The Billionaire and the Bureau: New Epstein Files Offer Fresh Clues About FBI Interest in Mysterious Benefactor

 

# The Billionaire and the Bureau: New Epstein Files Offer Fresh Clues About FBI Interest in Mysterious Benefactor

## Unredacted Names, Undisclosed Emails, and the Lingering Questions That Won't Go Away

**Published: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 – 4:00 PM EST**

Nearly seven years after his death in a Manhattan jail cell, Jeffrey Epstein continues to haunt the corridors of power. The latest release of more than **3 million pages** of documents, videos, and images under the Epstein Files Transparency Act has provided the public with its most detailed look yet at the inner workings of his criminal enterprise—and at the FBI's decades-long pursuit of justice that ultimately fell short .

Among the revelations: a draft indictment from 2007 shows federal prosecutors were prepared to charge not just Epstein but three of his personal assistants, until a controversial plea deal allowed him to walk with a slap on the wrist . Newly unredacted names have emerged, including retail billionaire **Les Wexner** and Emirati businessman **Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem**, both labeled as co-conspirators in FBI documents . And a trove of emails reveals the extent of Epstein's reach into the worlds of politics, technology, and global finance—including communications with **Elon Musk**, **Bill Gates**, and **Howard Lutnick** that raise new questions about what investigators knew and when they knew it .

For the American public, these files represent more than just a morbid curiosity. They are a window into a system that allowed a wealthy predator to operate for decades, and a test of whether transparency can finally deliver the accountability that prosecutors could not.

Here is everything you need to know about the latest Epstein files and what they reveal about the FBI's interest in his billionaire network.

---

## The Keyword Goldmine: What America Is Searching for Right Now

The release of thousands of pages of sealed documents generates intense search traffic across multiple domains. Here are the most valuable, lower-competition keyword clusters emerging from this news.

**Table 1: High-Value Keyword Clusters – Epstein Files Investigation 2026**

| **Keyword Cluster Theme** | **Sample High-Value, Lower-Competition Keywords** | **Commercial Intent & Advertiser Appeal** |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| **Epstein Files Content** | "Epstein files unredacted names 2026", "Epstein document release full text", "Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirators list", "Epstein island visitor logs" | **Extremely High.** Targets users seeking direct access to documents. Advertisers: Document search platforms, legal research tools, news archival services. |

| **Billionaire Connections** | "Elon Musk Epstein emails text", "Bill Gates Epstein files connection", "Les Wexner co-conspirator status", "Howard Lutnick Epstein island visit" | **Very High.** Targets investors and corporate governance professionals. Advertisers: Background check services, corporate compliance software, reputation management firms. |

| **FBI Investigation Timeline** | "FBI Epstein investigation 2006 documents", "Alexander Acosta plea deal text", "Epstein draft indictment 2007", "why wasn't Epstein charged earlier" | **High.** Targets legal professionals and policy researchers. Advertisers: Legal education CLE credits, investigative journalism funds, government transparency nonprofits. |

| **Victim Statements** | "Virginia Giuffre memoir excerpts", "Epstein victim impact statements", "Ghislaine Maxwell prison update 2026", "sex trafficking survivor resources" | **High.** Targets advocates and mental health professionals. Advertisers: Victim support organizations, trauma therapy services, legal aid clinics. |

| **Political Fallout** | "Trump Epstein files mentions count", "Bill Clinton Epstein flight logs", "Congress Epstein investigation 2026", "Ro Khanna Epstein disclosure" | **Moderate-High, Time-Sensitive.** Targets politically engaged readers. Advertisers: Political action committees, advocacy organizations, campaign finance trackers. |

---

## Part 1: The Scale of the Release – What We Now Know

### The Epstein Files Transparency Act

In November 2025, Congress passed legislation mandating the full disclosure of all Epstein-related documents in the government's possession. On January 30, 2026, the Justice Department began releasing what would ultimately become more than **3 million pages** of material, along with **2,000+ videos** and **180,000+ images** .

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche framed the release as a fulfillment of the government's transparency obligations: "Today's release marks the end of a very comprehensive document identification and review process to ensure transparency to the American people" .

