What is the Venus Project? Inside Jeffrey Epstein’s genetic testing and life-extension plans

Epstein’s interest in genetics and longevity has been reported previously.

• Epstein funded genetic tests and longevity research post-conviction.
• He funded genome sequencing and discussed CRISPR longevity studies with scientists.
• New documents revive scrutiny of Epstein's ties to elite research institutions

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Newly released documents from the US Justice Department show that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein paid for genetic testing and explored experimental longevity research years after his 2008 conviction, renewing scrutiny of his ties to prominent scientists and elite research institutions.

Epstein sought to use his own genetic material for regenerative medicine, a field aimed at repairing the body by developing new tissues and organs, following his conviction for soliciting prostitution, including that of a minor, as per the newly-released emails, states a CNN report.

According to the documents, Epstein paid for genetic testing conducted by Joseph Thakuria, then a senior physician at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston and a researcher affiliated with Harvard Medical School’s Personal Genome Project (PGP), a large public database of genetic information used by scientists worldwide.

In February 2014, Thakuria reportedly sent Epstein a proposal seeking funding for a private genomics project that would sequence patients’ genomes to study genetic drivers of disease. The proposal also outlined research tailored specifically for Epstein, according to the emails.

In June 2014, Thakuria followed up with an invoice detailing a range of research services, including an initial $2,000 payment for sequencing parts of Epstein’s genome.

The invoice mentioned that Epstein had provided a saliva sample.

The payment covered sequencing of Epstein’s exome, the protein-coding portion of the genome,  and sequencing of fibroblasts, connective tissue cells that have been used in experimental research aimed at reversing ageing. Emails show Epstein’s staff sent the $2,000 cheque the same day.

“Mr. Epstein was enrolled in the Personal Genome Project, which would study his genetic predisposition to various health conditions. At one point, a $2,000 check was provided to cover DNA sequencing,” Thakuria said in a statement to CNN.

"I was a physician-researcher and he [Epstein] was a research subject,” he noted in his statement, further adding, “We also had early discussions about his potentially funding research, but that never materialised".

Proposed CRISPR-based longevity studies

The invoice also outlines more speculative and expensive future work, including what Thakuria described as “personalized longevity studies” involving gene editing using CRISPR, then a relatively new technology.

Part of the proposal involved editing Epstein’s stem cells “to introduce mutations in culture believed to increase longevity,” as per Thakuria.

“I’m only offering this to Jeffrey. Because of all the labor involved, there’s simply not enough bandwidth to offer this to more than a handful of people right now,” he added.

The document listed options such as creating new stem cells starting at $10,000 and whole-genome sequencing costing $11,400 for Epstein alone, or $21,000 if both of his parents were included. The total cost of all proposed projects was estimated at $193,400.

As per CNN, while no record could be found that Epstein paid for the additional services, email correspondence between Epstein, Thakuria and Epstein’s assistants continued until at least 2015. In some emails, Epstein’s aides pressed for results, and Epstein at one point threatened to report Thakuria to hospital leadership over delays.

The Venus Project

The largest single item in the June 2014 invoice was $160,000 for a proposed research effort referred to as "The Venus Project", reports CNN.

"Jeffrey and [I] briefly discussed a genomic research studying [sic] I’m dubbing the Venus project (he’ll know what this)," Thakuria has been cited in the report, adding that the work would require significant bioinformatics infrastructure.

The proposal cited $100,000 for genomic hardware and $60,000 a year for software, and suggested the project could involve 200 participants.

“[Epstein] mentioned 200 participants being in this project — I can deliver on this ‘Venus’ research,” Thakuria wrote.

In his statement to CNN, Thakuria said the project “was an idea of Mr. Epstein that was very preliminary and never went anywhere." "He was interested in the genetics of facial features. There was no funding and no research," he said.

Thakuria has, however, not previously been publicly linked to Epstein and is not accused of any wrongdoing.

Links to leading genomics researchers

According to Thakuria's statement to CNN, he was introduced to Epstein by George Church, a prominent Harvard genomics researcher and pioneer of CRISPR technology, as a potential research subject for the Personal Genome Project.

Church has acknowledged his past association with Epstein, who donated to his research and corresponded with him frequently. In 2019, Church apologised for maintaining ties with Epstein, calling it “nerd tunnel vision” in an interview with STAT.

Renewed conspiracy theories

Epstein’s interest in genetics and longevity has been reported previously.

Through his now-defunct foundation, he donated to the World Transhumanist Association, now called Humanity+, which promotes technology to expand human capabilities and reverse ageing, according to The New York Times.

"I feel terrible about what his victims went through, and I regret at that time not knowing more about his background and the extent of his crimes," Thakuria noted.

The latest release of Epstein-related documents has also revived conspiracy theories suggesting he faked his death. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

While the documents detail his interest in genetic testing and longevity research, they provide no evidence to support claims that Epstein remains alive.