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DOJ’s Massive Epstein File Dump Links Musk, Gates, Lutnick to Island Plans

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  • L-R: Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Sarah Ferguson and Ehud Barak
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  • FILE - In this July 30, 2008, file photo, Jeffrey Epstein, center, appears in court in West Palm Beach, Fla.
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    FILE - In this July 30, 2008, file photo, Jeffrey Epstein, center, appears in court in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Credit: Uma Sanghvi/The Palm Beach Post via AP, File) Source Full size
  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his wife Allison arrive for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s movie “Melania” at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
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    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his wife Allison arrive for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s movie “Melania” at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Source Full size
  • Justice Department releases many more records from its Jeffrey Epstein files
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  • L-R: Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Sarah Ferguson and Ehud Barak
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  • President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks to reporters after signing a spending bill that ends a partial shutdown of the federal government in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
    Image: Newsweek
    President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks to reporters after signing a spending bill that ends a partial shutdown of the federal government in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Source Full size
  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his wife Allison arrive for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s movie “Melania” at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
    Image: Newsweek
    Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his wife Allison arrive for the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s movie “Melania” at The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Source Full size
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  • FILE - In this July 30, 2008, file photo, Jeffrey Epstein, center, appears in court in West Palm Beach, Fla.
    Image: WBNS (Columbus, OH)
    FILE - In this July 30, 2008, file photo, Jeffrey Epstein, center, appears in court in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Credit: Uma Sanghvi/The Palm Beach Post via AP, File) Source Full size
  • Justice Department releases many more records from its Jeffrey Epstein files
    Image: King5 (Seattle, WA)
    Justice Department releases many more records from its Jeffrey Epstein files (Credit: via ap) Source Full size
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  • Elon Musk arrive au club Mar-a-Lago, à Palm Beach (Floride), le 1ᵉʳ février 2026.MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/AP
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    Elon Musk arrive au club Mar-a-Lago, à Palm Beach (Floride), le 1ᵉʳ février 2026.MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/AP (MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/AP) Source Full size

Historic 3‑Million‑Page Release Highlights Unredacted Emails and Videos The Justice Department posted more than three million pages, 2 000 videos and 180 000 images on 31 January 2026, fulfilling the Epstein Files Transparency Act but still withholding millions of records for redaction [6][4][9][10][8]. The trove expands the limited December batch and includes communications spanning two decades, prompting criticism that the agency missed the Dec. 19 congressional deadline [6][10]. Review teams of hundreds of federal attorneys are tasked with protecting victim identities, which has slowed public indexing of the material [6][10].

Elon Musk’s 2012‑13 Emails Reveal Island‑Party Interest Contradicting Later Denials Multiple releases show Epstein asking Musk how many people would need a helicopter to Little St. James in November 2012, to which Musk replied he and then‑wife Talulah Riley would attend and asked which night hosted “the wildest party” [1][2][4][8][9][10]. A December 2013 follow‑up asks about a “good time to visit” the BVI area, while Musk later posted in 2025 that he had repeatedly refused Epstein’s overtures [1][5][8]. Musk’s public statements deny ever attending an Epstein party, creating a factual discrepancy between his denials and the email record [1][2].

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s 2012 Island Trip Plans Clash With 2025 Claims of a 2005 Break Emails dated December 2012 show Lutnick, his wife Allison and their four children coordinating a yacht arrival and lunch on Epstein’s island, contradicting his October 2025 interview where he said he cut ties with Epstein in 2005 [7][5][8][11]. Earlier correspondence from May 2011 records a drinks meeting, indicating a longer‑standing connection [11]. The Department of Commerce maintains Lutnick faced no wrongdoing, but the newly released messages have intensified scrutiny of his past statements [7][5].

Bill Gates and Reid Hoffman Appear in Files While Both Disavow Wrongdoing Justice Department documents list Gates and Hoffman among the billionaire contacts; both have publicly expressed regret for any interaction with Epstein [1]. Draft emails from July 2013 allege Gates discussed “medicine…to deal with the consequences of sex with Russian girls,” which Gates’ spokesperson called “absurd and completely false” [4][5]. Hoffman issued a statement of remorse for his past contact, differentiating his response from Musk’s denial [1].

Todd Blanche Emphasizes Non‑Criminal Nature of Socializing While Acknowledging Ongoing Redaction Delays Deputy Attorney General Blanche told reporters that “there’s a hunger…that I don’t think will be satisfied” by the current release and downplayed the legality of merely socializing with Epstein [2][9][10]. He also noted that hundreds of attorneys are still reviewing the material, explaining why many victim‑sensitive pages remain redacted [6][10]. Lawmakers such as Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez have called for full disclosure, highlighting political pressure on the DOJ [2][3].