But transparency, it turns out, has limits. Lawmakers who reviewed the unredacted materials estimate that **70% to 80% of the files remain redacted**, despite the law's mandate . Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) personally visited the Justice Department to review materials and emerged with more questions than answers .

### The Missing Half

The Justice Department admitted that it is withholding approximately **half of the 6 million pages** it collected, citing ongoing investigations and privacy concerns . This has drawn sharp criticism from both parties.

Khanna, speaking on the House floor, posed a pointed question: "Why did it take Thomas Massie and me going to the Justice Department to get these six men's identities to become public? If we found six men they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many they are covering up for in those three million files" .

---

## Part 2: The Billionaire Benefactor – Les Wexner's Co-Conspirator Designation

### The Man Behind Victoria's Secret

Among the most significant revelations in the latest files is the explicit identification of **Les Wexner**, the founder of L Brands (parent company of Victoria's Secret), as a co-conspirator in a 2019 FBI document . Wexner's name had long been associated with Epstein—the financier managed his money for years and had virtually unlimited access to his resources—but this marks the first time federal investigators have labeled him in official records.

**Table 2: Key Individuals Identified in Latest Epstein Files**

| **Name** | **Affiliation** | **FBI Designation** | **Notable Detail** |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| **Les Wexner** | L Brands founder | Co-conspirator (2019 doc) | Epstein managed his fortune for decades; cut ties in 2007  |

| **Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem** | DP World CEO | Email recipient | Recipient of Epstein's "torture video" email  |

| **Lesley Groff** | Epstein's longtime assistant | Co-conspirator | Attorney says she was never informed of designation  |

| **Jean-Luc Brunel** | French modeling agent | Co-conspirator | Died in prison in 2022 awaiting trial  |

| **Salvatore Nuara** | Unknown | Name redacted/unsealed | One of six names identified by Khanna  |

| **Zurab Mikeladze** | Unknown | Name redacted/unsealed | One of six names identified by Khanna  |

### Wexner's Response

Wexner has previously stated that he cut ties with Epstein in 2007 and had no knowledge of his criminal activities. A legal representative told reporters in December 2025 that prosecutors had indicated Wexner was "neither a co-conspirator nor target in any respect" .

The newly released document appears to contradict that assertion, though the context of the "co-conspirator" label remains unclear. Massie, who reviewed the files, emphasized that appearing in the Epstein files "does not prove guilt" .

### The Torture Video Mystery

Another newly unredacted name belongs to **Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem**, CEO of Dubai-based DP World and a prominent figure in global logistics . His name surfaced in connection with a 2009 email from Epstein that read: "where are you? are you ok I loved the torture video" .

Blanche confirmed that bin Sulayem was the recipient of that email, though it remains unclear what "torture video" Epstein was referencing . bin Sulayem has not commented publicly on the revelation.

---

## Part 3: The Tech Titans – Musk, Gates, and the Island Invitations

### Elon Musk: A Longer Paper Trail Than Previously Acknowledged

The files contain at least **16 emails** between Elon Musk and Epstein dating from 2012 and 2013 . On multiple occasions, Musk expressed interest in visiting Epstein's private island, Little St. James, which has since become notorious as a location for alleged abuse .

In one exchange, Epstein inquired about how many people Musk would like flown by helicopter. Musk responded that it would likely be just him and his partner at the time, adding: "What day/night will be the wildest party on =our island?" .

It remains unclear whether any visits actually took place. Musk has consistently denied ever setting foot on the island. In a 2025 post on X, he wrote: "Epstein tried to get me to go to his island and I REFUSED" . Following the latest release, he reiterated that he had "very little correspondence with Epstein and declined repeated invitations to go to his island" .

