Jeffrey Epstein had a very high opinion of himself, and he built strong social connections because he was skilled at dealing with people. He believed success depended more on who you knew than how hard you worked.
He once explained that he saw many people working extremely hard like construction workers on Telegraph Avenue who worked 12-hour days yet they did not seem happy or successful. From his experience at the Dalton School, he said he learned that success often comes from the people you meet and the connections you build, not just your effort or knowledge.
Documents released by U.S. authorities also suggest that Epstein may have fathered several children. One victim claimed she gave birth to a girl around 2002, when she was about 16 or 17 years old. She said Ghislaine Maxwell took the baby from her just 10 minutes after birth.
In another instance, an email sent to Epstein by Sarah Ferguson in 2011 congratulated him on the birth of a boy.
Romances and procuresses
Eva Andersson-Dubin (1980s)
Jeffrey Epstein dated Eva Andersson-Dubin for about 11 years, mainly during the 1980s. Even after she married Glenn Dubin in 1994, you can see that she and her husband stayed friendly with Epstein.
Ghislaine Maxwell (1991–2004)
Epstein met Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of media businessman Robert Maxwell, around 1991. He invited her to the United States that same year after her father’s death so she could recover from her grief.
Over time, you can see that Maxwell became a central figure in Epstein’s life. Many accusers said she helped recruit and procure underage girls. She was also known as Epstein’s main girlfriend for many years.
Household employees testified in 2009 that Maxwell managed much of Epstein’s personal and professional life. She handled hiring, supervising, and firing staff starting around 1992. In 1995, Epstein even renamed one of his companies the Ghislaine Corporation in Palm Beach (later dissolved in 1998).
In 2000, Maxwell moved into a large townhouse in New York, close to Epstein’s mansion. A photo of Epstein and Maxwell together at Queen Elizabeth II’s Balmoral estate taken at Prince Andrew’s invitation was shown in court to demonstrate their romantic relationship.
In a 2003 Vanity Fair interview, Epstein called Maxwell his “best friend.” For his 50th birthday, she created an album filled with messages from his powerful friends, including Donald Trump. Details of this album resurfaced publicly in 2025 when Epstein-related files gained attention.
Virginia Giuffre also alleged that Epstein and Maxwell wanted her to act as a surrogate mother for a child they planned to have.
Sarah Kellen
According to Epstein’s pilot, Sarah Kellen began taking over Maxwell’s role after Maxwell distanced herself from Epstein around 2004. Kellen became a key assistant often described as “number two” in the organization.
In 2009, authorities listed her along with Nadia Marcinko, Lesley Groff, and Adriana Ross as unindicted co-conspirators accused of helping supply underage girls.
Karyna Shuliak (2010–2019)
Karyna Shuliak was Epstein’s last known partner. He continued the relationship even while jailed in 2019. Reports describe her as one of the largest beneficiaries of his financial arrangements after his death.
Their relationship began after Epstein’s 2010 release from jail. You can see that he financially supported her life. he paid for her dental education, her mother’s medical care, and even her parents’ house in Belarus.
She had been with him in Paris before his final arrest in the U.S., which she witnessed. She later said he did not sound suicidal when they spoke by phone just hours before his death a call that reportedly was not logged or recorded as it should have been.
Juvenile Victims
Virginia Giuffre said Epstein targeted vulnerable girls. She explained that by age 13 she was living on the streets and had already faced abuse. Life with Epstein, she said, brought financial support he paid her, gave her an apartment, and took her on trips to places like New Mexico, London, Paris, Tangiers, and his private island.
Another woman testified in a lawsuit that Epstein hired her to recruit underage girls, including at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. She also said she witnessed him sexually assault a victim.
Several victims described how they first met Epstein:
- Anouska De Georgiou met him through modeling.
- Chauntae Davies and Rachel Benavidez came through massage work.
- Benavidez said Epstein manipulated her with promises of education and elite clients. When she refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement, he cut her off.
Attorney Brad Edwards, who represents more than 200 victims, said Epstein abused all these girls and women. However, he noted that only a small number were allegedly sent to other powerful men.
Acquaintances
Jeffrey Epstein built friendships with many powerful and famous people. He was a longtime friend of Prince Andrew (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor), Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, and businessman Tom Barrack. You can see that he often attended elite parties and social events where he met well-known public figures.
He spent time with or socialized alongside people such as Harvey Weinstein, David Copperfield, Bill Clinton, George Stephanopoulos, Mark Zuckerberg, Reid Hoffman, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Jack Horner, Noam Chomsky, Katie Couric, Woody Allen, Jeff Bezos, Sergey Brin, Larry Page, Lewis Ranieri, Ronald Perelman, Tom Pritzker, Naomi Campbell, and Stephen Hawking.
Two printed phone directories linked to Epstein—often called his “black books”—listed contacts for many influential figures. These included Rupert Murdoch, Michael Bloomberg, Andrew Cuomo, John Kerry, Richard Branson, Alec Baldwin, David Koch, and Michael Jackson. The books also contained contacts connected to global politics, such as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Epstein also had links to Sarah Ferguson. Reports say he helped her financially during difficult periods, though their relationship later became hostile by 2011. He was seen at least once speaking with Princess Diana as well.
In another case, Epstein helped negotiate a 1993 divorce settlement for Lynn Forester before she married Evelyn de Rothschild. Through social circles, he was re-introduced to lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who said he trusted Epstein enough to show him manuscript drafts before publication.
