Some of the most famous names tied to Jeffrey Epstein are now dead – but their names are back in the spotlight as newly unsealed records drag them from the grave into the public, adding a disturbing twist to a case already defined by secrecy, power, and abuse.
More than 20,000 pages tied to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have been unsealed, renewing scrutiny of their powerful connections. Released by the House Oversight Committee on Nov. 12, the records are just the beginning – more evidence, including devices and materials from Epstein’s private island, is due by Dec. 19.
As the archive grows, so does interest in the names it exposes. Several high-profile individuals listed are now dead, their inclusion raising new questions around Epstein’s far-reaching ties.
Virginia Giuffre, 41, died 2025
Giuffre was one of the most visible and vocal survivors in the Epstein case. Her lawsuits and public statements were instrumental in revealing the inner workings of Epstein’s trafficking network. Her posthumously published memoir, “Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice,” connects several high-profile names with Epstein, including Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) and President Donald Trump.
Giuffre died by suicide in 2025.
Jeffrey Epstein, 66, died 2019
Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender at the center of the investigation, died in August 2019 by suicide in a federal jail cell in Manhattan. He was awaiting trial on charges related to sex trafficking of minors. His death effectively closed his criminal case but triggered a wave of investigations, lawsuits, and calls for broader transparency.
Jean-Luc Brunel, 75, died 2022
Brunel, a French modeling agent long associated with Epstein, died by suicide in a Paris jail in 2022 while awaiting trial on rape charges, following years of investigations into allegations that he used his position in the fashion industry to identify and recruit young girls for Epstein’s circle.
According to Time, Giuffre said she was sent by Maxwell to have sex with Brunel “at many places,” while court documents further allege that Brunel brought girls as young as 12 “to the United States for sexual purposes and farm them out to his friends, especially Epstein.”
Marvin Minsky, 88, died 2016
Minsky, a pioneering figure in artificial intelligence and co-founder of MIT’s Media Lab, was named by Giuffre, who in her memoir said she was “forced” to have sex with him while he visited Epstein’s private island. Minsky, who died in 2016 of a cerebral hemorrhage, never publicly responded to the allegation, and there has been no legal adjudication related to the claim.
Stephen Hawking, 76, died 2018
Hawking’s name came up in a 2015 email Epstein sent to Maxwell, where he urged her to offer a reward to any of Giuffre’s “friends acquaitonts [sic] family” who could discredit a claim that Hawking had been involved in an “underage orgy” in the Virgin Islands, according to the Guardian.
The theoretical physicist was never accused of any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein or the broader investigation, and no evidence has surfaced linking him to criminal activity.
Bill Richardson, 75, died 2023
Bill Richardson, the former New Mexico governor and U.S. ambassador, was among the public figures named in connection with the convicted pedophile. In her deposition, Giuffre stated that Maxwell instructed her to give Richardson a massage. However, in 2019, a spokesperson for Richardson firmly denied the claim, stating he had “never met Ms. Giuffre,” as reported by Las Cruces Sun News.
Family members said Richardson, an influential hostage negotiator, “passed away peacefully in his sleep.”
Steven Hoffenberg, 77, died 2022
A former business associate of Epstein, Hoffenberg was convicted in the 1990s for running one of the largest Ponzi schemes prior to Bernie Madoff. He alleged that Epstein was the “architect of the scam,” but Epstein slipped away and never faced charges in Hoffenberg’s case. The fraudster – Epstein’s mentor – had been dead for about one week before he was found in his apartment, his body severely decomposed. Foul play was not suspected.
Michael Jackson, 50, died 2009
Jackson was named by one of Epstein’s victims, Johanna Sjoberg, in a 2016 deposition. Though she said she had met him at Epstein’s home, Time reports that Sjoberg said “no” when asked if she gave the late pop star a massage.
Jackson’s name also appears in Epstein’s personal address book and related documents, but no evidence has emerged indicating he was tied to Epstein’s criminal activities.
Princess Diana, 36, died 1997
Princess Diana is referenced multiple times – 14, to be exact – in the newly disclosed materials. The references are tied to media clippings and correspondence shared among third parties. There’s no indication of any direct interaction between Diana and Epstein.
While the presence of famous figures in Epstein’s orbit continues to fascinate and disturb the public, no legal wrongdoing has been assigned to most individuals named. Still, the continuous release of records will likely draw further attention to the actions, associations, or implications surrounding those who are no longer alive to respond.
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