Epstein Files Reveal He Invested in Blockstream, Intersected with Early Bitcoin Circles

Odaily News, January 30: Recently unsealed documents related to Jeffrey Epstein reveal that he maintained connections with several key figures in the cryptocurrency industry during its early stages. Email records indicate that in 2014, Epstein participated in the oversubscribed $18 million seed round financing for Bitcoin infrastructure company Blockstream. Through a fund associated with then MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito, Epstein increased his personal investment from $50,000 to $500,000. The correspondence involved Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill and early Bitcoin developer Adam Back.

The documents also show that Epstein discussed the definition of Bitcoin with Peter Thiel in 2014; in 2016, he proposed the idea of issuing an "Islamic cryptocurrency" to a Saudi royal advisor. His personal stance on Bitcoin changed multiple times: in 2011, he considered the Bitcoin concept clever but with obvious flaws, while in 2017, he explicitly stated that Bitcoin was not worth buying. Furthermore, the names of Michael Saylor and Kevin Warsh, a new Federal Reserve chair nominee by Trump, appeared on the guest list for his New Year's party in St. Barts in 2010.

The U.S. Department of Justice stated that the investigation found no evidence of Epstein using cryptocurrency for money laundering or evading regulation. His role in the crypto space was primarily limited to high-level social interactions, sporadic investments, and observation.