number of pleasant electronic mail exchanges.

Whereas a lot of the correspondence centered on fundraising for MIT’s Media Lab, it additionally included private interactions, tax recommendation, assembly plans, and mentions of items Hoffman despatched to Epstein. The paperwork additionally verify a 2014 go to Hoffman made to Epstein’s non-public island. 

Hoffman has beforehand acknowledged visiting the island, saying the journey was strictly for philanthropic functions and that he later regretted not researching Epstein extra totally beforehand. 

Nevertheless, different emails present plans for further visits to Epstein’s estates, together with his Zorro Ranch in New Mexico and his Manhattan condominium, although it is unclear which of these journeys truly occurred.  Hoffman not too long ago confirmed 2016 conferences with Epstein in Palo Alto and Cambridge.

Epstein is seen referring to Hoffman as a “very shut buddy,” and saying at one level that he missed seeing and speaking to the web entrepreneur. Emails in 2014 additionally present the financier making an attempt to assist join Hoffman to funding alternatives in India.

In the meantime, a 2015 electronic mail from Epstein talked about a dinner Hoffman hosted in Palo Alto, attended by Zuckerberg, Musk, Thiel, and MIT neuroscientist Ed Boyden.

Hoffman linked Zuckerberg and Epstein through electronic mail after the occasion.  In response to an inquiry, Meta directed CNBC to a 2019 assertion from a spokesperson, which acknowledged that Zuckerberg didn’t talk with Epstein once more after the dinner.

Hoffman didn’t reply to a CNBC request for remark. He has beforehand stated he regrets his interactions with Epstein and has referred to as for a full launch of the Epstein recordsdata. The newest paperwork reviewed by CNBC contained no indications of prison wrongdoing or involvement in Epstein’s illicit actions.

Nevertheless, in November final 12 months, President Donald Trump had ordered a DOJ investigation into Hoffman, a significant Democratic donor, together with former president Invoice Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

Trump framed the investigation as a probe of Democratic ties to Epstein, although some critics argued it was a deflection from Trump’s personal mentions within the recordsdata. Trump has confirmed a previous friendship with Epstein, however stated he had no data of his crimes and broke off his relationship with him years in the past.

The file launch additionally incorporates a number of references to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, together with electronic mail communications.

One specific electronic mail chain in April 2003 confirmed Brin speaking with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime companion and convicted co-conspirator, concerning potential dinner plans at Epstein’s New York property.

The alternate appeared to observe up on an earlier encounter between the 2. “Dinners at Jeffrey’s are all the time fortunately informal and relaxed. Stay up for seeing you,” Maxwell wrote.  

CNBC contacted Brin by way of Google for remark, however did not obtain a response. 

Connections between Epstein and Brin have been beforehand documented, although no allegations of wrongdoing have been leveled.

In 2004, Epstein had allegedly referred Brin to JPMorgan Chase as a consumer and later linked him with financial institution executives for tax recommendation, per a criticism filed by the U.S. Virgin Islands authorities in a U.S. district courtroom in opposition to JPMorgan Chase Financial institution. The U.S. Virgin Islands additionally subpoenaed Brin in March 2023 for paperwork associated to Epstein’s interactions with JPMorgan.

In the meantime, courtroom paperwork unsealed in 2024 associated to litigation involving Maxwell included reveals through which Epstein accuser Sarah Ransome alleged she met Brin and his then fiancée, now ex-wife, Anne Wojcicki, on Epstein’s island.

Brin stepped down as president of Google’s dad or mum firm, Alphabet, on Dec. 3, 2019, saying on the time that he was now not wanted within the position. Nevertheless, he remained a controlling shareholder and board member.

He returned from semi-retirement in late 2023 to actively contribute to the corporate’s synthetic intelligence initiatives, together with work on Gemini.

Extra particulars of the connection between Epstein and Steven Sinofsky, a former Microsoft government who oversaw key merchandise like Home windows and Workplace, had been revealed within the newest recordsdata.

The paperwork confirmed that Sinofsky had sought Epstein’s recommendation on the phrases of his exit from Microsoft after leaving in 2012.

Sinofsky, who’s now a board associate at enterprise capital agency Andreessen Horowitz, then emailed Epstein in September 2013, about three months after Microsoft introduced the phrases of his $14 million retirement settlement, writing: “Acquired paid. You’ll be too :)”

Sinofsky continued to electronic mail Epstein by way of 2018, discussing his funds, profession prospects and social occasions in New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

An electronic mail alternate from November 2012 additionally seems to indicate Epstein referencing a potential assembly between Sinofsky and Apple’s Tim Prepare dinner concerning job alternatives. Within the electronic mail, Epstein seems to point he had not too long ago spoken with Prepare dinner, saying “tim prepare dinner was excited to satisfy” with Sinofsky, although the context is unclear. Months later, Sinofsky would electronic mail Epstein a few assembly with Prepare dinner.

Sinofsky declined to remark. Apple didn’t reply to a request for remark concerning the alleged Epstein-Prepare dinner interplay.

Epstein’s relationship with Microsoft co-founder Invoice Gates, who seems in earlier doc releases, has additionally drawn intense scrutiny in latest weeks following mentions within the newest disclosures. These included draft emails written to himself through which Epstein suggests that he had helped facilitate extramarital affairs and sexual encounters for Gates, amongst different issues.

In an interview with Australia’s 9News on Wednesday, Gates denied any wrongdoing in relation to new recordsdata, calling Epstein’s allegations “completely absurd and utterly false.”

He emphasised that his interactions with Epstein had been restricted to dinners geared toward potential philanthropy discussions, including that he “by no means went to the island” and “by no means met any ladies.”