Sources

Timeline

2008 – Jeffrey Epstein is convicted in Florida for soliciting sex from a 14‑year‑old, establishing the criminal background that later fuels scrutiny of his elite contacts. [2]

May 2011 – Howard Lutnick meets Jeffrey Epstein for drinks, indicating a relationship that predates later island invitations. [6]

Nov 24 2012 – Epstein emails Elon Musk asking how many people would need a helicopter to his island; Musk replies he would attend with his wife Talulah Riley, showing early interest in the “wildest party.” [11]

Dec 2012 – Howard Lutnick’s wife Allison confirms the Lutnick family will arrive by yacht with eight children for lunch on Little St. James, revealing a planned visit that later contradicts Lutnick’s denials. [2][6]

Dec 2012 – Richard Branson jokes with Epstein about bringing a “harem,” later clarified as three adult team members, illustrating casual but limited charity‑event contact. [1][3]

July 2013 – Draft emails purportedly from Epstein allege Bill Gates resigned from his foundation over “medicine…to deal with the consequences of sex with Russian girls,” which Gates’ spokesperson calls “absurd and completely false.” [1]

Dec 13 2013 – Elon Musk sends an email asking for a “good time to visit” the BVI/St Barth area and later inquires about the “wildest party” on Epstein’s island, contradicting his later public denial of any invitation. [3][9]

2015 – Howard Lutnick attempts to bring Epstein to a Hillary Clinton fundraiser, showing continued engagement beyond the 2012 island plan. [3]

Mar 2019 – Steve Bannon requests Epstein’s plane in Rome, and Epstein messages Bannon about President Trump’s anxiety, highlighting political entanglements shortly before Epstein’s death. [9]

Aug 2019 – Jeffrey Epstein dies by suicide in a New York jail while awaiting a federal sex‑trafficking trial, a pivotal event that spurs later massive document releases. [2]

2021 – Ghislaine Maxwell is convicted and sentenced to 20 years for sex‑trafficking, reinforcing the legal fallout from Epstein’s network. [10]

Oct 2025 – Howard Lutnick tells the New York Post he cut ties with Epstein in 2005, a claim later contradicted by 2012 emails released in 2026. [2]

June 5 2025 – Elon Musk posts on X that Donald Trump blocked the release of Epstein files because Trump appears in them, and that “many powerful people want this list hidden,” later removing the post. [11]

June 2025 – Musk posts on X that the 2012‑13 messages were “used to smear my name,” emphasizing his focus on prosecuting serious crimes rather than his own alleged involvement. [1]

Dec 19 2025 – The Justice Department misses the congressional deadline for full disclosure under the Epstein Files Transparency Act; Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledges inevitable redaction errors. [8][9]

Jan 30 2026 – The DOJ posts roughly three million pages, 2,000 videos and 180,000 images online, fulfilling the Transparency Act after the missed deadline and exposing new emails, including Lutnick’s island invitation and Musk’s 2013 island query. [6]

Jan 31 2026 – The DOJ releases over 3 million pages of Epstein records, including texts between Epstein and Steve Bannon, emails with Prince Andrew, and a spreadsheet of uncorroborated tips against Donald Trump. [7][9][10]

Feb 1 2026 – DOJ announces the massive release lacks an index, while Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says “hundreds of federal attorneys must review six million pages to protect victim identities,” highlighting ongoing transparency challenges. [8]

Feb 3 2026 – New wave of files names former President Trump, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Prince Andrew, and victims condemn the DOJ for briefly posting unredacted nude photos online. [3]

Feb 3 2026 – Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche tells Fox News “it isn’t a crime to party with Mr. Epstein,” downplaying the legal significance of socializing with the financier. [4]

Feb 4 2026 – Rep. Ro Khanna says on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that “many of the richest individuals and tech leaders emailed Epstein to arrange visits to his island, fully aware of his pedophilia.” [4]

Feb 4 2026 – President Donald Trump tells CNN he has not read the files naming Howard Lutnick and Elon Musk, saying “No. I have a lot of things I’m doing… I’m sure they’re fine,” and urges focus on health care. [5]

Feb 5 2026 – The Justice Department’s latest dump links Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Reid Hoffman to Epstein; Musk denies ever attending an Epstein party and accuses Trump of suppressing the documents. [11]

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