Epstein’s Silicon Valley Network Comes to Light in Newly Released DOJ Documents

Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, cultivated an extensive network in Silicon Valley and invested in several high-profile technology startups, The New York Times (NYT) reported on Thursday (Feb. 5), citing documents from the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

“Okay. I have some free time between noon and 3 p.m. today. Not very important, but it would be nice to meet him [Epstein] if possible. Is this [meeting] important to him?” wrote Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam in an email in December 2014.

That same year, Epstein invested $3$ million US dollars (around Rp$48.6$ billion) in Coinbase, which at the time was still a startup.

The NYT report also said tech billionaire Peter Thiel offered Epstein investment advice, including the possibility of funding the music streaming service Spotify and Thiel’s software company, Palantir.

It remains unclear whether Epstein ultimately invested in Palantir, but he was recorded as putting $40$ million US dollars into another Thiel-linked firm, Valar Ventures, the report said.

The documents also indicate Epstein financed a number of other technology and crypto-related ventures, including an investment of nearly $12$ million US dollars in wearable tech company Jawbone.

On Jan. 30, US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the completion of the DOJ’s release of Epstein case documents. With the latest disclosures, the total number of files made public has now exceeded $3.5$ million documents.

A number of influential figures are mentioned across the documents, including US President Donald Trump and former US President Bill Clinton.

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