Background
The Department of Justice recently released a tranche of records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Among the 2,200 mentions of venture‑capitalist Peter Thiel, the files reveal a pattern of continued contact between Thiel and Epstein even after the financier’s 2008 guilty plea.
Thiel’s Interactions with Epstein
Between 2014 and 2017 Thiel arranged multiple meetings with Epstein. Email excerpts show Thiel asking, “What are you up to on Friday?” and proposing lunch plans. The correspondence largely centers on scheduling meals, calls, and meetings.
The Dietary Restrictions Email
On February 3, 2016, Thiel’s former chief of staff, Alisa Bekins, sent a confidential email titled “Peter Thiel dietary restrictions.” The message was later forwarded to Epstein. While much of the content is redacted, the released documents include a reformatted list of the restrictions.
- Specific items were redacted from the publicly released documents.
Implications and Reactions
The revelation underscores how Epstein cultivated relationships with high‑profile tech figures. It also raises questions about the nature of the meetings—whether they were purely social, business‑oriented, or involved other undisclosed motives. Thiel has not commented on the materials, and WIRED’s request for comment went unanswered.