Musk commented on a post on the “X” platform about the list, saying: “There are also prominent Democrats and their financiers on the list.” Previously, Musk had stated, amid a public disagreement with U.S. President Donald Trump, that Epstein’s case documents were not released because the White House chief’s name was mentioned in them, 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. However, former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated in an interview with Fox News in February that “the list is on her desk awaiting review,” later clarifying that she was referring to the case documents, not a client list.
Epstein was charged in 2019 with trafficking minors for sexual exploitation, a crime punishable by up to 40 years in prison, in addition to a conspiracy charge, which could carry a five-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 tasking 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 semi-conscious, and died shortly after. Investigations revealed that he committed suicide.
