Dalai Lama’s office dismisses reports linking Tibetan spiritual leader to Jeffrey Epstein
The controversy emerged more than a week after the US Department of Justice, on January 31, released over three million pages of records, more than 2,000 videos, and approximately 1,80,000 images linked to federal investigations into Epstein’s activities
The office of the 14th Dalai Lama on Sunday categorically dismissed media and social media reports attempting to link the Tibetan spiritual leader with late US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling such claims as baseless, false and without any facts.
In a statement issued here, the Dalai Lama’s office said, “We can unequivocally confirm that the Dalai Lama has never met Jeffrey Epstein or authorised any meeting or interaction with him by anyone on his behalf.”
The clarification follows media reports mentioning the Dalai Lama's name in the recent release of investigative material related to Epstein by the United States Department of Justice. Some media reports and online posts had sought to draw tenuous links between public figures and Epstein after the disclosure of the documents.
The Dalai Lama’s office has also posted a statement on social media platform X, stating: “Some recent media reports and social media posts concerning ‘Epstein files’ are attempting to link the Dalai Lama with Jeffrey Epstein.” The office reiterated that such claims were entirely unfounded.
The controversy emerged more than a week after the US Department of Justice, on January 31, released over three million pages of records, more than 2,000 videos, and approximately 1,80,000 images linked to federal investigations into Epstein’s activities.
The release was carried out under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The legislation mandated the public disclosure of all federal records related to Epstein to address long-standing demands for transparency.
Epstein, who had longstanding ties with powerful individuals across political, business and social circles, died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Since then, periodic document releases have continued to fuel speculation and controversy, often prompting clarifications from those named or referenced in the files and reports related to his investigations.