Epstein flew several celebrities and public figures on his private Boeing 727 jet, including Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, and Chris Tucker. Clinton and Donald Trump both said they never visited Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James. Official records requested in 2017 found no evidence that Clinton visited the island, although his name did appear on Epstein’s flight logs multiple times in the early 2000s.
In 2014, Epstein asked journalist Michael Wolff to write his biography. Author Andrew Lownie later claimed that photo catalogs of women circulated among guests at Epstein’s homes so powerful visitors could select women they wanted to meet.
Melinda French Gates later said her discomfort with Epstein was one reason behind her divorce from Bill Gates. Gates had met Epstein starting in 2011, years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. Gates later admitted meeting him was “a huge mistake” and said he had hoped Epstein might help fund philanthropic projects, though nothing came from it.
Political strategist Steve Bannon also met Epstein after leaving the White House in 2017. You can see that they met several times in New York, exchanged messages about political communication, and in 2019 Bannon filmed about 15 hours of interview footage with Epstein to prepare him for a planned 60 Minutes appearance that never happened.
Association with Donald Trump
Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump socialized for many years, especially from the 1980s to the mid-2000s. You can see that they moved in the same elite social circles in New York and Palm Beach, where both owned luxury homes. Along with businessman Tom Barrack, they were once described as a “set of nightlife musketeers” on the party scene.
In 2002, Trump publicly commented on Epstein, saying he had known him for 15 years and described him as fun to be around. Years later, in 2019, Trump said he knew Epstein “like everybody in Palm Beach knew him,” but claimed he was not a fan and had cut off contact about 15 years earlier.
A 1992 video later surfaced showing the two partying together at Mar-a-Lago. One anonymous acquaintance told The Washington Post that the pair were once very close and often socialized together.
Their friendship reportedly broke down in 2004 during a bidding war over a $40 million Palm Beach mansion called Maison de L’Amitié. Trump won the property for $41 million and later sold it for $95 million. After this dispute, there were no further recorded interactions between the two.
By 2007, reports said Trump banned Epstein from the Mar-a-Lago club over allegations involving inappropriate behavior toward young girls. This claim appeared in court filings, although it was later described as an unconfirmed rumor by the attorney who mentioned it.
Epstein himself later claimed he had been one of Trump’s closest friends for about 10 years. Some reports in 2025 also suggested Epstein may have remained a Mar-a-Lago member longer than publicly stated.
Club Memberships
Jeffrey Epstein held memberships in several elite and influential organizations. You can see that he used these memberships to expand his network and status among powerful circles.
He was a member of the Council on Foreign Relations from 1995 to 2009. He also belonged to the Trilateral Commission, the Rockefeller Institute, and the Institute of International Education.
These memberships placed him in spaces where global leaders, policymakers, academics, and business elites regularly interacted.
Lolita Express
Jeffrey Epstein owned and used private jets as a major part of his lifestyle. You can often see him photographed with or aboard a Gulfstream G550 jet. He chartered this aircraft through his company, JEGE, and also owned a Boeing 727.
People widely nicknamed the Boeing 727 the “Lolita Express,” referencing the novel Lolita. Over the years, many high-profile passengers flew on Epstein’s planes.
Reports say the jet originally belonged to businessman Leslie Wexner between 1990 and 2001 before it was transferred to Epstein for an undisclosed amount.
Several well-known figures traveled on Epstein’s aircraft, including Prince Andrew (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) and Bill Clinton. During his 2024 presidential campaign, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also acknowledged that he had traveled with Epstein in the past.
In 2003, Epstein flew to Cuba with former Colombian President Andrés Pastrana Arango at the invitation of Fidel Castro. At the time, Epstein was reportedly considering relocating to Cuba, partly to avoid U.S. law enforcement.
Donald Trump also flew on Epstein’s planes multiple times between 1993 and 1997. On at least one occasion, Trump allowed Epstein to fly on his own aircraft as well.
In 2002, Epstein flew Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, and Chris Tucker to Africa on his jet. Flight logs later showed that Clinton traveled on Epstein’s aircraft numerous times. Records obtained in 2016 indicated he flew dozens of times, including several international trips across multiple continents with staff and Secret Service personnel.
Political donations and views
Jeffrey Epstein used his money and influence to build strong political and global connections. He donated to both Democratic and Republican candidates, funded campaigns in New Mexico, and even contributed money to White House projects to gain access to top leaders. Beyond politics, you can see that many rumors and reports linked him to intelligence agencies. Some journalists and former officials claimed he gathered compromising information on powerful people, possibly for blackmail, though others disputed these claims. Officials like Alexander Acosta said they were told Epstein had intelligence ties, while reports also described meetings with CIA figures and alleged contacts with Russian and Israeli officials. Additional claims suggested he tried to broker international security deals and maintained relationships with figures connected to past covert operations. However, some close associates, including Ghislaine Maxwell, denied that he worked with intelligence agencies, leaving many of these allegations unproven and heavily debated.
Philanthropy
Jeffrey Epstein donated large amounts of money to universities, political groups, and scientific research to build influence and connections. You can see that he helped fund projects at Harvard, including a student building and a major biology program, and he supported scientists and research institutions through his Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation. He also donated to groups like the Clinton Foundation and helped organize science events attended by well-known researchers. Through several private charities, he reportedly gave tens of millions of dollars over two decades. However, many details about his donations remained unclear because his foundations disclosed limited information. After his crimes became widely known, universities and institutions including Harvard and MIT faced criticism for accepting his money, and some moved to redirect or return the funds.