**Table 3: Tech and Business Figures in Epstein Files**

| **Name** | **Role** | **Nature of Contact** | **Response** |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| **Elon Musk** | Tesla, SpaceX, X | 16+ emails; island visit planning | Denies visits; says he declined invitations  |

| **Bill Gates** | Microsoft founder | Epstein emails; STI allegation | Spokesperson calls allegations "absolutely absurd and completely false"  |

| **Howard Lutnick** | Commerce Secretary | Island lunch planned (2012) | Says he cut ties decades ago; "limited interactions"  |

| **Richard Branson** | Virgin Group founder | Email exchange; "harem" reference | Spokesperson says contact limited to business settings  |

### Bill Gates: Unsubstantiated Allegations

The files include draft emails Epstein addressed to himself alleging that Bill Gates contracted a sexually transmitted infection from "Russian girls" . Epstein wrote the messages not long after his attempt to broker a venture between Gates's foundation and JPMorgan Chase fell through—a deal Epstein had hoped would generate substantial income .

A spokesperson for Gates dismissed the allegations as "absolutely absurd and completely false" . Gates has previously acknowledged meeting with Epstein on multiple occasions but has said he did so only to discuss philanthropy, a claim that has drawn criticism given Epstein's criminal history.

### Howard Lutnick: The Island Lunch That Never Happened

The files show that in December 2012, Epstein invited **Howard Lutnick**, now serving as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Trump, to his island for lunch . Lutnick's wife enthusiastically accepted, saying they would arrive on a yacht with their children .

Lutnick has said he cut ties with Epstein long ago and called him "disgusting" in a 2025 interview . A Commerce Department spokesman stated that Lutnick had "limited interactions with Mr. Epstein in the presence of his wife and has never been accused of wrongdoing" .

---

## Part 4: The FBI Investigation – What Agents Found (And Didn't Find)

### The 2007 Draft Indictment

One of the most significant documents in the new release is a draft indictment from 2007, showing that federal prosecutors were prepared to charge not just Epstein but also **three people who worked for him as personal assistants** . The charges would have been based on testimony from multiple underage girls who told police and the FBI that they had been paid to give Epstein sexualized massages.

Instead, then-Miami U.S. Attorney **Alexander Acosta** signed off on a deal that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor . He served 18 months in jail—with work release privileges—and was free by mid-2009 . Acosta later served as Trump's first Labor Secretary.

### What Agents Found at Epstein's Homes

According to interview notes released Friday, an employee at Epstein's Florida estate told the FBI in 2007 that some of his duties included:

- Fanning $100 bills on a table near Epstein's bed

- Placing a gun between the mattresses in his bedroom

- Cleaning up after Epstein's frequent massages with young girls, including disposing of used condoms 

The employee also said Epstein once had him buy flowers and deliver them to a student at Royal Palm Beach High School to commemorate her performance in a school play .

### The Limits of the Investigation

Despite collecting ample proof that Epstein sexually abused underage girls, investigators found **scant evidence** that he was running a sex trafficking ring serving powerful men . An AP review of internal Justice Department records shows:

- Videos and photos seized from Epstein's homes didn't depict victims being abused or implicate anyone else 

- Financial records, including payments to entities linked to influential figures, showed no connection to criminal activity 

- While one victim, Virginia Giuffre, claimed Epstein "lent her" to his rich friends, agents couldn't confirm that and found no other victims telling a similar story 

Summarizing the investigation in a July 2025 email, agents said "four or five" Epstein accusers claimed other men or women had sexually abused them. But, the agents said, there "was not enough evidence to federally charge these individuals, so the cases were referred to local law enforcement" .

### The Giuffre Problem

Giuffre's accounts were particularly problematic for investigators. Prosecutors noted in a 2019 memo that two other Epstein victims who Giuffre claimed were also "lent out" to powerful men told investigators they had no such experience . Giuffre acknowledged writing a partly fictionalized memoir and had offered shifting accounts in interviews .

Still, Giuffre's lawsuit against Prince Andrew led to a settlement, and her advocacy kept the Epstein story in the public eye. She died by suicide in 2025 at age 41 .

---

## Part 5: The Political Connections – Bannon, Trump, and the White House

### Steve Bannon: Hundreds of Friendly Texts

The documents show Epstein exchanged **hundreds of friendly texts** with Steve Bannon, a top adviser to President Trump, in the months before Epstein's death . They discussed politics, travel, and a documentary Bannon was said to be planning that would help salvage Epstein's reputation .

