Fact Check: Is convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein alive? Truth behind viral photo on X

Viral photo on X sparks fresh claims that Jeffrey Epstein is still alive. (Image credit: X)

• US DOJ released over 2 million pages of records in the Jeffrey Epstein case
• Social media buzzes with conspiracy theories after document release
• Photo claiming Epstein alive in Israel deemed AI-generated or edited by users

Did our AI summary help?

Social media is flooded with discussions about Jeffrey Epstein after the US Department of Justice released over 2 million pages of records, along with 180,000 redacted images, 2,2000 videos linked to the case. Following the release of documents, several online conspiracy theories surfaced, including claims suggesting the convicted child sex offender faked his death and was still alive.

However, official records stated that Jeffrey Epstein was found hanging in his jail cell in August 2019, with authorities ruling his death a suicide.

Is Epstein alive?

Amid growing speculation, social media users circulated a photograph that allegedly showed Epstein alive in Israel.

This is the full picture of Epstein. He’s in israel. https://t.co/cIpPTP1My7pic.twitter.com/HWqAYHjA5p

— Jvnior (@Jvnior) February 5, 2026

The picture, shared on X, showed a man alleged to be Epstein, wearing dark sunglasses and with long hair and a beard.

Amid heightened online chatter, several netizens claimed that the photo was generated by AI.

One user on X wrote, “Nose looks the same. Not ears. But people in Witness Protection go under the knife to change certain features.”

Another commented, “This image doesn’t appear to be genuine. It looks either AI-generated or digitally edited, as it includes a Synth ID and, in the uncropped version, a Gemini watermark.”

Grok fact-check

Several social media users also asked AI chatbot Grok about whether the image was real. “No, that's not Jeffrey Epstein. He died in 2019, and this man's long hair and beard don't match Epstein's known appearance. It looks like a case of mistaken identity—perhaps a lookalike in Tel Aviv based on the surroundings,” though the AI chatbot did not flag the image as AI-generated,” Grok said.

More about the Epstein files

The Justice Department released a final batch of millions of documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. The files reference allegations and connections involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and other prominent figures.

Business leaders Bill Gates and Elon Musk acknowledged meeting Epstein, but both have denied any links to his crimes.

Bill Gates and Hillary Clinton have agreed to testify in the Epstein probe by the House of Representatives.