Dozens of names on the new 3,428-person Forbes’s 40th Annual World’s Billionaires List appear in the US Justice Department's Epstein library.
Many rich and famous personalities have had to come out to apologise and clarify that they are innocent after their names appeared on the DOJ’s library of files on the disgraced financier.
A significant number of the rich appear in the files, the NY Post reported.
Bill Gates, who is number 19 on the list with $108 billion, is one of the biggest names. Gates had to admit to flying on Epstein's private plane, the “Lolita Express”, and having an affair with two Russian women after his name came up in emails on the files. He has claimed that he did not do or see anything illicit while he spent time with the sex trafficker.
Steve Tisch, ranked 1,193rd richest in the world with a $2.2 billion fortune, had several questionable exchanges with Epstein. The latter had tried to set up Tisch, 77, with women. In one exchange, he tried to get him to be with a “Tahitian” girl named “Emily in 2013, years after Epstein’s first conviction in Florida. Tisch later said that they were talking about adult women and that he regrets associating with Epstein. Last week, the billionaire announced that he is transferring his ownership stake in the NFL franchise to his children.
Virgin founder Richard Branson, who appears 1,504th on the Forbes list with $2.8 billion, also appears in Epstein’s emails. Branson, 75, lives on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. A 20-minute helicopter ride away is little St James, Epstein's “pedo island” In the emails, Branson talked about all the Russian girls Epstein brought him. In 2013, the two hung out twice, with Epstein bringing girls each time. After the second visit, he told Epstein, “Any time you’re in the area, we'd love to see you! As long as you bring your harem!”
Others include Lex Wexner, 88, who’s 402nd on the list with $8.8 billion. Wexner, the founder of L Brands, the retail empire behind Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works and The Limited, has been accused of using his fortune to help Epstein build his connection with global elites. The files show how Epstein was deeply embedded in Wexner’s philanthropic and corporate world, with the latter granting him authority over assets and property. Authorities consider Wexner a potential co-conspirator. Wexner recently, in a deposition, called Epstein a con artist who stole his money.
Leon Black, 74, the 251st richest person in the world with $12.1 billion, A lawsuit filed against him last year accused his Bank of America of providing services to Epstein and a sex trafficking ring, including Ghislaine Maxwell. He has also been accused of sexual abuse at Epstein’s mansion and allegedly colluded to silence and destroy the victim. He stepped down from his firm, Apollo, in 2021.
Glenn Dubin, 68, appears 1,440th on the list with $2.9 billion. Dubin flew on the “Lolita Express 21 times, flight logs show. He and his wife Eva Dubin also hosted Epstein at their home and vouched for him in 2009 to his probation officer, saying that they were “100% comfortable” with Epstein around their children. Epstein was also obsessed with Celina Dubin, the couple's 19-year-old daughter, and wanted to marry her, the documents show. A family spokesperson dismissed the remark as an “offhand comment” that the Dubins were not aware of.
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LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, 58, is the 1560th richest on the list with $2.7 billion. He visited Epstein's island in 2014 and and joked about sending ice cream “for the girls” as a gift afterwards.
Hyatt Hotels heir Tom Pritzker, 75, is the world’s 677th richest person with $6.2 billion. In 2018, he flew on the Lolita Express and helped arrange a trip for r Epstein’s girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, “to find a new girlfriend for Jeffrey.” He told her, “May the force be with you.” he has since stepped down as chairman of Hyatt and said that he deeply regrets his ties to Epstein.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, 64, the former Cantor Fitzgerald CEO, is the 542nd richest person with a family fortune of $7.2 billion. He has claimed that, despite living next door to Epstein on East 71st Street, he only visited him once in 2005, and got so ”creeped out” by the massage room he never saw Epstein again. However, emails show that he had travelled to the island in 2012, possibly with his family.
Google co-founder Sergey Brin, 52, the third-richest man in the world with $237 billion, visited the island in 2007 and exchanged emails with Epstein about diners at his townhouse.