The year was 2018, and Lawrence Krauss, the prominent physicist and scholar of the cosmos, was facing a Title IX investigation at Arizona State University. BuzzFeed News had just reported on allegations of sexual misconduct against him; he denied them. In March, he contacted a lawyer experienced in higher education cases. Krauss and Justin Dillon, the lawyer, exchanged a few friendly emails before speaking on the phone.
Then, Krauss presented him with an “unusual request” — he wanted Dillon to call a disgraced financier who had, 10 years before, pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution of a minor.
“I have been advised through much of the BuzzFeed experience, both before and after, by a friend, who is also somewhat infamous. His name is Jeffrey Epstein, and you may know who he is already,” Krauss wrote.
“Bottom line is that Jeffrey is not only friends with most of the famous people from finance, to business, to Hollywood, who have either been brought down during #metoo and he also speaks regularly with people ranging from the awful white house people, who he is friends with, to ken starr etc.,” added Krauss. He later walked back his request for Dillon to speak to Epstein. But Epstein appeared none too pleased that Krauss had invoked him and his connections.
“Every email is to do with engagement/money etc. in the future please do not disclose our conversations or who I speak with!!!!!,” Epstein — who would die 16 months later, awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges — wrote to Krauss.
Those emails between Krauss and Dillon are included in the more than 3.5 million files the Justice Department has released from its investigation into Epstein.
Epstein became a convicted sex offender nine years before the #MeToo movement brought sexual harassment and assault to the forefront of the national conversation. He had long cultivated access and proximity to other powerful men in media and entertainment and used his wealth to fund scientific research and gain a foothold in elite academic circles.
But in 2017, the #MeToo movement sparked a reckoning for men at the highest levels of the entertainment and media industries — some of whom had traveled in Epstein’s circles. The files provide a rare window into how Epstein reacted and strategized in real time to the political and cultural earthquake of #MeToo.
Epstein and his allies derided the women who came forward while expressing concern about the movement’s impact. Epstein sent links to news articles and swapped messages about which powerful men “went down,” were “up to bat” and had been “whacked.” Behind the scenes, Epstein used his resources and influence to advise other men accused of sexual misconduct, like Krauss, and wondered how the reckoning could impact him.
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Epstein was closely monitoring the fallout of allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein, who would later be convicted of rape; directors Woody Allen and Brett Ratner; talk show host Charlie Rose; comedian Louis C.K.; former “Today Show” host Matt Lauer; and ex-CBS chairman Les Moonves.
“charlie, harvey , brett. louis. . jeffrey is looking better and better L:),” Epstein wrote in a November 21, 2017, email to high-profile Hollywood publicist Peggy Siegal.
(Epstein’s emails and those of his correspondents often contained typos; The 19th is reproducing the text as it appears in the files released by the Justice Department.)
“The world is topsy turvey,” Siegal replied. “That has been going on since the beginning of time (and that is not an excuse) has suddenly erupted in our day of massive global information as a new moral code of behavior. The mirroe of the internet is a social phenomena.”
“You suffered for a few years and now you are the least of this witch hunt,” she added. Siegal did not return a request for comment.
It was a year before The Miami Herald would publish its bombshell investigation into the controversial “sweetheart deal” that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to a lesser state charge and pay financial restitution to his victims in exchange for the Justice Department dropping a sex trafficking probe into him. That reporting led in part to the DOJ reopening its investigation into Epstein and charging him with sex trafficking in 2019.
By the time the Herald published its investigation, Epstein had spent a year closely following and, in some instances, corresponding with and advising other prominent men who had been accused of misconduct.
On December 4, 2018, days after the publication of the Herald story, Epstein sought advice on media strategy from journalist Michael Wolff.
“I would look for some reporter to do a more nuanced post-morten on the case– with Trump overtones, legal joustings, #metoo-isms, and profit-motives. WSJ is probably right place,” Wolff replied.
Wolff did not return a request for comment.
