The Most Surprising Bitcoin and Crypto Stories in the Epstein Files

A search via the trove of recordsdata associated to convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein gives 1000’s of outcomes associated to crypto and Bitcoin, highlighted by Epstein’s early involvement and consciousness of notable crypto initiatives and protocols.

Over the course of the week, Decrypt has highlighted a number of the largest tales that emerged from the tens of millions of recordsdata launched final week by the Division of Justice, together with how Epstein invested in Coinbase and Bitcoin agency Blockstream, and had a very shut relationship with Tether co-founder Brock Pierce.

However there’s lots extra within the recordsdata, together with references to main crypto gamers like Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Technique co-founder and Government Chairman Michael Saylor. Right here’s a have a look at probably the most shocking crypto mentions from each batches of the Epstein recordsdata launched by the Division of Justice.



Coinbase funding

Jeffrey Epstein was an early investor in publicly traded crypto alternate Coinbase, new emails present. 

The convicted intercourse offender invested $3 million in 2014 and was launched to the chance by Tether co-founder Brock Pierce and his funding agency, Blockchain Capital. Nevertheless, Blockchain instructed Decrypt that Epstein in the end invested independently, not via the agency.

Based mostly on the emails, it is obvious that Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam was personally conscious of the funding, which got here years after Epstein’s conviction. The funding was made when Coinbase was valued round $400 million; the publicly traded firm is now price $44 billion. 

In 2018, Epstein bought round half of his funding again to Blockchain Capital, emails present.

Bitcoin, crypto taxes

Epstein was in search of clarification about Bitcoin regulation and taxes as early as 2018, emails from the primary trove of recordsdata launched by the Division of Justice revealed. 

In dialog with former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, Epstein steered that the Treasury Division ought to create a voluntary disclosure kind for crypto positive aspects in an try and “fuck all of the unhealthy guys.”

Later that yr, Epstein famous that crypto needs to be considered equally to the web, and dealt with with “coordinated understandings” and worldwide agreements. 

Brock Pierce and Epstein

Tether co-founder Brock Pierce communicated with Epstein on a number of events about cryptocurrency and girls, with all correspondence happening after Epstein’s 2008 conviction, in keeping with the newest batch of recordsdata launched by the Division of Justice. 

At one level, Pierce instructed Epstein that “he had a good time with the ladies,” and Epstein additionally instructed the crypto entrepreneur to “discover him a gift” when he was touring overseas.  

Moreover, Epstein communicated to each side of an alleged relationship that Pierce had with a person that Epstein known as “his assistant.” The person allegedly declined a wedding proposal from Pierce.

Recordsdata additionally uncovered a gathering at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse between Tether co-founder Brock Pierce and former Harvard President Larry Summers. 

The 2 apparently utilized the disgraced financier’s dwelling to speak about Bitcoin, with Summers noting that he noticed “alternatives,” however was involved concerning the potential harm to his fame that Bitcoin losses may create.

Blockstream funding

Epstein was an investor in Bitcoin infrastructure agency Blockstream, in keeping with newly revealed emails and a affirmation from early Bitcoin developer and Blockstream co-founder Adam Again. 

“Blockstream met with Jeffrey Epstein, who was described on the time as a restricted accomplice in [Joi] Ito’s fund,” wrote Again. “That fund later invested a minority stake in Blockstream.”

The longtime Bitcoiner and his Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill have been additionally each invited to Epstein’s island in 2014, in keeping with newly revealed recordsdata from the DOJ. However whether or not or not the journey ever occurred is unclear from the emails, and Again didn’t reply to Decrypt’s request for remark.

In his affirmation of Epstein’s funding, the Blockstream co-founder added that the agency “has no direct nor oblique monetary reference to Jeffrey Epstein, or his property” at current time. 

A Bitcoin core developer and former contributor to Blockstream urged Again to resign this week after the brand new recordsdata have been launched. 

Epstein and Thiel speak Bitcoin narrative

A 2014 e-mail from Jeffrey Epstein to famed tech investor Peter Thiel questioned Bitcoin’s narrative. 

“There’s little settlement on what Bitcoin is,” wrote Epstein. “Retailer of or intrinsic worth, (if any) foreign money, property, structure, cost system. And many others.” 

The reply adopted a query from Thiel about an growing “anti-BTC stress” that is likely to be rising inside the U.S. authorities. 

On the time, Bitcoin was buying and selling round $691 per coin. It’s since jumped dramatically, just lately buying and selling round $70,000 after peaking above $126,000 final October.

Michael Saylor slammed

Bitcoin bull and Technique Government Chairman Michael Saylor was known as a “creep” by Epstein’s publicist Peggy Siegal in an e-mail to the convicted intercourse offender in 2010. 

“He has no character. Kind of like a zombie on a drug,” wrote Siegal of Saylor. “I walked him round and he was so bizarre that even I ran away from him.” 

In keeping with the e-mail, Saylor offered $25,000 for a spring gala for the “alternative to get his title on [the] invite and meet a hip group.”

The e-mail was despatched greater than a decade earlier than Saylor’s software program agency would make its first BTC buy, with the agency amassing practically $50 billion price of the asset and galvanizing a wave of followers to undertake a crypto treasury mannequin.

Questionable ethics

Regardless of his 2008 conviction for procuring a toddler for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute, a decade later, Epstein was involved concerning the ethics of funding initiatives within the crypto area. 

“I’m more than pleased to fund issues however as I’m high-profile, it might probably’t be questionable ethics,” Epstein wrote in an e-mail to Bitcoin researcher Jeremy Rubin, who replied telling the financier that there’s a “gray space between pump and develop.” 

“Their deal is to pump the foreign money,” stated Epstein of traders within the area. “It’s harmful.”

A “higher” Vitalik Buterin

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s title is discovered within the Epstein recordsdata, however not on account of any direct connections or correspondence with the disgraced financier. 

As a substitute, the newest batch of emails reveals an e-mail Epstein obtained from Masha Drokova that highlights that the Russian investor had discovered a “tremendous sensible and younger blockchain fanatic in Russia.” 

“He may be higher than Vitalik Buterin if he focuses on expertise,” Drokova added. 

Though she supplied to attach Epstein to the Russian particular person, it isn’t clear who the technologist was, or whether or not or not they have been in the end linked to Epstein.