Elon Musk has previously insisted that he never visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in the Caribbean, known as Little St. James. But emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday indicate Musk was at least messaging that he planned to visit the island of America’s most infamous child sex predator at two different times in 2012 and 2014. And one email from Epstein to Musk includes a reference to the men meeting up in 2013 at a “facility” and Epstein potentially bringing four “assistants.”
Emails from a previous Epstein files release suggested that Musk had been invited to the island, but didn’t unequivocally show that Musk had accepted an invitation. The new emails show that Musk was at least expressing his openness to visiting the island when corresponding with Epstein privately.
The 2012 invitation to Epstein Island
Emails from late 2012 show that Musk was invited to Epstein’s island that year.
“IF you find some time , come vist [sic] me on my island in the caribean. [sic] bring=your friend or friends. i will be there most of nov and dec,” Epstein wrote Sept. 12, 2012.
“Sounds good, will try to make it,” Musk replied in an email from Sept. 25, 2012.
By Nov. 2012, the plans sound much more concrete between the two men, as Epstein referred to a “heli” to pick up Musk and his guests.
“How many people will you be for the heli to island,” Epstein wrote Musk on Nov. 24, 2012.
“Probably just Talulah and me. What day/night will be the wildest party on =our island?” Musk replied.
Planning an island visit in 2013
“Will be in the BVI/St Bart’s area over the holidays. Is there a good time t= [sic] visit?” Musk wrote Dec. 13, 2013, referring to the British Virgin Islands.
“any day 1st – 8th . play it by ear if you want. always space for you,” Epstein replied on Dec. 15, 2013.
“Ok, probably the 1st then,” Musk responded the same day.
There’s then apparently a gap of 10 days in the email chain, according to what’s been made available, though it’s not clear whether other emails were exchanged in that period. Epstein replies in a way that suggests we’re not seeing some of the emails because the date they plan to connect is no longer the first of January but instead the second or third day of the month.
“the 2 or 3 would be perfect. I will come and get you,” Epstein wrote in an email Dec. 25, 2013.
“I need to fly back to LA on the night of the 2nd, so w,” Musk replied. It’s not clear if there’s supposed to be more to that “w.”
About an hour later, Musk sent another email to Epstein, writing, “Actually, I could fly back early on the 3rd. We will be in St Bart’s. When =hould [sic] we head to your island on the 2nd?”
Musk previously said he “refused” to go to the island
Back in September, various news outlets were reporting on some of the Epstein files, and Musk took issue with his name being included in headlines. “Epstein tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED,” Musk wrote.
The newly released emails appear to contradict Musk’s account. In fact, it looks like Musk wanted to visit Epstein’s island, but it didn’t work out because Epstein had to stay in New York. Epstein even said that he was looking forward to them hanging out with “just fun” as the “agenda.”
“Bad news- Unfortunately , my schedule will keep me in New York,” Epstein wrote on Dec. 30, 2013. “I was rea=ly [sic] looking forward to finally spending some time together with just fun as=the agenda. so i am very disappointed. Hopefully we can schedule anothe= [sic] time in the near future.”
Elon Musk’s reply an hour and a half later: “No problem.”
On Jan. 6, 2014, Epstein emailed Musk again, though it’s not clear if some of the emails are missing, given the abrupt tone: “sorry it didn’t work , out just getting over it. how was your trip?” Musk’s reply later that day: “Great.”
The “facility”
Another email that predates the two men planning to see each other in early 2014 is from February 2013 and refers to a “facility,” though it’s not clear what the billionaires are talking about.
“look forward to seeing you. I can either come wtih [sic] assistants ( four , ) =or alone. They might enjoy the facility if ok with you,” Epstein wrote.
Musk replied, “Up to you.”
Emails between Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein in Feb. 2013. Images: DOJMeeting in St. Bart’s in 2013
There’s also an email chain from early January where the two men seem to be planning a lunch in St. Bart’s.
“anytime tonororw in st abarths?” Epstein wrote Musk on Jan. 3, 2013.
“Could meet for lunch. Will be with Talulah and her friend Debs,” Musk replied. Talulah is the name of Musk’s first wife Talulah Riley, the British actress to whom he was married from 2010-2012 and then again from 2013-2016.
“I will land at 12 , anytime after great, look forward to it,” Epstein replied.
“Anyplace here that you like to have lunch?” Musk asked. Gizmodo couldn’t immediately determine if there were other emails from this thread in the millions of pages that were released on Friday.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s involvement
An email asking representatives for Musk whether he eventually wound up visiting Epstein’s island did not receive a response on Friday afternoon. But Musk did meet with Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell on at least two occasions that we know of, according to Maxwell.
Ghislaine Maxwell was interviewed by Todd Blanche, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney and now a top official at the DOJ, in August and told him that she first met Musk at a birthday party for Sergey Brin in 2010 or 2011.
“I met him in—I don’t remember the year, but it’s going to be in 2010, ’11, something like that, I think, if my memory serves,” Maxwell said. “And I was at an event for Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google. And Sergey had arranged for—it was for his birthday.”
Maxwell said that Epstein himself wasn’t present at that birthday party.
More files?
Friday’s Epstein files release is still just a fraction of the files required for release by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, according to Rep. Robert Garcia of California, who said DOJ continues to “withhold roughly 50% of the Epstein files, while claiming to have fully complied with the law,” according to MSNOW.
Rep. Ro Khana, also from California, said, “The DOJ said it identified over 6 million potentially responsive pages but is releasing only about 3.5 million after review and redactions. This raises questions as to why the rest are being withheld.”
Blanche gave a press conference on Friday, insisting there would be no more documents released. He also denied that any files had been withheld to protect President Donald Trump. The documents that have been released on Friday will take time to comb through. So you can bet on more revelations over the coming days, even if it seems like a safe bet that there’s no smoking gun pointing to Trump, otherwise referred to by several people as Epstein’s “best friend” of 15 years.
The newly released emails between Musk and Epstein can be found in documents EFTA02357372, EFTA02362483, EFTA02364818, EFTA02364941, and EFTA02356830, all part of Data Set 11.
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