By Harshit
WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 6, 2026
The list of some of the world’s richest, most powerful, and most influential people connected to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein has grown significantly after the US government released a massive new tranche of investigative material late last month.
The latest disclosure, widely referred to as the Epstein files, was made public on January 30 and includes roughly three million pages of documents, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos compiled during years of federal investigations. The release follows the deadline mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November by Donald Trump, which required the Justice Department to publish all remaining Epstein-related records.
Authorities have emphasized that being named in the files does not imply wrongdoing. Many individuals referenced in earlier disclosures have denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes, and no new criminal charges have been announced as a result of the latest release.
Still, the sheer scale of the documents has reignited global scrutiny of Epstein’s vast social, political, and financial network — a network that continued to operate for years even after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor.
Technology, Money, and Power
Among the most prominent names in the newly released material is Elon Musk. Emails show Epstein attempting to arrange travel and social plans with the tech billionaire in 2012, including references to parties in the Caribbean. Musk has said he never visited Epstein’s private island and has denied any improper conduct, stressing that attention should focus on those who committed crimes.
Bill Gates is also mentioned in a set of disputed emails that appear to have been drafted by Epstein in 2013. Gates has categorically denied the claims referenced in the messages, calling them false and absurd through a spokesperson. His former wife, Melinda French Gates, said the disclosures reopened painful memories but expressed hope that victims would eventually see justice.
Trump, Clinton, and US Politics
President Trump is referenced hundreds of times in the files, including in tip-line allegations compiled by the FBI. Many of these claims are unverified and unsupported by evidence. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, stating that he cut ties with Epstein decades ago and has not been accused of crimes by Epstein’s victims.
Former President Bill Clinton also appears in earlier and recent releases, including photographs from the 1990s and early 2000s. Clinton’s representatives say the images are decades old and insist he severed contact with Epstein before his crimes became public.
Royals and British Fallout
The latest release includes images involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former British prince. The photos, which lack context or dates, show him with an unidentified woman. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. The Epstein scandal has already stripped Andrew of royal titles and public duties in the UK, marking one of the most severe institutional consequences linked to Epstein anywhere in the world.
Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s former wife, appears in several email exchanges, though no wrongdoing is alleged.
Business, Media, and Culture
Billionaire Richard Branson is referenced multiple times in the documents, including friendly exchanges from 2013. Virgin Group says Branson’s contact with Epstein was limited, ceased after due diligence raised concerns, and never involved Epstein’s island.
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon appears in messages from 2018 and 2019 discussing media strategy with Epstein while Bannon was working on a documentary project. Bannon has not been accused of wrongdoing.
Global Reach and Consequences
The files also reference former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, linguist Noam Chomsky, and numerous diplomats, lawyers, and cultural figures across Europe and the United States.
In Slovakia, senior official Miroslav Lajčák resigned from his national security post after messages attributed to him appeared in the release. In the US, several prominent figures, including law firm chairman Brad Karp, have stepped down from positions following renewed scrutiny.
What the Files Do — and Don’t — Prove
Investigators and legal experts caution that the Epstein files are raw investigative material, containing emails, photos, notes, and unverified allegations collected over many years. Their release fulfills a transparency mandate but does not constitute findings of guilt.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019, in what authorities ruled a suicide, before standing trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls. His longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Nearly seven years later, the Epstein scandal continues to reshape reputations, careers, and institutions worldwide — not through courtroom verdicts, but through the slow and often brutal exposure of proximity to power, wealth, and silence.