Epstein files: Who else was mentioned?

US lawmakers have released more than 20,000 pages of documents from the estate of disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Some documents mention Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, a former prince and brother of King Charles; US President Donald Trump; former Trump adviser Steve Bannon; and a number of other characters from the worlds of media, politics and entertainment who highlight the extent of Epstein's contact book.

Trump had been Epstein's friend for years, but the president said the two had a falling out around 2004, several years before Epstein was first arrested. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing against Epstein.

Here are some of the other titles that do not indicate wrongdoing on the part of any of the parties mentioned.

Michael Wolf, 72, is an American journalist and columnist, and a prolific author of books about the rich and famous.

Fire and Fury, the first of several books covering Trump's first tenure as US president, was published in 2018 and contained depictions of a dysfunctional White House and salacious details about America's commander in chief. Trump said it was “full of lies.”

A new batch of files related to Jeffrey Epstein is shedding light on a relationship that appears to point to correspondence between Wolf and the recently convicted sex offender.

Attention has particularly focused on one email in which Wolf appears to be giving Epstein advice about Trump as Trump campaigned for the White House for the first time.

Wolf wrote to Epstein in 2015 to notify him that CNN planned to ask Trump, as a presidential candidate, about his relationship with Epstein.

Epstein responded: “If we could give him an answer, what do you think it should be?”

They continue to discuss strategy, and Wolf writes, “I think you should let him hang himself.”

In a separate email from October 2016, days before the US presidential election, Wolf offers Epstein the opportunity to do an interview that could “finish” Trump.

Responding to the release in a video posted to Instagram, Wolf said, “Some of these emails were between me and Epstein, and Epstein discussed his relationship with Donald Trump.”

“I've been trying to tell this story for a long time,” he added.

In fact, before the last US presidential election, Wolf revealed that he interviewed Epstein “periodically” for Fire and Fury – and published recordings of those conversations.

The documents include correspondence between Epstein and Larry Summers, who served as former Democratic President Bill Clinton's Treasury secretary. It was previously reported that the two men knew each other.

The emails indicate they often met for dinner, with Epstein often trying to connect Summers with prominent world figures. At one point in July 2018, Epstein suggested a meeting with “the president.” [sic] United Nations, an interesting person for you.”

In a separate email in late November 2016, just after Trump's election, Summers asked Epstein to “not waste any effort on anything relating to me and Trump.”

Because of “Trump's approach to conflicts of interest”[Russian President Vladimir] Putin's proximity” and the “mindless response” to the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Summers said he was “best off being a million miles away.”

A representative for Summers declined to comment but referred to Summers' past statements. In 2023, a spokesman told the Wall Street Journal that the former official “deeply regretted contact with Epstein following his conviction.”

The House Oversight Committee released several emails between Epstein and Katherine Ruemmler, a lawyer who served as White House counsel during Barack Obama's presidency.

In August 2018, Ruemmler and Epstein discussed Trump's secrecy payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, an issue that later led to Trump being found guilty of falsifying business records. Trump denies allegations that he had an affair with Daniels.

The conversation between Ms Ruemmler and Epstein ended with Epstein writing: “See, I know how dirty Donald is.”

Goldman Sachs, where Ms. Ruemmler is currently general counsel and general counsel, told CNBC it was standing by its employee.

“These emails were private communications long before Kathy Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs. Kathy is an exceptional general counsel and we benefit from her judgment every day,” Goldman spokesman Tony Fratto said in a statement to CNBC.

In 2023 Ms. Rümmler told the Wall Street Journal, “I regret ever knowing Jeffrey Epstein.”

The BBC has asked Ms Ruemmler and Goldman Sachs for further comment.

Billionaire investor and occasional Trump supporter Peter Thiel's name has reappeared in Epstein's latest filings, having first been mentioned in a package made public in September.

Newly released files show Epstein wrote to Mr Thiel in November 2018 inviting him to visit him on the Caribbean island where some of Epstein's crimes are believed to have taken place.

The BBC has approached the Thiel Foundation and the Investor Founders Fund for comment. A spokesman for Mr. Thiel told Politico that he had never visited the island.

Mr. Thiel criticized Epstein in an August 2024 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

“You know, I also met with Epstein several times,” Thiel said.

Mr. Thiel said he was introduced to Epstein by another Silicon Valley executive in 2014.

“I haven't checked, I haven't asked any questions about it,” Mr. Thiel said. He suggested that “Epstein knew a lot about taxes.”

The latest document includes another correspondence between famed linguist Noam Chomsky, 96, and Epstein. Many of their discussions were academic or personal in nature.

From time to time, conversations turned to the topic of Trump, including in December 2016.

In his email, Chomsky tells Epstein: “I noticed that your prediction that Trump is avoiding the White House was correct, it is too simplistic.”

The BBC has contacted Mr Chomsky's spokesman for comment.

In response to previous Wall Street Journal reports about their relationship, Mr. Chomsky said Epstein helped him move money between his accounts without “a single penny from Epstein” and admitted that “I knew him and we met from time to time.”

Epstein consulted with publicist Peggy Segal as the scandal surrounding him and his associates unfolded.

In 2011, Epstein wrote to Ms. Segal asking her to contact Huffington Post founder Ariana Huffington to discredit the story of Virginia Giuffre, who was a prominent accuser of Epstein and Andrew. Giuffre committed suicide earlier this year.

Epstein told Segal that Huffington “should defend the dangers of false accusations…”

The email exchange shows Ms. Segal telling Epstein: “If you can rewrite your last email with better grammar (so I can understand it better), I can cut and paste and send it to Ariana Huffington for me…”

Ms Segal told the BBC in a telephone interview that she never conveyed Epstein's request to Huffington. “I didn't call Ariana,” she said. Huffington “has published my writing before, and I have no reason to jeopardize that relationship,” Ms. Segal added.

But what Epstein asked “was nothing unusual. It was a ridiculous request,” she said.

“Jeffrey had a habit of trying to lure people into his delusional world,” she added.

Meanwhile, Huffington told Politico that she was “never contacted and never sent a reporter.”