President Donald Trump’s 2016 election and first term in office sparked the explosion of the #MeToo movement. Trump has been accused by multiple women of sexual misconduct, allegations he’s denied, and, in 2023, was found liable for sexual abuse. Trump and Epstein were friendly and ran in the same New York and Palm Beach social circles, but Trump has said the two fell out before Epstein became a convicted sex offender. Trump long resisted the push to release the Epstein files, calling the Epstein matter “a Democrat hoax,” but signed the legislation compelling the Justice Department to release the files amid overwhelming bipartisan pressure.
Trump’s name appears in the files, including in unverified tips fielded by law enforcement. He has not been accused of wrongdoing connected to Epstein.
A search for the phrase #MeToo and the names of powerful men accused of misconduct in the files shows Epstein and friends sharing links to news articles, commenting on the statuses of various cases and denigrating the women who came forward.
“how bad does the harvey weinstein story get?,” Epstein emailed Brad Karp, the chairman of white-shoe law firm Paul Weiss, on October 6, 2017.
“I think it gets pretty bad — and a little bit worse every day,” responded Karp, who has expressed regret for associating with Epstein.
Epstein also emailed Kathy Ruemmler, a former White House counsel for President Barack Obama and now the chief counsel at Goldman Sachs, about Weinstein. In an October 10, 2017, email exchange, Ruemmler wrote: “Whoever was not harassed by Harvey Weinstein must feel offended! Jesus!”
“no worry, that means only grandmothers. wait, its not all out yet,” Epstein replied. Epstein and Weinstein had crossed paths over the years; they were part of a group of investors who tried to buy New York Magazine in 2003. Siegal also leveraged Epstein’s relationship with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in her efforts to get members of the British royal family to watch and endorse the Weinstein-produced film “The King’s Speech” during its Oscar campaign in 2011, emails show.
On November 21, 2017, Epstein emailed the journalist Landon Thomas Jr. about Rose, writing: “the charley thing is wild.”
“I m not sure why he was sanctimonious and agressive when detailing the harvey weinstein allegations,” Epstein wrote. “now watching the overlay , its amazing.”
“brett ratner next,” Epstein emailed Wolff on November 1, 2017, the day the Los Angeles Times published an exposé from six women accusing the director of sexual misconduct. Ratner denied the allegations and was never charged with a crime, but was exiled from Hollywood and did not direct a film for years until he returned with Amazon’s 2026 documentary on First Lady Melania Trump.
Ratner has also appeared in photos included in the Epstein files; he has not been accused of wrongdoing connected to Epstein, but he told Fox News Digital he “didn’t know” and didn’t have “a personal relationship” with Epstein.
But in November 2018, modeling agency head Faith Kates wrote Epstein: “call me on cell with Brett Ratner.” After a back and forth, Epstein sent Kates a link to an article about a woman who withdrew allegations of rape against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, writing: “you can send to bratner.”
Kates, who retired in December from the agency she cofounded, did not respond to an email associated with her in public records. A representative for Ratner did not respond to a request for comment.
Epstein also exchanged texts and emails with his friends Woody Allen and Allen’s wife, Soon-Yi Previn. Allen’s adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, has long accused him of sexually abusing her as a child; Allen denied the allegations but has been largely shut out of the U.S. film business since #MeToo.
In a 2016 email exchange with Epstein, Previn referred to a teenage victim of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner as a “despicable and disgusting person who preys on the weak.” As the #MeToo movement gained steam, Previn emailed Epstein articles about other men accused of misconduct, celebrated a negative review for a film starring “prick” Timothée Chalamet, one of the actors who had distanced himself from Allen; and forwarded Epstein an email titled “Just as the Me Too movement has gone too far so has Botox.”
In several text message exchanges included in the files, Previn appears to be texting Epstein from Allen’s phone or a contact identified as Allen.
“ask woody , if instead of the friars club we can start the pariahs club. moonves , lauer rose louis ck, etc,” Epstein wrote to a group text message including Allen’s contact on October 18, 2018.
In January 2019, Allen’s number texted Epstein: “Thinking of you as we’re seeing Lawrence Krauss for dinner tonight.”
“A member of metoo casuallties,” Epstein responded.
A representative for Allen did not respond to a message seeking clarification as to who sent the texts.
