U.S. Justice Department files on the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein have spotlighted his past links to prominent figures such as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Tesla chief Elon Musk, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The 3 million pages, released last Friday, arrived over a month after the deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Trump signed on 19 November 2025.
One document features a draft email alleging Gates pursued extramarital affairs and requested drugs “to deal with consequences of sex with Russian girls,” though it seems unsent. The Gates Foundation described the claims to The New York Times as “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
Musk’s messages from 2012-2013 reveal interest in visiting Epstein’s Little St James island after the financier’s conviction for soliciting a minor, including a query about “What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?”. A planned 2013 trip fell through.
On X on Saturday, Musk stated “I had been well aware that some email correspondence with him could be misinterpreted and used by detractors to smear my name.”
“No one pushed harder than me to have the Epstein files released and I’m glad that has finally happened. I had very little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitations to go to his island or fly on his ‘Lolita Express,’” he added.
Emails show Lutnick organising a December 2012 yacht visit to the island, followed by Epstein’s note of “Nice seeing you.” Lutnick later called him “gross” and “the greatest blackmailer ever,” while a department spokesperson noted his “limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing.”
Nineteen survivors said their details persist in the files “while the men who abused us remain hidden and protected,” demanding full disclosure and action from Attorney General Pam Bondi in Congress.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche termed the release “marks the end of a very comprehensive document identification and review process,” citing redactions to shield over 1,000 victims.