Epstein’s Silicon Valley connections went beyond Musk and Gates

The US Department of Justice’s recent release of millions of documents related to notorious sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein has shed more light on his relationships with various influential figures, including much of the American technology industry.

In particular, the files contain references to communications and meetings involving two of the world’s richest men, tech mogul Elon Musk and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. That has led to much scrutiny of the pair in recent weeks, with both denying any wrongdoing by Epstein.

But these two billionaires aren’t the only technical names that keep popping up in the new filings. Other tech leaders include Google founder Sergey Brin, venture capitalist Peter Thiel, former Microsoft executive Steven Sinofsky and LinkedIn founder Reed Hoffman.

While these executives have been linked to Epstein in the past, the new revelations, through records ranging from emails, schedules and photographs, reveal more about their ties to the convicted sex offender than was previously known.

Breen and Sinofsky would not comment on the matter, while Theil and Hoffman said they were only in contact with Epstein for legal and legal purposes.

Authorities noted that the appearance of a name in the records does not indicate evidence of wrongdoing and does not prove that the name was part of an alleged client list or extortion scheme.

Still, the files help paint a picture of Epstein’s years-long effort to insinuate himself into some of Silicon Valley’s most powerful circles, and at times become a confidant and power broker, before his death in 2019.

Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist and co-founder of Palantir and PayPal who once worked with Elon Musk, also appears in the Epstein files, with the latest release showing correspondence between the two.

These contacts started around 2014 and have lasted until now2019Just months before Epstein was arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges and after he was first formally charged with sex crimes in 2006.

Among the materials a transcript of an undated conversation between Epstein and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, in which Epstein refers to Thiel.

In the recording, Epstein told Barack how to use his connections to land Palantir as a potential option and land a lucrative position at the company. He said he hasn’t met Thiel yet, but hopes to see him next week.

The duo have really gotten to know each other over the years with emails including date plans and discussions about dates. Trump campaignand other informal exchanges. Before one scheduled meeting, Thiel’s team even let him go diet information To Epstein’s staff.

Files released by the House Oversight Committee in November 2025 also identified Epstein Til was called visiting him in the “Caribbean”.

In response to CNBC’s request for comment, a Thiel spokesperson said the venture capitalist had never visited Epstein’s famous private island in the Virgin Islands.

The New York Times reported in June Epstein invested $40 million in two funds in 2015 and 2016, run by the venture capital firm Thiel founded.

a podcast view In an August 16, 2024 broadcast, Thiel discussed some of his encounters with Epstein, noting that he had met him several times since 2014 after being introduced to him by LinkedIn founder Reed Hoffman.

Thiel said the discussions were based on tax and financial advice. He said he underestimated the seriousness of Epstein’s past crimes because of Epstein’s lenient sentence in 2008 and his reliance on the conviction about his connections.

Recent releases of Epstein’s file contain numerous references to Reed Hoffman, who founded LinkedIn in 2002, and the relationship between them shows several friendly email exchanges.

Although much of the correspondence was focused on fundraising for the MIT Media Lab, it also included personal communications, tax advice, meeting plans, and talking about gifts Goffman sent to Epstein. The documents also confirm a 2014 visit by Hoffman to Epstein’s private island.

Hoffman admitted that he had visited the island before, saying that the trip was purely for charity and that he later regretted not researching Epstein more thoroughly beforehand.

However, other emails show plans for additional visits to Epstein’s homes, including his own Zorro Ranch in New Mexico and at his Manhattan apartment, but it is unclear which of these visits actually took place. Hoffman recently confirmed Meetings with Epstein in Palo Alto and Cambridge in 2016.

Epstein called Hoffman a “very close friend” and at one point his I miss seeing and talking to him internet entrepreneur. Emails from 2014 also show the financier trying to turn Hoffman on investment opportunities In India.

Meanwhile, Epstein’s 2015 email mentions Hoffman’s dinner in Palo Alto. Zuckerberg, Musk, Thiel and MIT neuroscientist Ed Boyden attended.

Hoffman Linked Zuckerberg and Epstein via email after the event. In response to the inquiry, Meta directed CNBC to a statement from a spokesperson in 2019 that Zuckerberg said he did not speak to Epstein after the lunch.

Hoffman did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment. He previously said he regretted his relationship with Epstein and called for the full release of the Epstein files. Recent documents reviewed by CNBC do not indicate criminal wrongdoing or wrongdoing by Epstein.

However, in November of last year, President Donald Trump happened The DOJ ordered an investigation to Hoffman, a major Democratic donor along with former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

Trump has seen the investigation as a probe into the Democratic Party’s ties to Epstein, though some critics say it is a departure from Trump’s own remarks in the files. Trump confirmed his former friendship with Epstein, but said he had no knowledge of his crimes and had cut ties with him years ago.

The file release contains several references to Google co-founder Sergey Brin, including email communications.

One special email chain in April 2003 Breen revealed that he spoke with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime companion and convicted partner, about dinner plans at Epstein’s New York estate.

The exchange appears to have followed a previous meeting between the two. “Dinner at Jeffrey’s is always fun and relaxed. We look forward to seeing you,” wrote Maxwell.

CNBC reached out to Brin via Google for comment, but did not hear back.

Contacts between Epstein and Brin have been documented in the past, although no allegations of wrongdoing have been made.

According to Epstein’s prediction in 2004 Breen was referred by JPMorgan Chase Acted as a client in a U.S. District Court lawsuit filed by the US Virgin Islands government against JPMorgan Chase Bank and subsequently connected him with bank executives for tax advice. The US Virgin Islands also subpoenaed Brin in March 2023 for documents related to Epstein’s interactions with JPMorgan.

Meanwhile,court documents In connection with the trial against Maxwell, which closed in 2024, Epstein’s accuser Sarah Ransom said she met Brin and his then-fiancée, now ex-wife Anne Wojcicki, on Epstein’s island.

Brin stepped down as president of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, on December 3, 2019, saying at the time that he no longer needed the role. However, he remained a controlling shareholder and board member.

He returned to semi-retirement at the end of 2023, actively contributing to the company’s artificial intelligence initiatives, including work on Gemini.

More details about the relationship between Epstein and Steven Sinofsky, the former Microsoft executive who oversaw key products such as Windows and Office, were revealed in recent filings.

The documents revealed Sinofsky’s existence Epstein was asked for advice About the conditions of leaving Microsoft after leaving in 2012.

Sinofsky, who is now a managing partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz Emailed Epstein In September 2013, about three months after announcing the terms of his $14 million retirement deal, Microsoft said: “Payment received. You will also pay :)” he wrote.

Sinofsky continued to email Epstein through 2018, discussing his finances, career prospects, and social events in New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.

An email exchange from November 2012 also makes reference to Epstein possible meeting between Sinofsky and Apple’s Tim Cook on job opportunities. In the email, Epstein indicated that he had recently spoken with Cook and said that “Tim Cook is pleased to meet with Sinofsky,” although the context is unclear. A few months later, Sinofsky will be email addressEpstein on meeting Cook.

Sinofsky declined to comment. Apple did not respond to a request for comment on the alleged Epstein-Cook action.

Epstein’s relationship with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, which has surfaced in previous document releases, has also come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after the latest revelations. They included a draft of emails Epstein wrote to himself, suggesting that he helped facilitate Gates’ extramarital affairs and sexual encounters.

In an interview with Australia’s 9News on Wednesday, Gates denied any wrongdoing in the new files, calling Epstein’s allegations “completely absurd and completely false.”

He noted that his relationship with Epstein was limited to dinners focused on discussions of potential donations, adding that he had “never been to the island” and “never met any women.”