Epstein was perhaps most closely involved in advising Krauss, the professor and scientist who publicly defended and stood by Epstein after his 2008 conviction. Epstein had made donations to Krauss’ Origins Project, part of his larger patronizing of the sciences. In February 2018, Buzzfeed News detailed allegations of inappropriate behavior against Krauss, ranging from sexist comments, making advances and non-consensually touching women. Krauss called the claims “false” and “defamatory.”
The files show Krauss forwarding Epstein his correspondence with BuzzFeed News reporters, as well as with officials at Arizona State University and Dillon, the lawyer. Krauss turned to Epstein for public relations advice and strategy, sent him possible cross-examination questions for his accusers, forwarded an article on the dos and don’ts for apologizing, and fielded Epstein’s edits and feedback on draft statements.
Krauss told Dillon in their first March 2018 email exchange that Epstein and others had raised concerns that hiring a lawyer to represent him in his interactions with the university could make him look guilty.
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“You are getting terrible advice from smart people who have never done this work and have no idea what they’re talking about,” Dillon responded. “I understand where they’re coming from, but it is just bad advice, full stop. I could give you dozens of examples where the only reason my clients got off — and we get a lot off — was because we fought hard to make the process fair. Moreover, no one will take seriously the constitutional law arguments of a physicist, no matter how famous he is. You need a lawyer to make those.”
Dillon declined to comment further. Krauss did not return a request for comment.
Krauss stayed in close contact with Epstein through text and email as the Title IX review at ASU played out. In July 2018, a university investigation concluded Krauss had grabbed the breast of a woman who asked to take a picture with him at a convention in Australia in 2016.
“good news btw is that woman on conciliation committee seems like a sweetie.. she is old.. not some young metoo bitch,” Krauss wrote in a September 5, 2018, email. “Investigating them more now.”
Krauss, who had been on paid leave for months, eventually reached an agreement to retire from the university. He continued to send Epstein draft versions of statements, calling one “a Kavanaugh version” and another “almost Jeffrey level smart.”
In announcing his retirement, he said: “I have never harassed or assaulted anyone and have most certainly not exhibited gender discrimination in my professional dealings at the University or elsewhere.”
In another instance documented in the files in August 2018, Wolff forwarded Epstein a pitch from a writer whose name appeared on a Google spreadsheet that compiled anonymously-submitted sexual misconduct allegations against men in media, and was seeking legal representation to sue the spreadsheet’s creator.
“If his story is solid he might be worth supporting,” Wolff wrote. “Thoughts?”
“tough,” Epstein replied. It is unclear whether he engaged with the man, Stephen Elliott, who, shortly after, filed a defamation lawsuit against the spreadsheet’s creator. The case was settled in 2023; Elliott did not return a request for comment.
And as the Herald was in the final months of pursuing its investigation into Epstein, other tabloids and news outlets started revisiting his case in the wake of #MeToo.
In August of 2018, Page Six reported that Epstein had met with Steve Bannon, the right-wing media figure and architect of Trump’s 2016 election win, at his Upper East Side mansion. The piece, authored by then-Page Six editor Emily Smith, referred to Epstein as a “reviled billionaire pedophile.” Epstein sent Siegal a link to the story with the subject line: “not sure why she is so hostile.”
Siegal, responding from a sailboat in Greece, wrote that “the Me Too crazies want blood and death” and called the movement “a barbaric over reaction to behavior that just ran it’s course.” She also suggested Epstein could further bolster his public image by donating money to women’s causes.
“Instead of celebrating change, these women want to punish. They are not forwarding a new generation of change by destroying men in public,” she wrote. “I had conversations with you to give back. Did you ever set up scholarships? Help woman’s health? Care for single mothers? Anything? That would make you a hero. This the furthest thing from Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer’s minds. Can you imagine if Brett Rattner did anything constructive for women?”
“Your timing in life was lucky,” Siegal added. “If this happened today, the media would have destroyed you.”
The Herald published its investigation on Epstein three months later.
Great Job Grace Panetta & the Team @ The 19th Source link for sharing this story.
