A sweeping document release is pulling millions of eyes back toward Jeffrey Epstein’s long-hidden world – and the many famous names connected to it.
On November 12, the House Oversight Committee published more than 20,000 pages tied to the financier’s sex-trafficking operation, including flight manifests, emails, depositions, and internal records.
And even more disclosures are coming, with the Justice Department now ordered to release additional investigative materials by December 19.
Among the trove is a still-sealed cache consisting of 40 computers, 26 hard drives, 70 CDs, and six recording devices – plus roughly 60 boxes of physical evidence, including logs from Epstein’s private island. While being named in the files does not mean someone participated in wrongdoing, the documents offer a broader look at who appeared in Epstein’s orbit.
Below are the notable figures mentioned in the Epstein materials who are no longer alive.
High-profile men in science, politics, and entertainment
Jeffrey Epstein (Died 2019)
The central figure behind the global trafficking network, Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial. His death ended his criminal case but sparked an ongoing wave of investigations, lawsuits, and document releases.
Credit: Patrick McMullan/Getty Images.
Jean-Luc Brunel (Died 2022)
The French modeling agent – long alleged to have supplied Epstein with underage girls – was found dead in his Paris prison cell while awaiting charges for rape and trafficking.
Marvin Minsky (Died 2016)
The MIT artificial-intelligence pioneer was referenced in flight logs and other documents. Minsky was accused by Virginia Giuffre of misconduct – an allegation he never had the chance to address publicly before his death.
Stephen Hawking (Died 2018)
The renowned theoretical physicist appears in some of the released material, though there is no evidence he had any relationship with Epstein beyond being listed in documents and is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Bill Richardson (Died 2023)
The former New Mexico governor and U.S. diplomat was named in court filings and flight records. Richardson denied all allegations during his lifetime.
Steven Hoffenberg (Died 2022)
A former Epstein business associate, Hoffenberg spent years in prison for running a Ponzi scheme predating Epstein’s criminal case. He long claimed Epstein had been involved in the fraud.
Celebrities and cultural icons linked through records or contact lists
Michael Jackson (Died 2009)
The pop icon appears in Epstein’s personal book or related records. No evidence has surfaced suggesting a relationship between Jackson and Epstein.
Princess Diana (Died 1997)
Referenced 14 times in the newly surfaced documents, Diana’s name appears in media clippings and third-party correspondence – not in any context indicating contact with Epstein.
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Princess Diana was named 14 times in the Epstein files. Credit: Mark Reinstein/Getty Images.
Recent death connected to the case
Virginia Giuffre (Died 2025)
One of the most prominent accusers in the Epstein scandal, Giuffre was a central figure in civil filings that helped expose Epstein’s trafficking operation. Her statements and lawsuits reshaped public understanding of the case.
What these mentions actually mean
The Epstein archive includes celebrity names for many reasons: press clippings, forwarded articles, political discussions, or references made by third parties. For most of the individuals listed – including cultural icons like Michael Jackson and Princess Diana – no evidence suggests they were involved in Epstein’s criminal activity.
But as thousands more pages are slated for release in December, public scrutiny is only intensifying. The growing archive will likely continue raising questions – even about those who can no longer answer them.