Ever since the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released an additional 3.5 million documents related to the Epstein files on January 30, the internet has been fixated on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein, a wealthy financier, died on August 10, 2019; however, according to newly released documents, the US attorney’s 2019 statement was allegedly written the day before his death. The concept appeared in recently released files.
As chatter grows about Epstein’s circle and his wrongdoings, conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s death also abound, many even conspiring that the convicted sex offender is still alive.
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Here’s a look at some of the Internet conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s death:
1. Epstein’s dying declaration was written the day before he died
As many as 23 documents in the disclosure are marked as statements from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, according to reports. In one version, the date appears to be August 9, 2019, the day before Epstein was allegedly found dead in his prison cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. According to a statement attributed to then-Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S Berman: “This morning, the Manhattan Correctional Center confirmed that Jeffrey Epstein, who was facing charges brought by the agency for engaging in the sex trafficking of minors, was found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead a short time later.”
2. Did Epstein die by suicide?
While official records list Epstein’s cause of death as suicide, a recent CBS News report once again brought Epstein’s cause of death under scrutiny. With the newly released documents, the Justice Department also released at least 180,000 images and 2,000 videos; one of them shows an orange-colored figure moving toward the floor where Epstein’s cell is located at about 10:39 p.m. on August 9. While one of the entries describes the figure as “probably an inmate,” a Justice Department review identifies him as a corrections officer wearing orange underwear.
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According to a CBS News report, the figure on the stairs was said to be more consistent with an inmate or someone in a prison uniform than a correctional officer.
3. Is Jeffrey Epstein Alive?
Several social media users began sharing an image of a bearded man wandering around Israel resembling Epstein. Social media users were quick to jump to conclusions, with many saying he was too important to powerful figures to be “allowed to die”. Some others said that their connections with many powerful people in the US may have helped him fake his death and given him a safe passage to move out of the US.
Although such claims remain unverified, they have taken over social media in recent days, fueling speculation that Epstein’s death was staged, with his body possibly replaced by a doppelganger.
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4. The tattoo on Epstein’s left arm is missing from the hospital photos
Another conspiracy theory surrounding Epstein involves the presence of a tattoo on his upper left arm. On X, several social media users shared images purportedly showing a tattoo on Epstein’s arm, which were later compared to official photos taken after his death in 2019, where the tattoo appears to be missing.
However, there is a small possibility that Epstein had the tattoo removed, as one document mentions a tattoo removal date for Epstein, according to the released files.
5. ‘Ghislaine Knows Too Much’
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and co-worker, is serving time for her involvement in the assault of the underage girls. However, several netizens claim that Ghislaine Maxwell knew too much, and there is a possibility that Epstein is still alive as he serves his sentence. These unverified claims state that Maxwell would also have been killed if he was in fact dead.
