A recently surfaced photograph from newly released Jeffrey Epstein-related files has reignited controversy, appearing to show Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg attending a lavish dinner with the convicted sex offender in California in 2015.
The image, reportedly taken by Epstein himself, captures Musk and Zuckerberg seated across a long dining table. Musk looks toward the camera, while Zuckerberg appears focused, staring straight ahead. The photograph was emailed by Epstein to himself on August 3, 2015—years after his 2008 conviction for trafficking minors for prostitution. Epstein’s private correspondence later described the gathering as “wild,” raising questions about the nature of interactions between the tech moguls and Epstein.
According to the released emails, the dinner included several high-profile tech figures, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. Epstein first mentioned the event in an August 2, 2015 email to longevity influencer Peter Attia, noting: “Where are you? I might be in LA Monday… tonite dinner with Musk, Thiel, Zuckerberg.” He again referenced the dinner on August 20, 2015, in a note to billionaire Tom Pritzker, writing: “I had dinner with uckerburg, mu=k, thiel hoffman, wild.” Vanity Fair first reported the gathering in 2019, stating it was hosted by Reid Hoffman at his Palo Alto residence for MIT neuroscientist Ed Boyden.
The renewed scrutiny comes just weeks after Musk publicly claimed he had “never been to any Epstein parties ever.” On January 31, he tweeted that the “acid test for justice” was not just the release of Epstein-related files but the prosecution of “those who committed heinous crimes with Epstein.” Hoffman, while acknowledging past interactions with Epstein, has denied any involvement in the criminal activities. He stated that his interactions were primarily connected to MIT fundraising and coordinated by former MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito. “I only knew Jeffrey Epstein because of a fundraising relationship with MIT, which I very much regret,” Hoffman said. “The victims of Epstein’s abhorrent and vile actions deserve all the information they are seeking.”
Tensions escalated when Musk and Hoffman engaged in a public exchange on X (formerly Twitter) regarding their mentions in the Epstein files. An email from 2013 reportedly shows Epstein thanking Musk for a tour of SpaceX, though Musk previously denied meeting Epstein in 2020.
The resurfacing of these documents has intensified scrutiny of Epstein’s connections with some of the world’s most powerful business leaders, raising questions about how much these influential figures knew about Epstein and the nature of their interactions with him. Legal experts note that while appearing in a photograph does not imply complicity, the public exposure of such gatherings fuels debate over accountability and transparency among billionaires with global influence.
A photograph from 2015 shows Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg at a dinner hosted by Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein described the event as “wild” in private emails. Other attendees reportedly included Reid Hoffman and Peter Thiel. Musk has denied attending any Epstein parties, though emails suggest past interactions. Renewed attention raises questions about Epstein’s connections with top tech leaders.