 "People walk next to a mobile Ad Van that displays a photograph of US President Donald Trump and disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in protest of the visit of US President Donald Trump in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, July 28, 2025. File Image/Reuters")
The ongoing saga surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges, has only expanded since the.
Previously unseen personal letters and photographs give you further insight into Epstein’s associations with high-ranking individuals in politics, entertainment and business.
A series of personal letters written to Epstein, most of which were compiled into a birthday album in 2016, have surfaced in various media reports like The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, in the US.
The album, organised to celebrate his 63rd birthday, included messages from numerous public figures, some of whom had previously been tied to Epstein through social, financial, or philanthropic connections.
These revelations came on the heels of renewed interest in the case, particularly following the US Justice Department’s decision in July to halt further public disclosures related to the Epstein investigation.
The move has sparked bipartisan frustration, including renewed focus on United States President Donald Trump.
A growing list of influential figures connected to Epstein
The 2016 birthday album was a curated compilation of handwritten and typed letters sent to Epstein from nearly 50 individuals.
Among the most striking messages came from former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and his wife. In their letter, they wrote: “There is no limit to your curiosity… You are like a closed book to many of them but you know everything about everyone.”
They described Epstein as “A COLLECTOR OF PEOPLE,” and concluded with: “May you enjoy long and healthy life and may all of us, your friends, enjoy your table for many more years to come.”
Barak’s signature was also reportedly found on a chalkboard map of Israel inside Epstein’s Manhattan residence.
Filmmaker Woody Allen contributed a detailed note recalling his experiences attending Epstein’s dinner parties.
Allen described these gatherings as “always interesting,” mentioning the presence of “politicians, scientists, teachers, magicians, comedians, intellectuals, journalists” and “even royalty.”
He noted, “I say well served – often it’s by some professional houseman and just as often by several young women” who reminded him of “Castle Dracula where Lugosi has three young female vampires who service the place.”
Other contributors to the album, according to reports, included:
Joichi Ito, former director of the MIT Media Lab
Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist
Martin Nowak, a Harvard biologist and mathematician
Mortimer Zuckerman, a billionaire media proprietor
Les Wexner, founder of L Brands
Vera Wang, fashion designer
Nathan Myhrvold, a former Microsoft executive
Leon Black, billionaire investor
Alan Dershowitz, prominent attorney
Jean-Luc Brunel, French modeling scout
Peter Mandelson, Labour politician and former British cabinet minister
The British ambassador to the US at the time
Alan “Ace” Greenberg and James “Jimmy” Cayne, both former Wall Street executives
When contacted for comment by media outlets, some of these individuals either declined to respond or claimed not to recall writing the letters.
Krauss confirmed to The New York Times his attendance at several discussions at Epstein’s home but said he did not remember the letter.
These revelations are part of a civil lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell filed in 2015, when in January 2024 a tranche of court documents was unsealed, revealing additional details about Epstein’s connections.
Many of the names included had previously been reported, such as Prince Andrew, Donald Trump, and Bill Clinton, though the newly released documents included sworn depositions from Epstein’s victims.
One of the depositions, given in 2016 by Johanna Sjoberg, mentioned several celebrities including Bruce Willis, Cameron Diaz, Cate Blanchett, Kevin Spacey, Naomi Campbell, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
However, Sjoberg clarified that while she had been asked about these individuals, she had not met them.
Sjoberg testified that Epstein once claimed: “Clinton likes them young, referring to girls.” She also said she was aware of Epstein’s “dealings” with Bill Clinton, though she only learned of their friendship through subsequent media coverage.
Clinton had previously travelled on Epstein’s private jet during a 2002 trip to Africa as part of Clinton Foundation work.
The court documents also included testimony from Virginia Giuffre, another Epstein survivor, who named several individuals she alleged were involved in or aware of Epstein’s activities.
UK’s Prince Andrew was again named, with one witness accusing him of groping her breast. Andrew had earlier been sued by Giuffre in 2021 and, following public backlash, relinquished his military titles and royal duties.
The matter was settled in 2022 with Andrew paying an undisclosed amount, though he continued to deny wrongdoing.
Others named in the records include:
Alan Dershowitz: Alleged in court documents to have engaged in sex with a minor and to have witnessed other abuse.
Jean-Luc Brunel: A French model scout accused of procuring girls for Epstein. He died by suicide in a Paris jail in 2022.
Les Wexner: Questioned in a deposition involving clothing given to Giuffre. Maxwell denied any sexual context.
Glenn Dubin: Named by Giuffre, who said Maxwell instructed her to give him a massage, which she said was code for sex.
Bill Richardson: Former New Mexico governor, also named by Giuffre. A spokesperson denied any connection.
Sarah Kellen: Allegedly coordinated Epstein’s “massages” and was called a “criminally responsible participant” by a judge.
Marvin Minsky: MIT scientist whom Giuffre was told to have sex with at Epstein’s island.
What we know about Epstein’s Manhattan mansion
Accompanying the publication of the letters were photographs from inside Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse. The images offer stark visual evidence of both Epstein’s wealth and his eccentric, and often disturbing, tastes.
Among the items in his office was a taxidermied tiger.
A first-edition green copy of Lolita, the controversial novel about the sexual exploitation of a minor, was prominently displayed.
In Epstein’s bedroom and an adjacent room, surveillance cameras were visible — devices that, in light of the allegations against him, have raised further concern.
Of particular note was Epstein’s so-called massage room, the site where several victims said abuse took place. Inside, investigators found artwork depicting naked women, shelves lined with lubricant, and a large silver ball and chain.
The residence also featured an atrium where a sculpture of a woman wearing a wedding gown and holding a rope was suspended. Framed prosthetic eyeballs lined the home’s entryway.
Photographs within the home showed Epstein with a who’s who of global elites: Ghislaine Maxwell, Pope John Paul II, Mick Jagger, Elon Musk, Fidel Castro, Bill Clinton, Richard Branson, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Steve Bannon.
One unusual item was a framed US dollar bill signed by Bill Gates with the inscription: “I was wrong!” — reportedly a token from a lost bet.
Epstein’s ties to Trump
Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had allegedly written a letter for Epstein’s 50th birthday album in 2003.
According to the outlet, the letter included a sketch of a naked woman and was signed by Trump.
Trump has categorically denied the claim, stating on his social media platform Truth Social: “The Wall Street Journal printed a FAKE letter, supposedly to Epstein. These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures.”
He also announced legal action against the Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch, two of the newspaper’s reporters, and its publisher, Dow Jones, alleging defamation.
In a separate report, the outlet disclosed that US Justice Department officials informed Trump earlier in the year that his name appeared in Epstein-related files.
The paper clarified that inclusion in the records was not indicative of criminal activity. A spokesperson for Trump denounced the report as “fake news.”
Regarding Trump, Sjoberg also stated that she and Epstein once made an unplanned stop in Atlantic City due to bad weather. When asked if she had given Trump a massage, she said she had not.
Trump had earlier described Epstein as a “terrific guy,” but by 2019 stated: “I don’t think I’ve spoken to him for 15 years. I was not a fan of his.”
Will the Epstein files be released?
Amid public demands for clarity, the Justice Department dispatched Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who had previously served as Trump’s lawyer, to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell last month.
The objective was to determine whether Maxwell possessed evidence implicating others in criminal conduct.
This two-day, closed-door meeting was followed by Maxwell’s transfer from a high-security prison in Florida to a lower-security facility in Texas.
The expanding body of evidence and persistent refusal to disclose further information has triggered outrage across the political spectrum.
The Justice Department’s decision to stop releasing more documents has only heated calls for transparency.
With inputs from agencies