According to recently released U.S. Department of Justice documents, Epstein’s $850,000 donation to MIT appears to have indirectly funded a cryptocurrency initiative. The emails indicate the program engaged Bitcoin Core developers after the Bitcoin Foundation dissolved in 2015, naming figures such as Gavin Andresen and Wladimir van der Laan. This highlights philanthropy’s role in early crypto research.
The messages describe nine secret MIT visits under the codename ‘Voldemort’, with meetings held at Epstein’s mansion alongside Brock Pierce—an early crypto investor and Tether co-founder—and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. The correspondence shows discussions on Bitcoin well before mainstream visibility, with Summers weighing opportunity against reputation risk.
Additionally, Epstein reportedly sought cryptocurrency tax guidance from Steve Bannon in 2018 and purchased blockchain literature in 2017, illustrating a high-profile network in the nascent crypto field. Importantly, the records provide no evidence of Epstein exerting influence on Bitcoin development.