Recently, the release of a new batch of documents by the U.S. Department of Justice, referred to as the “Epstein Files,” has reignited public interest in the case. Almost immediately, a fresh theory began circulating online: that Epstein is still alive and living under a new identity.
The rumor gained traction after a photo surfaced on platforms such as X, Reddit, and Facebook. The image shows a bearded man wearing dark sunglasses, with captions claiming it was Epstein “spotted in Tel Aviv, Israel.” Many posts presented the image as definitive proof that Epstein faked his death and escaped prison life for anonymity abroad.
However, closer examination revealed that the image does not hold up. Fact-checkers identified a SynthID watermark on the original photo, indicating it had been created or altered using AI tools from Google, flagged specifically by Google Gemini. The full-size version also displayed a small diamond-shaped Gemini watermark in one corner—a detail missing in the cropped versions that went viral. This omission became a significant red flag as users traced the image back to its origin.
As for the truth about Epstein, official records remain unchanged. In August 2019, he was found dead in his cell at New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, with authorities ruling the death a suicide. Despite this, public doubt has persisted, fueling theories that his death was staged or that he was secretly removed from custody.
The recently released Epstein Files have generated renewed interest in the case, containing emails, internal records, and investigative material. While these documents provide context and details that may reignite discussions about Epstein’s activities, they do not offer any evidence that he is alive. Claims of Epstein living under a new identity remain unsupported by the facts.