In March 2019, Bannon asked Epstein if he could supply his plane to pick him up in Rome . A couple of months later, Epstein messaged Bannon: "Now you can understand why trump wakes up in the middle of the night sweating when he hears you and I are friends" .

### Kathy Ruemmler: Professional Association

Around the same time, Epstein communicated with **Kathy Ruemmler**, a lawyer and former Obama White House official. In a typo-filled email, he warned that Democrats should stop demonizing Trump as a mafia-type figure even as he derided the president as a "maniac" .

Ruemmler said through a spokesperson that she was associated with Epstein professionally during her time as a lawyer in private practice and now "regrets ever knowing him" .

### Trump References

Trump is mentioned more than **1,000 times** in the documents . The references include emails in which Epstein and others shared news articles about him, commented on his policies, and gossiped about him and his family . Also included is a spreadsheet summarizing uncorroborated tips from people claiming to have knowledge of wrongdoing by Trump .

The Justice Department released a statement emphasizing that "some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they have a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already" .

---

## Part 6: The International Dimension – Princes, Sultans, and Global Elites

### Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

The former Prince Andrew features heavily in the files, with his name appearing **several hundred times** . The documents include:

- An email exchange where Epstein requested "private time" with Andrew, who replied: "We could have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy" 

- Epstein offering to arrange dinner with a "clevere [sic], beautiful and trustworthy" 26-year-old Russian woman, to which Andrew responded he would be "delighted" 

- Photos showing Andrew appearing to crouch over an unidentified woman lying on the floor 

Andrew has denied wrongdoing and settled a lawsuit with Giuffre for an undisclosed sum.

### Richard Branson

The files include an email exchange from 2013 between Branson and Epstein. On September 11, 2013, Branson wrote: "It was really nice seeing you yesterday. Any time you're in the area would love to see you. As long as you bring your harem!" 

A Virgin Group spokesperson explained that Epstein had attended a business meeting on Branson's private island and arrived with three adult women whom he referred to as his "harem." The spokesperson emphasized that Branson's contact with Epstein was limited to a few occasions more than 12 years ago .

### Peter Mandelson

Bank records appear to show three separate payments of $25,000 from Epstein's JP Morgan accounts referencing **Peter Mandelson**, a former British cabinet minister . Mandelson said: "I have no record and no recollection of receiving these sums and do not know if the documents are authentic" . The files also include an image of Mandelson in his underwear standing next to a woman whose face is redacted . Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party in September over his Epstein links .

---

## Part 7: The Death and Its Aftermath

### The Final Days

The files provide new details about Epstein's incarceration and suicide. Less than two weeks before his death, Epstein's attorneys met with Manhattan federal prosecutors and "discussed the possibility of a resolution of the case, and the possibility of the defendant's cooperation" . A memo noted that "defense counsel did not make a specific proposal, and they did not indicate what the nature of Epstein's cooperation might be" .

### The Decoy

After Epstein's death on August 10, 2019, jail staffers used a clever trick to fool the media gathered outside. They used boxes and sheets to create what appeared to be a body and loaded it into a white van labeled as belonging to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner . Reporters followed the van, not knowing that Epstein's actual body was loaded into a black vehicle that departed "unnoticed" .

### The Note

An investigator's observation in the files notes that Epstein's final communication "doesn't look like a suicide note" . Multiple investigations have nonetheless determined that Epstein's death was a suicide.

---

## FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

**Q1: What exactly was released in the latest Epstein files?**

**A:** On January 30, 2026, the Justice Department began releasing more than **3 million pages** of documents, along with **2,000+ videos** and **180,000+ images** related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation . The release was mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress in November 2025 .

**Q2: Who are the newly identified individuals in the files?**

**A:** Newly unredacted names include **Les Wexner** (L Brands founder), **Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem** (DP World CEO), **Lesley Groff** (Epstein's longtime assistant), and **Jean-Luc Brunel** (French modeling agent) . All were listed as co-conspirators in a 2019 FBI document .

**Q3: What did the files reveal about Elon Musk?**

**A:** The files contain at least **16 emails** between Musk and Epstein from 2012-2013, including multiple instances where Musk expressed interest in visiting Epstein's island . Musk has consistently denied ever visiting the island, saying he "REFUSED" Epstein's overtures .

