Jeffrey Epstein and his conspiracy theories through the media: A timeline analysis
By Sheyla Rodman & Sirah Diallo
A conspiracy theory is an alternative explanation in response to moments of social change and perceived societal fracture, usually characterized by the belief that a small group of sinister and powerful elites are orchestrating reality (Merlan, 2019). They have plagued societies for centuries and have played a critical role in American political culture for the last several decades. All sides of the political spectrum have used conspiratorial thinking to their advantage, and it has pervaded American politics in a way that has facilitated increasing distrust in science and institutions.
Conspiracy theories can be grouped into classic conspiracism or new conspiracism. Classic conspiracism is an investigation that attempts to make sense of the political world using at least some kind of evidence and scientific standard. On the other hand, new conspiracism is “conspiracy without the theory”–it sheds explanation and political theory in exchange for the delegitimation of our political institutions (Muirhead and Rosenblum, 2019). In this project, we will be exploring the case of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein’s Case
Epstein’s case begins in 2008, when he was arrested for child sex trafficking in Florida. Due to a plea deal struck with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alex Acosta, Epstein circumvented punishment. Epstein then continued life as normal until 2019 when he was arrested for child sex trafficking for crimes that occurred in New York throughout at least 2002–2005 (Winter, 2019).
Epstein was convicted of sex trafficking-related charges and was facing up to 45 years in prison (Doubek, 2019). A month after his arrest, Epstein was found unconscious in his jail cell with a bed sheet tied around his neck–a failed attempt to take his life that landed him on suicide watch. After a few psychological evaluations, Epstein was taken off suicide watch and placed on “psychological observation,” a less restrictive status in which inmate companions monitored him every 30 minutes (Weiser et al., 2019). Epstein was found dead in his cell on August 10, 2019. Although his death was ruled as a suicide, it resulted in an explosion of conspiracy theories claiming that it was a cover-up orchestrated by elite figures to conceal their role in Epstein’s crimes (Weiser et al., 2019).
Epstein as a conspiracy theory
Most theories claim that Epstein was killed due to his connections to prominent elites, especially Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. Conspiracy theorists claim that these political figures were involved in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring (Nolan, 2020). In 2002, Trump said that Epstein is “a lot of fun to be with” and that he “likes beautiful women as much as [Trump] does, and many of them are on the younger side” (Winter, 2019). While the theory is primarily nonpartisan, there are partisan variations of it in regards to which elites were involved. Social media posts imply an important connection between partisanship and the belief that either prominent Democrats or Republicans were involved in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring: rightists lean toward Clinton’s involvement while leftists lean to Trump’s.
Despite having connections to Epstein, Trump played a critical role in popularizing the belief that a conflict exists between a virtuous “people” and a small group of nefarious individuals–the “elites” (Oliver and Wood, 2018). In 2019, Trump shared tweets suggesting that the Clintons were involved in Epstein’s suicide and accused Clinton of lying about his close connection to Epstein (Forgey, 2019). Trump perpetuated the idea that Democratic elites were involved in Epstein’s crimes and death, a testament to how the Epstein theories bounce between partisan lines.
Epstein’s case overlaps with other alt-right conspiracy theories on child sex trafficking, pedophilia, and the existence of an evil class of elites. For example, Pizzagate, largely supported by the right-wing community QAnon, accuses democratic elites of operating a child sex trafficking ring and much like Epstein theories, it originated on social media and news sites such as 4chan, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and InfoWars (Lakeland, n.d.). Ultimately, Pizzagate supporters advocate for saving young and vulnerable children from sexual abuse and exploitation by imprisoning all liberal elites involved in the operation (Hayden, 2022). Thus, Epstein’s case reinforces Pizzagate and vice versa. Although he was not a liberal politician, Epstein orchestrated a child sex trafficking ring and was well-acquainted with many of the individuals accused of participating in the alleged Pizzagate scandal (Chaffin, 2019).
