Jeffrey Epstein has once again come into focus following the Justice Department’s release of the final tranche of documents related to the late convicted child sex offender. This has fueled numerous claims suggesting that Epstein faked his death and is still alive.
Although these claims have largely circulated from unverified sources, some have attempted to support them using DOJ documents, including file number EFTA00133623. Official records, however, state that Epstein was found hanging in his jail cell in August 2019, with authorities ruling it a suicide.
Amid these online speculations, a photo purportedly showing Epstein in the present day has gone viral. The image shows a man wearing dark sunglasses with long hair and a beard, allegedly resembling Epstein.
The side-profile photo has been widely shared on social media, prompting questions about its authenticity. One user claimed, “This is the full picture of Epstein. He’s in Israel.” The image also appeared on a conspiracy thread on Reddit, with another user commenting, “Ok. I don’t normally buy into these types of photos, but either I’m seeing things or that actually is him. The guy standing next to him has an earpiece—am I going mad?”
On X, users asked, “Is pedophile Jeffrey Epstein still alive?” and speculated, “Is it possible that Epstein is in witness protection and very much alive?” Another suggested, “The reason Trump doesn’t want to talk about Epstein is because he knows Epstein is alive and in Israel.”
Fact-check: Epstein alleged image
While the man in the photo bears some resemblance to Epstein, experts and fact-checkers have dismissed its authenticity. A user on X noted that the image is AI-generated using Gemini, pointing out a visible watermark in the corner. They wrote, “This picture going around is fake and AI-created… claiming Epstein is alive in Tel Aviv using AI makes every single one of you look foolish.”
Fact-checking by Grok also confirmed, “No, that’s not Jeffrey Epstein. He died in 2019, and this man’s long hair and beard do not match Epstein’s known appearance. It appears to be a case of mistaken identity—possibly a lookalike in Tel Aviv based on the surroundings.” (Agencies)
