The deadline for the US Department of Justice to make all files related to its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein public is today (19 December).
The latest update in the case came yesterday (18 December) when 68 images from Epstein's estate were released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee.
Last week, (12 December), it released 19 pictures, many featuring high-profile politicians and well-known stars, including Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Richard Branson, Woody Allen and Bill Gates.
Several of those famous figures also appeared in the latest batch of Epstein photos, as well as some new faces.
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So, without further ado, here are all the famous people featured in the latest Epstein document releases. It's important to note, however, that these mentions do not necessarily suggest wrongdoing.
Bill Gates
The Microsoft co-founder and tech multi-billionaire appears in two different images alongside anonymised women. Their faces have been redacted from the photos to protect their anonymity.
Gates has faced long-running scrutiny over past meetings with Epstein and has publicly called that relationship a serious mistake, saying he initially believed it would help philanthropy work.
"It was a huge mistake to spend time with him, to give him the credibility of being there. I had several dinners with him, you know, hoping that what he said about getting billions of philanthropy for global health through contacts that he had might emerge… when it looked like that wasn’t a real thing, that relationship ended," he said when interviewed by Anderson Cooper in 2021 about his relationship with Epstein.
His former wife, Melinda French Gates, has said she strongly disapproved of those meetings and met Epstein once, describing him as 'abhorrent' and 'evil personified'.
"I did not like that he had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, no. I made that clear to him," she said, adding that she met with Epstein 'exactly one time' to see who he was and that she found him 'abhorrent'.
"I regretted it the second I walked in the door… He was evil personified."
The 'Billionaires' Dinner' crowd
Several images in the releases trace back to the Edge Foundation’s 2011 'Billionaires’ Dinner', hosted by literary agent John Brockman, who started the Edge Foundation, an online magazine which explores scientific and intellectual ideas.
Names linked to that night include former YouTube CEO Salar Kamangar, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and New York Times columnist David Brooks. Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are known to have attended the event in general. Though Bezos has no known connection to Epstein and Musk has said he rejected Epstein’s invitation to the island and said the financier was 'obviously a creep'.
The Times has stated that Brooks simply attended as a journalist doing his job.
"As a journalist, David Brooks regularly attends events to speak with noted and important business leaders to inform his columns, which is exactly what happened at this 2011 event. Mr Brooks had no contact with [Epstein] before or after this single attendance at a widely-attended dinner," a Times spokesperson said in a statement.
Noam Chomsky
The renowned academic appears in two images alongside Epstein on a private plane.
Chomsky has previously stated that his relationship with the financier went as far as Epstein helping him and his late wife transfer money and that they occasionally discussed academic and political subjects.
In emails released last month in November, Chomsky stated that it was a 'most valuable experience' to be in 'regular contact' with Epstein.
The released correspondence suggests they were in regular contact for a period, exchanges that ranged from intellectual debates to lighter personal conversation.
He wrote an undated letter of support for Epstein, saying: "I met Jeffrey Epstein half a dozen years ago. We have been in regular contact since, with many long and often in-depth discussions about a very wide range of topics, including our own specialties and professional work, but a host of others where we have shared interests.
"It has been a most valuable experience for me."
David Blaine, Steve Bannon, and Woody Allen
Illusionist David Blaine has long been a name appearing in leaked flight logs and emails, with records noting performances for Epstein’s circle.
He performed a private show for Epstein in 2003, also attended by an aide for Bill Clinton and Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and is shown in one image performing for Epstein, Woody Allen, and others.
Allen, who is the subject of long-standing allegations of child sexual abuse made by his adopted daughter which he denies, has acknowledged social ties with Epstein in the past, saying that he 'never, ever, saw Jeffrey with underage girls' and that he and his wife Soon-Yi Previn were neighbours and occasionally dined with him.
When asked in a New York Times interview if he regretted his dinners after the news of Epstein’s heinous crimes came to light, he said: "Well, I’m a writer, so I don’t get put off. Those dinners were fascinating and when it was all uncovered, it becomes interesting to a writer, because then you’re dealing with a kind of nefarious character on your doorstep."
Political strategist Steve Bannon also appears in the images, claiming he worked on a documentary project about Epstein before his death.
"We're going to release the film, the five-part series, next year - early next year," he previously said.
However, leaked messages from the BBC hint their association may have been closer than publicly suggested, saying Epstein sometimes acted like Bannon's 'personal assistant'.
Topics: Crime, US News, News, Jeffrey Epstein, Celebrity
Rhiannon Ingle