In April 2018, more than a decade after Jeffrey Epstein's first conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss sent an email that documents show reveals the continued relationship between Epstein and certain members of the scientific establishment.
The subject line was blank. The message itself was three lines:
"Let's do a men of the world conference.
Kevin spacey
Bill Clinton
Al frank"
According to document 43049, this email was sent from Krauss to Epstein's [email protected] address on April 5, 2018, marked as high importance. The timing matters. By April 2018, Kevin Spacey was seven months into the sexual assault allegations that would end his career. Bill Clinton was facing renewed questions about his relationship with Epstein. The identity of "Al frank" is unclear from the document, though it may refer to Al Franken, who had resigned from the Senate four months earlier amid sexual misconduct allegations.
The email appears to have been a joke. But the joke itself tells us something about how Krauss saw his relationship with Epstein, and how he understood the public controversies surrounding the men he listed.
The Scientific Relationship
Krauss is a theoretical physicist who founded the Origins Project at Arizona State University, an initiative that brought together scientists, writers, and public intellectuals to discuss fundamental questions about the universe. Documents show Epstein's involvement with this project.
Document 42436 and document 45814 both reference an Origins Project workshop titled "Challenges of Artificial Intelligence: Envisioning and Addressing Adverse Outcomes" held February 24-26, 2017. The documents place this event at Arizona State University and show it was organized under the Origins Project banner.
While these specific documents do not detail Epstein's funding role, the context matters. By 2017, Epstein had spent years positioning himself as a patron of cutting-edge science. He donated to research institutions, hosted scientists at his properties, and cultivated relationships with prominent academics. Krauss was among those who accepted this patronage.
The Defense
What made Krauss unusual was not his acceptance of Epstein's money. Many scientists and institutions did that. What made Krauss unusual was his public defense of Epstein after the 2008 conviction.
In media interviews, Krauss argued that Epstein had been unfairly maligned, that the conviction involved a "consensual" relationship with a teenager, and that cutting ties with Epstein over the conviction was an overreaction. He continued to socialize with Epstein and continued to accept his support for scientific causes.
This defense came despite the fact that Epstein had pleaded guilty to procuring an underage girl for prostitution. The plea deal that allowed Epstein to avoid federal prosecution was already controversial by the time Krauss was defending him in public.
The Contact Pattern
Documents show contact between Krauss and Epstein continued well past the 2008 conviction. Document 49330 and document 49331 reference Skype communications between the two in 2017. The excerpts show message metadata including timestamps and conversation IDs, indicating regular digital contact.
One fragment from August 2017 shows a conversation ID tagged as "8:lawkrauss" with display name "Lawrence Krauss." Another from July 2017 shows similar metadata. The technical details suggest ongoing communication through multiple channels.
Then came the April 2018 "men of the world conference" email. The phrase itself is telling. These were men, in Krauss's apparent view, who shared something in common. They were accomplished. They were famous. They were under fire. And according to the email, Krauss thought this shared experience might be the basis for a gathering.
The Fallout
By the time Krauss sent that email, he was facing his own allegations. In February 2018, BuzzFeed News had published an investigation detailing sexual misconduct allegations against Krauss spanning multiple decades. Arizona State University opened an investigation. Krauss took a leave of absence from the Origins Project. By 2019, he would retire from the university.
The "men of the world conference" email landed in this context. It suggests Krauss saw himself, Epstein, and the men on his list as fellow travelers—public figures weathering scandals, perhaps unfairly in their own estimation.
After Epstein's July 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, Krauss expressed regret for his earlier defense. In statements to reporters, he said he had been wrong to minimize the seriousness of Epstein's crimes and wrong to maintain the friendship after the conviction.
The Scientific Community Question
Krauss appears in 4,381 documents in the archive. This volume places him among the most frequently mentioned individuals in the Epstein files. The sheer number of references indicates sustained contact over years, extensive communication, and likely significant involvement in Epstein-funded scientific initiatives.
This raises larger questions about how Epstein used scientific philanthropy. He positioned himself as a supporter of important research. He hosted conferences at his properties. He connected researchers with each other and with funding. In exchange, he gained access to prestigious institutions, relationships with respected scientists, and a veneer of intellectual legitimacy.
Some scientists who took Epstein's money later said they were unaware of the full extent of his crimes. Others said they knew about the 2008 conviction but believed the criminal justice system had addressed it. Krauss went further—he actively defended Epstein in public and maintained the relationship years after the conviction became public knowledge.
The April 2018 email shows how Krauss apparently understood that relationship. Not as a patron and recipient. Not as a philanthropist and scientist. But as fellow members of an informal club. Men of the world. Men under scrutiny. Men who, in Krauss's estimation, might benefit from comparing notes.
Documents show that understanding was mutual. Epstein kept funding scientific causes. Scientists kept attending his events. And Lawrence Krauss kept his place in Epstein's contacts until the final collapse.
Lawrence Krauss