This post examines ten prominent figures in tech who had documented ties with Jeffrey Epstein—philanthropic, academic, or social. Each summary includes background, nature of the connection, and current relevance.
1. Bill Gates
- Nature of connection: Met Epstein around 2011‑2013, including dinner meetings and travel aiming to raise philanthropic funding Reuters+15Wikipedia+15Business Insider+15Reuters. Visits reportedly included Manhattan dinners, plane rides, and discussions with Nobel-linked figures Wikipedia.
- Gates’ stance: Called the relationship “a huge mistake”; emphasized no business or personal friendship ABC7 Los Angeles+2People.com+2Wikipedia+2.
- Philanthropy fallout: Epstein threatened to expose an alleged affair to pressure Gates about funding—a move Gates resisted Axios+12People.com+12Wikipedia+12.
- Personal impact: Melinda French Gates said meeting Epstein contributed to divorce in 2021 The Guardian+5Page Six+5The Economic Times+5.
2. Joi Ito
- Role: Then–director of MIT Media Lab.
- Donations: Accepted $525K for the Lab and $1.2M into his personal ventures from Epstein Business Insider+3Business Insider+3Wikipedia+3Wikipedia.
- Aftermath: Resigned in 2019 amid New Yorker revelations, triggering an independent probe into MIT’s donor policies The New Yorker+3TIME+3Wikipedia+3.
3. Seth Lloyd
MIT professor who received approximately $225K in Epstein-backed grants, visited Epstein’s island, and later issued public apologies Reuters+4Wikipedia+4The Times+4.
4. Joscha Bach
AI researcher hired at MIT partially due to Epstein-funded programs (~$300K). Investigated by the institute; no personal misconduct proven publicly Business InsiderWikipedia.
5. Elon Musk
- Ties: Seen with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2014; purported rumor he sought Epstein’s help for Tesla chairman search Business Insider.
- Musk’s view: Denied the advisory rumor; emphasized he never worked with Epstein and criticized slow release of related docs—calling for more transparency The Times.
6. Reid Hoffman
Linked via Epstein‑hosted dinners and academic fundraisers. No allegations of wrongdoing; ties surfaced in event logs but lacked legal substantiation Business Insider.
7. Sergey Brin & Larry Page
Reuters and trial testimony via JPMorgan exec Jes Staley indicate Epstein introduced them to Epstein-linked networks, though claims remain speculative and unproven The Times+1The Wall Street Journal+1.
8. Nathan Myhrvold
Former Microsoft CTO and founder of Intellectual Ventures. Epstein visited his firm, allegedly with underage girls—Myhrvold denied awareness or involvement Wikipedia.
9. Marvin Minsky (deceased)
MIT AI pioneer supported by a $100K grant from Epstein in 2002. Named in island references, though no wrongdoing was alleged WikipediaBusiness Insider.
10. Scott Borgerson
CargoMetrics CEO whose home was briefly associated with Maxwell. He clarified she was a former friend and that she didn’t reside with him Business Insider.
📝 Important Notes
Lack of Evidence for Wrongdoing: Being associated with Epstein does not imply participation in his crimes. Most ties were professional, philanthropic, or incidental—many distanced themselves publicly after his conviction.
Speculative Sources: Wired-in names like Page, Brin, Thiel (not included above) sometimes appear in X posts or less-verified claims. These lack court or major-media corroboration and should be considered inconclusive.
Context of Connections: Epstein pursued relationships with science and tech figures to bolster his “science philanthropist” persona, often through donations or event hosting. Many relationships were transactional or superficial.
Data Limitations: This list is based on open-source reporting, news, court filings, and public X posts up to July 19, 2025. Additional documents or revelations could alter the landscape.
Conclusion
This detailed review of the top 10 tech friends of Jeffrey Epstein exposes a complex web of connections—many tied to philanthropy, academic funding, or social mingling. Importantly, none had proven criminal involvement. As further documents are released after July 2025, the picture may continue to shift.
if you like tech friends of Jeffrey Epstein then read this Top 10 Most Followed X (Twitter) Accounts in 2025 and How They Monetize Their Audience