Musk commented on a post about the list on the platform, saying, “There are also prominent Democrats and their donors on the list.” Musk had previously stated, amid a public dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump, that the Epstein case documents were not published because the President’s name was included, before this tweet was deleted from his page.
In contrast, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a joint statement denying that Epstein had a client list or was involved in blackmailing influential figures. Nevertheless, former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated in a February interview on a channel that “the list is on her desk awaiting review,” later clarifying that she was referring to case documents, not a client list.
In 2019, Epstein was charged with trafficking minors for sexual exploitation, a crime punishable by up to 40 years in prison, in addition to a conspiracy charge that could carry a 5-year sentence. According to the indictment, between 2002 and 2005, Epstein engaged in sexual relations with dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14, at his homes in Florida and New York, paying them hundreds of dollars in cash and instructing some victims to recruit other girls.
In July 2019, a Manhattan judge decided to keep Epstein detained without bail. Weeks later, he was found in his cell almost unconscious and later died. Investigations showed that he committed suicide.