**Q4: Were any allegations against Bill Gates substantiated?**

**A:** No. The files include draft emails Epstein addressed to himself alleging that Gates contracted an STI from "Russian girls" . A Gates spokesperson called the allegations "absolutely absurd and completely false" .

**Q5: Why wasn't Jeffrey Epstein charged earlier?**

**A:** In 2007, federal prosecutors drafted an indictment to charge Epstein and three assistants . However, then-Miami U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta signed a deal allowing Epstein to plead guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor . He served 18 months in jail and was released in 2009 .

**Q6: Did the FBI find evidence of a broader sex trafficking ring involving powerful men?**

**A:** No. While investigators found ample proof that Epstein abused underage girls, they found scant evidence that he was running a trafficking ring serving others . Videos, photos, and financial records didn't implicate anyone else, and most victims didn't corroborate claims that Epstein "lent" them to others .

**Q7: How did Prince Andrew appear in the files?**

**A:** Andrew's name appears several hundred times . Emails show Epstein requesting "private time" with Andrew, who invited him to Buckingham Palace . Epstein also offered to arrange dinner with a young Russian woman, to which Andrew responded he would be "delighted" .

**Q8: Are all the files now public?**

**A:** No. The Justice Department admitted it is withholding roughly **half of the 6 million pages** it collected, citing ongoing investigations and privacy concerns . Lawmakers who reviewed unredacted materials estimate that **70-80% of the released files remain redacted** .

**Q9: What did Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's files show?**

**A:** The files show that in December 2012, Epstein invited Lutnick to his island for lunch . Lutnick's wife accepted, saying they would arrive on a yacht with their children . Lutnick has said he cut ties with Epstein long ago and had only "limited interactions" .

**Q10: What happens next with the Epstein investigation?**

**A:** Lawmakers from both parties have vowed to continue pressing for full transparency. Representative Robert Garcia said: "We are demanding the names of Epstein's co-conspirators and the men and pedophiles who abused women and girls. Our work and investigation are just getting started" . However, with Epstein dead and Maxwell imprisoned, no additional federal charges are expected .

---

## CONCLUSION: Transparency Without Accountability?

The release of millions of pages of Epstein files represents an unprecedented window into the operations of a criminal enterprise that operated in plain sight for decades. We now know more about the FBI's investigations, the plea deal that let Epstein walk, and the web of powerful figures who intersected with him.

But transparency is not the same as accountability.

The newly unredacted names—Wexner, bin Sulayem, Groff, Brunel—raise as many questions as they answer. What did they know? When did they know it? And why did the FBI label them co-conspirators in internal documents but never charge them?

The files also reveal the limits of the investigation itself. Despite years of work and millions of pages of documents, federal prosecutors concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone beyond Epstein and Maxwell . The most sensational claims—of a trafficking network serving powerful men—remain unsubstantiated .

**For victims,** this is cold comfort. Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, maintained until the end that her accounts were true . Other survivors continue to seek acknowledgment and justice.

**For the public,** the files offer a measure of transparency, however incomplete. The Justice Department's admission that half the documents remain sealed, and lawmakers' discovery that 70-80% of released files are redacted, suggests there is much we still don't know .

**For investigators,** the Epstein saga remains a cautionary tale about the intersection of wealth, power, and justice. A draft indictment from 2007 shows what might have been, had a different prosecutor made a different choice .

Seven years after his death, Jeffrey Epstein continues to cast a long shadow. The files released this month illuminate some corners of that shadow, but others remain stubbornly, frustratingly dark.

The question now is whether the remaining documents will ever see the light of day—and whether, in the end, transparency can deliver what the justice system could not.

---

*This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult qualified professionals regarding legal matters.*

**About the author:** This analysis synthesizes reporting from the Associated Press, Reuters, CNN, and other sources cited throughout. All sources are available for independent verification.

**Disclosure:** The author holds no positions in any companies mentioned at the time of publication. Positions may change without notice. This article contains no affiliate links.