Overview
- An Oct. 13, 2016 email from Epstein outlined a plan for one or two new digital currencies, including a Sharia-compliant unit for the Middle East, and asserted he had spoken with “some of the founders of bitcoin,” a claim that remains unverified.
- Emails from 2013–2014 show Epstein engaged in early crypto debates, including a message from Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill to Epstein, cc Reid Hoffman and Joi Ito, criticizing Stellar’s launch and its relationship to Ripple.
- Correspondence indicates outreach as early as 2011 via Jason Calacanis to developers Gavin Andresen and Amir Taaki, and Taaki later wrote that he declined Epstein’s investment interest.
- Investor updates forwarded by Blockchain Capital’s Brock Pierce kept Epstein apprised of Coinbase, and one email states the firm was paying Epstein and his accountant Richard Kahn “a big number.”
- In a separate exchange with developer Jeremy Rubin, Epstein voiced ethics concerns about profiting from token “pump” schemes, citing the risk of questionable optics.