WASHINGTON, Sept 27: Billionaire Elon Musk and Prince Andrew are among the prominent figures mentioned in new Jeffrey Epstein-related documents released by US Congressional Democrats, the BBC reported.
These files, handed to the House Oversight Committee by the Epstein Estate, include flight manifests, message logs, and schedules that reference both men.
According to the BBC, one entry dated December 6, 2014, refers to Musk being invited to Epstein’s private island, asking, “Is this still happening?” Musk has previously told media that he declined the invitation. The BBC notes that Prince Andrew’s name appears on a manifest for a May 2000 flight from New Jersey to Florida alongside Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted of sex trafficking.
Epstein accuser says Prince Andrew should ‘come clean’
The BBC says Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, and both he and Musk have been approached for fresh comment. The newly public records are the third batch of documents produced by the Epstein Estate and include financial ledgers, schedules, and phone messages, the BBC stated.
The files also name other high-profile individuals, including tech investor Peter Thiel and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon. An entry in November 2017 refers to a planned lunch with Thiel, while another mentions a February 2019 breakfast with Bannon. There is also a note about a potential December 2014 breakfast with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who told the BBC in 2022 that meeting Epstein had been a “mistake,” said the BBC.
The BBC emphasized that there is no suggestion that any of those named were aware of Epstein’s criminal activities. Epstein died in 2019 in a New York jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He had previously struck a controversial plea deal in 2008 after allegations of abusing a 14-year-old girl in Florida.
Democrats on the committee urged the US Attorney General to release more Epstein-related files to help bring justice to victims.
“Every new document produced provides new information,” said spokesperson Sara Guerrero, according to the BBC. Republicans on the committee accused Democrats of politicizing the release and said they would publish the full set of documents soon, the BBC added.
