Inside the Epstein files’ most disturbing rumour: The ‘eating babies’ claim, fact-checked

After the DOJ published millions of Epstein-related records, a sensational “eating babies” narrative took off online — but fact-checkers say the claim isn’t supported.

• US DOJ released 3.5 million pages of Epstein-related records
• Viral 'eating babies' claims are not supported by evidence in the documents
• Fact-checkers: 'Cream cheese' and 'cannibalism' references lack clear context

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A fresh release of Jeffrey Epstein-related records by the US Justice Department has set off a new online frenzy, this time centred on a sensational 'eating babies' claim that fact-checkers say is not supported by verifiable evidence.

On January 30, the Department of Justice said it published nearly 3.5 million pages in connection with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, along with thousands of videos and images.

How the 'babies' claim took off

Soon after the release, social media users began circulating screenshots of select excerpts, especially a fragment of an email exchange that pairs the words 'babies' with 'cream cheese.' The documents do not establish what the exchange meant or whether it was literal, slang, or something else, but the juxtaposition proved enough to fuel lurid interpretations online.

References to 'cream cheese' appear in multiple places across the broader trove, and in many instances the context appears mundane, tied to food or logistics rather than violence, according to reporting and reviews of the records.

What Snopes says, and what it can’t verify

As the rumour spread, Snopes reviewed the released material and concluded that while the files contain references to cannibalism-related terms, they do not substantiate the viral claim that Epstein (or his associates) 'ate babies.'

Snopes reported that “cannibal” appears dozens of times and 'cannibalism' appears a handful of times in the records, but said the underlying allegations circulating online remain unverified and unsupported by evidence in the documents themselves.

The larger story: transparency collides with misinformation

The release has also reignited debate in Washington over what remains withheld, what is heavily redacted, and whether the public is seeing a complete picture.

But the 'eating babies' narrative shows the other risk of mass document dumps: when fragments travel faster than context, the most extreme interpretation often wins the algorithm, even when the record doesn’t back it up.

Epstein, a wealthy financier, died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. The latest document release was framed by the DOJ as part of compliance with the transparency law.