With the release of new court documents regarding Jeffrey Epstein, a shocking question has come into focus: Why do dozens of powerful men in his circle—from scientists and politicians to princes and hedge fund managers—all claim they saw nothing unusual in his behavior, while the few women who encountered him sensed the horrifying truth from the very first moment?
Melinda Gates, ex-wife of Bill Gates, in her latest comments on the case, said she met Epstein only once: “The moment I walked in, I regretted it. He was repulsive, the very embodiment of evil. I had nightmares for weeks after that meeting.” She described the atmosphere surrounding Epstein’s circle as a “swamp” and said hearing the latest news about the case’s details was beyond catastrophic.
Tina Brown, former editor of The Daily Beast, recounts a similar memory: in 2010, when invited by a PR representative to dinner with Prince Andrew, hosted by Epstein, she exclaimed, “What is this, a pedophile’s party?” She notes that at the time, her publication had already run shocking reports about Epstein’s abuses, including the controversial 2008 plea deal that gave him only 18 months in jail for procuring a minor for prostitution, despite evidence suggesting he was a serial pedophile for years.
But in stark contrast to these sharp reactions from women, newly leaked emails and documents show how powerful men continued their association with Epstein. Deepak Chopra, the famous Indian spiritual leader, wrote to Epstein in an email in 2017 (years after Epstein’s conviction): “Unlike God, who is a construct of the mind, these girls are real and accessible.” He then invited Epstein on a trip to Israel with the phrase “bring your girls.” The documents show Chopra was fully aware of Epstein’s legal history.
Noam Chomsky, the prominent American intellectual, also apparently sympathized with Epstein regarding what he termed the “hysteria” surrounding the abuse of women, telling him to ignore it. According to the documents, Chomsky reportedly said this “hysteria” had reached a point where even questioning an allegation was considered a worse crime than murder.
John Brockman, a literary agent, describes entering a room at Epstein’s home one day and finding Prince Andrew and Epstein with two young, well-dressed women massaging their feet. He told this story to others but never took a stance against Epstein.
Peter Mandelson, a British politician and former UK ambassador to the US, who is now under criminal investigation for receiving payments from Epstein, recently told the BBC: “I believed the story Epstein and his lawyer told, that he had been unjustly convicted. Now I wish I hadn’t believed that story.” He added that he wants to apologize to the women whose voices the system refused to hear and to whom it failed to provide the protection they deserved.
The leaked documents contain other horrifying details: unnamed girls are described in these emails as “devils,” or it’s mentioned they should undergo breast surgery. Nude photos of women are requested, exchanged, ranked, and stored.
The US Department of Justice in 2008 identified 36 women as Epstein’s victims, but it is now estimated that at least 1,000 women claim they were abused, raped, or trafficked by him. And as more documents are unsealed, these women continue to demand their voices be heard.
ABC News
