• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
CybersecurityJeffrey Epstein

Musk, Thiel, and Bannon appear in newly released Epstein records, years after sex-offender plea

By
Eva Roytburg
Eva Roytburg
Fellow, News
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Eva Roytburg
Eva Roytburg
Fellow, News
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 26, 2025, 6:13 PM ET
The mug shot of Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.
Epstein maintained ties with more of the world’s wealthiest and most politically connected figures. Kypros/Getty Images

Newly disclosed records from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate, released Friday by the House Oversight Committee Democrats, show that Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Steve Bannon were all listed on Epstein’s calendars in the years before his 2019 arrest.

Recommended Video

The tranche—more than 8,500 documents including phone logs, flight manifests, and daily schedules—suggests that Epstein maintained ties with more of the world’s wealthiest and most politically connected figures than previously known after his 2007 plea deal that forced him to register as a sex offender.

epstein-3rdtranche-1Download

The documents don’t necessarily suggest wrongdoing by Musk, Thiel, Bannon, or others mentioned. Still, the schedules highlight how Epstein’s social circle included tech moguls, financiers, royals, and political strategists years after his first conviction.

High-profile names, tentative meetings

A December 2014 schedule includes the entry: “Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?).” At the time, Epstein owned a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands that became infamous for serving as the site of sex trafficking.

Later entries show Epstein penciling in a lunch with Thiel, the billionaire venture capitalist and GOP donor, on Nov. 27, 2017, and a breakfast with Bannon on Feb. 16, 2019—just months before Epstein was charged with sex trafficking. That meeting came while Bannon remained a prominent figure in Trump’s political orbit.

Other pages reference Prince Andrew on a May 2000 flight with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell from New Jersey to Florida.

Democrats on the Oversight Committee framed the releases as a step toward transparency.

“It should be clear to every American that Jeffrey Epstein was friends with some of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world,” spokesperson Sara Guerrero said in a press release. “Every new document produced provides new information as we work to bring justice for the survivors and victims.”

The references to Musk, Thiel, and Bannon tie them to Epstein years after his 2007 conviction—a time when critics say he leveraged weak oversight to maintain connections with powerful figures.

Musk’s mention is notable as he has publicly accused Trump of hiding Epstein-related records earlier this year, saying the files should be released in full.

Representatives for Musk, Bannon, and Thiel did not respond to requests for comment.

In 2001, Fortune first convened “The Smartest People We Know,” bringing together CEOs and founders, builders and investors, thinkers and doers. Since then, Fortune Brainstorm Tech has been the place where bold ideas collide. From June 8–10, we will return to Aspen—where it all began—to mark 25 years of Brainstorm. Register now.
About the Author
By Eva RoytburgFellow, News

Eva is a fellow on Fortune's news desk.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Cybersecurity

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Cybersecurity

lancaster
AIschools
Two private school boys get probation for using AI to create 350 fake nudes of their classmates
By Mark Scolforo and The Associated PressMarch 25, 2026
9 hours ago
Arts & Entertainmentart
Banksy may have been identified, but his mystery has long been part of his art’s value, and a fan says it’s like finding out Santa Claus isn’t real
By Laurie Kellman and The Associated PressMarch 22, 2026
4 days ago
war
CommentaryMiddle East
Companies are now on the front lines of war. They need to act like it
By Jeremy BashMarch 21, 2026
5 days ago
woman holds phone in times square
CybersecurityVideo Games
Pokémon Go players built a 30-billion-photo map that’s now training robots to deliver your pizza
By Catherina GioinoMarch 19, 2026
7 days ago
iran
Cybersecuritycyber
Every Fortune 500 CEO’s nightmare: the Iran war and the Pandora’s Box of AI cyber warfare
By Nick LichtenbergMarch 18, 2026
7 days ago
boy holding phone in front of his face
PoliticsSocial Media
Social media companies are scrambling to verify minors online. Congress just made it a lot more complicated
By Catherina GioinoMarch 18, 2026
7 days ago

Most Popular

Magazine
The youngest-ever female CEO of a Fortune 500 company is fighting Trump's cuts to keep Medicaid strong
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
2 days ago
Commentary
The Treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media missed it
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
3 days ago
Success
Palantir’s billionaire CEO says only two kinds of people will succeed in the AI era: trade workers — ‘or you’re neurodivergent’
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
2 days ago
Success
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon says remote work breeds ‘rope-a-dope politics’ and stunts young workers’ growth
By Fortune EditorsMarch 25, 2026
15 hours ago
Success
The job market is so bad that ‘reverse recruiters’ are charging $1,500 a month just to help people look for jobs
By Fortune EditorsMarch 25, 2026
22 hours ago
C-Suite
'I didn’t want anybody shooting me': Five Guys CEO gave away $1.5 million bonus to employees over botched BOGO burger birthday celebration
By Fortune EditorsMarch 25, 2026
10 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.