"I want to let off steam"

Epstein Files: The most powerful under pressure

Epstein is alleged to have systematically abused girls and supplied them to other celebrities.(Bild: APA/AFP)

The new Epstein Files include numerous prominent names. Among them are some of the richest and most powerful people in the world. In addition to Donald Trump, Microsoft founder Bill Gates is also accused of horrific things—and another billionaire once wanted to "really let loose."

On Friday, the Department of Justice released the most comprehensive collection of Jeffrey Epstein files to date, a huge tranche of another three million pages of documents and thousands of videos and images.

Numerous prominent names appear in it. The revelations are highly unpleasant – even for the wealthiest people in the world. Among them: Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates.

Serious allegations against Gates
In 2013, Epstein wrote notes about the Microsoft co-founder in which he claimed that Gates had had extramarital affairs. The pedophile apparently sent these emails to himself; it is not known whether they were forwarded to Gates.

Gates was attending the Australian Open when the new files were released.(Bild: EPA/JOEL CARRETT)

The content of these lengthy transcripts puts the billionaire in a very difficult position. In a diary-style message, the convicted sex offender wrote that he had helped Gates obtain medication to cope with the "consequences of sex with Russian girls." He repeatedly organized secret meetings for Gates with "married women."

In the process, the tech mogul and world-renowned philanthropist contracted a sexually transmitted disease and asked for antibiotics to "secretly" administer to his then-wife Melinda. 

A spokesperson for Gates strongly rejected the allegations: "These claims—written by a proven, frustrated liar—are absurd and completely false. The documents only show Epstein's disappointment with his failed relationship with Gates and his attempt to defame him." According to the New York Times, the entries were written by Epstein shortly after the failed attempt to broker a partnership between Gates' foundation and JPMorgan Chase.

Musk suddenly in the spotlight
Tesla CEO Musk, who publicly criticized Gates and Trump for their connections to Epstein, also appears in the newly released files. In 2012 and 2013, the tech mogul suggested visiting the sex offender on his infamous island resort. In a message, Musk asks, "What day or night is the wildest party on your island?"

I want to really let loose (...)

Elon Musk

Bild: AFP/ALAIN JOCARD

Musk wrote to Epstein again before a planned trip to the Caribbean in 2013. In the correspondence, the South African spoke of stress and the desire to relax: "I've been working to the limits of my mental capacity this year, so as soon as my kids go home after Christmas, I really want to hit the party scene in St. Barts or elsewhere and really let loose," he wrote in a message to Epstein. It is unclear whether Musk actually made the trip.

British billionaire Richard Branson also appears in the files. According to Reuters, he sent Epstein a message asking him to bring his "harem" to their next meeting. 

None of this information can be verified. None of the individuals mentioned have been officially charged to date. The mere mention or depiction in the Epstein files is not evidence of actual misconduct. 

Trump files temporarily offline
The Justice Department is also being criticized for negligent victim protection. A group of Epstein survivors released a statement condemning the department for naming the victims while blacking out the names of the accused in some cases.

Passages about Trump were apparently published accidentally. They accuse the US president of sexual violence against a minor. There is no confirmation of this, but the documents were nevertheless taken offline again. Only after public pressure were the pages made available again. The documents also contain lists from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with mostly anonymous allegations against Trump. According to the documents, the FBI investigated some of these allegations and classified some of them as not credible. 

"The recent release of the Jeffrey Epstein files is being sold as transparency, but in reality it exposes the survivors," the statement said. "Once again, the names and identifying information of the survivors are being disclosed, while the men who abused us remain hidden and protected. This is outrageous," said surviving Epstein victims.