The case of Jeffrey Epstein, the billionaire who shook America with his sex scandals and suspicious ties to the political, financial, and business elite, continues to resonate, reopening wounds and igniting conflicts.
A crisis erupted days ago between US President Donald Trump and businessman Elon Musk, after Musk stated that the real reason behind the failure to fully disclose Epstein's files was the presence of Trump's name in them.
Ironically, the two men were allies in the recent past, with Musk supporting Trump on several occasions, while Trump praised the billionaire's achievements. But Epstein's ghost, which continues to haunt the American elite, has turned this friendship into open hostility, a scene that confirms that the deceased billionaire's case remains a ticking time bomb capable of exploding with surprises.
Who is Jeffrey Epstein?
He is a late American businessman whose name continues to be prominent in political and media circles, years after his death, due to the sex trafficking cases involving minors he was involved in, and his extensive relationships with a number of influential international figures.
Epstein was born on January 20, 1953, in New York City. He began his career as a private school teacher before moving into finance and business, working for the investment firm Bear Stearns and then founding his own private equity firm in the 1980s. Despite his apparent professional success, the details of his business and the sources of his wealth remain shrouded in mystery, raising many questions.
Epstein's name gained further prominence due to his close ties to prominent figures in politics and society, including US Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, as well as Prince Andrew of the British royal family, as well as businessmen and celebrities such as Bill Gates and Naomi Campbell.
In 2008, Epstein was first convicted on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors and was sentenced to only 13 months in prison as part of a controversial plea deal that allowed him to leave the country every day to work. The deal was sharply criticized as a manipulation of justice to protect individuals associated with him.
In July 2019, Epstein was rearrested on new charges related to the sex trafficking of minors through an international network and was detained in a federal prison in New York awaiting trial.
However, the case took a tragic turn when he was found dead in his cell on August 10, 2019. Although authorities declared his death a suicide by hanging, the circumstances surrounding the incident raised suspicions, particularly given the failure of surveillance cameras and the absence of guards from their posts at the time of his death.
His death sparked a wave of conspiracy theories, with many believing he was killed to prevent him from revealing the secrets and names of influential figures involved in his activities. The Epstein case became one of the biggest scandals in US history after parts of his files were leaked. These files included lists of names of global political and entertainment figures, as well as flight records to what is known as "Epstein Island," believed to have been a site of suspicious meetings and systematic sexual exploitation.
Demands continue from politicians and human rights activists for the full disclosure of Epstein-related files, particularly as investigations have confirmed the existence of thousands of unpublished pages containing potentially damaging evidence against individuals in sensitive positions.
