According to documents released on Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice, Elon Musk had more extensive and closer communication with financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein than was previously publicly known. Emails in the documents indicate that the two exchanged warm messages on two occasions in order to arrange Musk’s visit to Epstein’s island.
The documents include correspondence between Musk and Epstein from 2012 and 2013, in which they were trying to determine when Musk should travel to the island. None of those exchanges appear to have resulted in Musk visiting the island due to logistical issues, writes The Guardian.
“I’ll be in the British Virgin Islands/St. Barts area over the holidays. Is there a good time to visit?” Musk wrote on December 13, 2013.
“Any day from the 1st to the 8th. We can adjust on the fly if you want. There’s always room for you,” Epstein replied.
Musk then sent several emails with his schedule, and the two agreed on January 2 as the date of the visit. The exchange ends with a message from Epstein informing Musk that he would have to stay in New York and expressing regret that they would not be able to meet.
“Bad news — unfortunately my schedule will keep me in New York. I was really looking forward to finally spending some time together, with fun as the only plan, so I’m very disappointed. I hope we can schedule another time in the near future,” Epstein wrote.
In November 2012, Epstein sent Musk an email asking: “How many of you will there be for the helicopter to the island?”
“Probably just Talulah and me. Which day/night will be the craziest party on your island?” Musk replied, apparently referring to his former wife Talulah Riley.
On December 25, Musk sent another email in response to a message in which Epstein encouraged him to come and offered him use of a helicopter.
“Are you planning any parties? I’ve been working to the edge of sanity this year and so, when my kids come back home after Christmas, I really want to dive into nightlife in St. Barts or somewhere else and unwind. I really appreciate the island invitation, but a quiet island experience is the opposite of what I’m looking for,” Musk wrote.
“I understand, we’ll see each other in St. Barts, a relationship on my island could be uncomfortable for Talulah,” Epstein replied.
“The relationship isn’t a problem for Talulah,” Musk responded.
On January 2, 2013, Musk sent Epstein an email suggesting that the visit would not take place after all: “Logistics won’t work this time.”
Musk has previously sharply criticized those who were associated with Epstein, but the newly revealed emails appear to contradict his long-standing denials of any connection. The Tesla CEO stated in 2019 that Epstein was “obviously creepy” and claimed that Epstein “tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I refused.”
The correspondence between the two moguls took place years after Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 for soliciting a minor. Authorities arrested him again in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking.
A separate email in the documents shows that Epstein’s longtime assistant Leslie Groff tried in 2013 to arrange a lunch for Epstein at SpaceX, stating: “Elon Musk appreciates the invitation to the Ranch, but has commitments… Lunch on Monday, February 25 at 1 p.m. at SpaceX is confirmed.”
It is unclear whether the lunch actually took place or whether Musk attended. Another exchange from March 2013 shows Epstein and Musk exchanging messages after Epstein congratulated him the day after a SpaceX rocket launch.
A representative for Musk and his artificial intelligence company xAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The newly released emails between Musk and Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 and had for years been the subject of speculation due to his ties to some of the most powerful people in the world, are part of a package of three million documents released by the Department of Justice on Friday.
Musk has previously faced pressure to clarify potential ties to Epstein, including after earlier releases of Justice Department documents related to the investigation in which his name was mentioned. Democrats in the House of Representatives last year released a copy of Epstein’s daily schedule, which included a note in the calendar for 2014: “Reminder: Elon Musk to island December 6 (is this still happening?).” There was no other information, and Musk denied on X that he had planned a visit.
“This is false,” he wrote in response to a post mentioning the allegations.
Musk has also denied knowing Epstein’s longtime accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, claiming that a photograph of them together was taken because she “photobombed” him at a Vanity Fair party. He stated that he once visited Epstein’s Manhattan apartment “for about 30 minutes” with his former wife Talulah Riley, as part of research for a book she was writing, but did not specify the date.
Although he denies a personal connection with Epstein, Musk has used the name of the sex offender to attack others. During a public clash with Donald Trump last year, he claimed that the former president’s name appeared in Epstein’s documents, but later deleted posts on X in which he accused Trump of ties to Epstein. In May, Musk also insulted Bill Gates over the Microsoft founder’s relationship with Epstein, reacting after Gates criticized him for cutting humanitarian aid.
“Who does Bill Gates think he is to make comments about the well-being of children, given that he visited Jeffrey Epstein?” Musk said.
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Source: Mondo Foto: EPA