While Epstein theories have more characteristics of classic conspiracism and Pizzagate than new conspiracism, the manner in which the theories overlap make them appear more credible. Initially, only those with a paranoid-style mindset, which is heightened levels of suspicion and the belief that a specific demographic of people are being persecuted, were more inclined to believe Pizzagate. Individuals with this mindset tend to have distorted judgment in how they make sense of the world and experience intense feelings of moral indignation (Hofstadter, 1952). Epstein makes Pizzagate seem less outlandish to more rationally-minded individuals, demonstrating how in tandem with other conspiracy theories, Epstein theories became a part of a larger conversation and proliferated.
The media’s role in propagating the conspiracy theory
Epstein’s conspiracy theories were primarily spread on social media and traditional news outlets. Initial theories about his sexual abuse allegations and death originated in confined online spaces and forums such as Quora, Reddit, and 4Chan. These spaces were filled with thousands of users that shared their sentiments about the predator. For example, the subreddit r/Conservative has posts dating back to 2019 in which users speculated over Epstein’s death, connections to powerful elites, and how the media knowingly refused to cover the extent of the sex trafficking network (R/conservative, n.d.b ; R/conservative, n.d.a).These theories were also popular on alt-right news outlets such as InfoWars. In these minimally monitored spaces, in which users have the freedom to express their own and build upon others’ beliefs, conspiracy theories propagate quickly. This is due to the sense of community that accompanies being a part of a group with shared beliefs and the constant reinforcement of said beliefs (Festinger et al., 1956). Ultimately, individuals in these spaces are enabling each other and the spread and evolution of the Epstein theories.
As these theories grew in popularity, they moved to a more accessible platform: Twitter. Here, prominent figures and average citizens convened to discuss their suspicions about Epstein and the evidence they gathered to support their claims. Through the platform’s engagement features, theories about Epstein’s alleged suicide engulfed the internet. Additionally, because of Twitter’s algorithm, even users who were not following or connected to individuals spreading these conspiracy theories would still see these posts on their personal feeds. For example, on the day of Epstein’s passing, Terrence K. Williams posted that Epstein’s death was orchestrated by the Clintons and asked his followers to retweet if they weren’t surprised (The Irish Times, 2019). Not only did the post contain a series of hashtags that other users would then include in their own speculations, but the tweet was also reshared by Donald Trump. It is evident how integral social media was to spreading Epstein conspiracy theories.
After gaining traction on the web, these conspiracy theories trickled into the mainstream media through prominent news outlets, TV series, and podcasts. News outlets were no longer just reporting the facts of the case. Various articles were released either attempting to debunk the conspiracy theories or open the door to further discussion (CBS, 2020; Luscombe, 2021). Regardless of the intent of these publications, major news coverage of the mysterious case resulted in increased awareness and the likelihood of speculation among a larger audience. Additionally, podcasts and Netflix series that became popular throughout the world, such as Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich and The Truth and Lies: Jeffrey Epstein, also sensationalization theories around Epstein’s death. The extent to which media enabled Epstein’s suicide to evolve in a complex murder mystery and elite-run sex trafficking ring is evident given that only 33% of Americans believe Epstein’s death was self-inflicted (Cranley, 2019).
Conclusion
Epstein’s case fits the definition of conspiracy theory because many believe that a group of prominent political elites orchestrated his suicide to evade accountability for their involvement in child sex trafficking. Though this belief is supported by people of all political ideologies, the manner in which the Epstein case has political variations demonstrates how conspiracy theories are often weaponized to promote specific political interests.
Years after Epstein’s death, conspiracy theories still proliferate via social and traditional media channels especially after his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, was recently found guilty of recruiting and grooming teenage girls (Associated Press, 2022). Maxwell’s conviction reignited many conspiracy theorists as her trial allowed them to revisit the facts of the case and the expansiveness of the sex trafficking network. These theorists returned to social media and discussion platforms to speculate about how many elites they believed participated in the scandal and claim that the “higher ups” were still suppressing information. Many individuals believed that Maxwell was quickly convicted in order to take the attention away from other elites in Epstein’s network, who have yet to be held accountable (Menahan, 2021). Given the scope of the conspiracy theories and the fact that many believe that justice has yet to be served, it’s no surprise that these beliefs continue to gain traction, spread, and evolve.
References
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