Jeffrey Epstein cultivated a global network of politicians, top business executives, academics and celebrities, many of whom have been severely tainted by their association with the convicted sex offender.
While high-profile figures such as Britain’s former Prince Andrew have been publicly disgraced, some powerful but lesser-known names have been fired, forced to resign, placed under investigation or had their positions put under review.
The mere mention of someone’s name in the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice does not, in itself, imply any wrongdoing on that person’s part.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor and died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking of minors.
Borge Brende
The board of directors of the World Economic Forum, which is organizing the Davos summit, ordered an independent review of WEF chief Borge Brende, 60,’s interactions with Epstein.
Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, acknowledged attending dinners with Epstein in New York in 2018 and 2019.
He has insisted that he was “completely unaware” of Epstein’s criminal activities.
Thorbjörn Jagland
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjorn Jagland, 75, is under police investigation for “suspicions of aggravated corruption” over his links to Epstein, which include many email exchanges discovered in published files.
Jagland was Prime Minister from 1996 to 1997 and later Secretary General of the Council of Europe. He also chaired the committee that awards the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mona Juul
Mona Juul, 66, a Norwegian diplomat who played a key role in the secret negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians that led to the Oslo Accords of the early 1990s, has been suspended pending an investigation into her alleged ties to Epstein.
Epstein left $10 million in his will to Juul’s two children with her husband, fellow diplomat and Oslo talks mediator Terje Rod-Larsen.
Norway’s Foreign Ministry said Juul, currently Norway’s envoy to Jordan, was being temporarily relieved while the investigation was carried out.
Dean Kamen
American engineer Dean Kamen, 74, inventor of the Segway, was absent from the board of directors of the robotics organization he founded, FIRST.
The latest release from Epstein’s files includes photos of Kamen with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for trafficking underage girls for the disgraced financier.
They also include an email in which Kamen thanks Epstein for a 2013 visit to his private Caribbean island.
Brad Karp
American lawyer Brad Karp, 66, resigned after 18 years as president of Paul Weiss, one of the most powerful corporate law firms in the United States.
In emails, Karp thanked Epstein for inviting him to a dinner in 2015 at his Manhattan mansion, calling it “an evening I will never forget.”
Karp, who has said he regrets socializing with Epstein, also asked Epstein in another email if he could help get his son a job in a Woody Allen movie.
Miroslav Lajcak
Miroslav Lajcak, 62, a national security adviser to the Slovak government, resigned after text messages included in Epstein’s files showed the two men talking about women.
Lajcak was then Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Carolina Lang
French film producer and former actress Caroline Lang, daughter of former French culture minister Jack Lang, resigned as head of a group of film producers following revelations of Epstein family ties.
Caroline Lang told French investigative website Mediapart that she and Epstein had agreed to set up a company together to buy art, but that she did not invest any money in it.
She described herself as “incredibly naive.”
His father, Jack Lang, 86, said he was introduced to Epstein by Woody Allen about 15 years ago and had no knowledge of his crimes.
George Mitchell
Former US senator George Mitchell, 92, mediated the negotiations that led to the 1998 peace agreement that ended three decades of conflict over British rule in Northern Ireland.
Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland removed Mitchell’s name this week from its Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice over his links to Epstein.
Mitchell has previously said that he regrets meeting Epstein and that he had no knowledge of his illegal activities.
Steve Tisch
Epstein connected Steve Tisch, 76, producer of “Forrest Gump” and co-owner of the New York Giants, with several women, according to email exchanges between the two.
Tisch acknowledged in a statement that he and Epstein had “a brief association in which we exchanged emails about adult women and also discussed movies, philanthropy and investments.”
National Football League chief Roger Goodell said the league, which has a strict personal conduct policy, will “look at all the facts” before deciding whether to take any action against Tisch.
Casey Wasserman
Casey Wasserman, 51, has faced calls to resign as president of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic Games after flirtatious email exchanges emerged between him and Maxwell.
Wasserman has said he “deeply regrets” the exchanges he had with Maxwell in 2003, long before Epstein and Maxwell’s crimes became public knowledge.
