The Most Surprising Bitcoin and Crypto Stories in the Epstein Files

A search through the trove of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein turns up thousands of results related to crypto and Bitcoin, highlighted by Epstein’s early involvement and awareness of notable crypto projects and protocols.

During the week, Declutter has highlighted some of the biggest stories to emerge from the millions of files released by the Justice Department last week, including how Epstein invested in Coinbase And Bitcoin company Blockstreamand had one very close relationship with Tether co-founder Brock Pierce.

But there’s a lot more in the files, including references to major crypto players like Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and Strategy co-founder and executive chairman Michael Saylor. Here’s a look at the most surprising crypto entries from both batches of the Epstein files released by the Ministry of Justice.

Coinbase investment

Jeffrey Epstein was one early investor in the listed cryptocurrency exchange Coinbasenew emails are displayed.

The convicted sex offender invested $3 million in 2014 and was introduced to the opportunity by Tether co-founder Brock Pierce and his investment firm Blockchain Capital. However, Blockchain told it Declutter that Epstein ultimately invested independently, not through the firm.

Based on the emails, it is clear that Coinbase co-founder Fred Ehrsam was personally aware of the investment, which came years after Epstein’s conviction. The investment was made when Coinbase was valued at approximately $400 million; the publicly traded company is now worth $44 billion.

In 2018, Epstein sold about half of his investment back to Blockchain Capital, emails show.

Bitcoin, crypto taxes

Epstein was seeking clarification on Bitcoin regulation and taxes Back in 2018, emails from the first set of files released by the Justice Department were revealed.

Speaking to former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, Epstein suggested that the Treasury Department should create a voluntary disclosure form for crypto profits in an effort to “screw all the bad guys.”

Later that year, Epstein noted that crypto should be considered the same as the internet, and treated with “coordinated understandings” and international agreements.

Brock Pierce and Epstein

Tether co-founder Brock Pierce communicated with Epstein several times about cryptocurrency and women, with all correspondence taking place after Epstein’s conviction in 2008, according to the latest set of files released by the Justice Department.

At some point, Pierce told Epstein that “He had a great time with the girls,” and Epstein also instructed the crypto entrepreneur “find him a present” when he traveled abroad.

In addition, Epstein communicated with both parties about an alleged relationship Pierce had with a person Epstein called “his assistant.” The individual allegedly rejected a marriage proposal from Pierce.

Files too discovered a meeting at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion between Tether co-founder Brock Pierce and former Harvard president Larry Summers.

The two apparently used the disgraced financier’s home to discuss Bitcoin, with Summers noting that he saw “opportunity” but was concerned about the potential damage to his reputation that Bitcoin losses could cause.

Blockstream investment

Epstein was an investor in Bitcoin infrastructure company Blockstream, according to newly revealed emails and a confirmation from early Bitcoin developer and Blockstream co-founder Adam Back.

“Blockstream met with Jeffrey Epstein, who was described at the time as a limited partner in [Joi] Ito’s fund,” Back wrote. “That fund later invested a minority stake in Blockstream.”

The old Bitcoiner and his Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill were also both invited to Epstein’s island in 2014according to newly revealed files from the DOJ. But whether the trip ever took place is unclear from the emails, and Back did not respond Decode request for comment.

In his confirmation of Epstein’s investment, the Blockstream co-founder added that the company currently has “no direct or indirect financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein or his estate.”

A Bitcoin core developer and former contributor to Blockstream urged Back to resign this week after the new files were released.

Epstein and Thiel talk about the Bitcoin story

A 2014 email from Jeffrey Epstein Famous technology investor Peter Thiel questioned Bitcoin’s narrative.

“There is little agreement about what Bitcoin is,” Epstein wrote. “Storage of or intrinsic value, currency (if any), ownership, architecture, payment system. Etc.”

The response followed a question from Thiel about increasing “anti-BTC pressure” that may be increasing within the US government.

At the time, Bitcoin was trading around $691 per coin. Since then, it has risen dramatically, recently trading around $70,000 after peaking above $126,000 last October.

Michael Saylor hit

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Bitcoin Bull and Strategy, was called a ‘creep’ by Epstein’s publicist Peggy Siegal in a email to convicted sex offender in 2010.

“He has no personality. Kind of like a zombie on a drug,” Siegal wrote of Saylor. “I walked around with him and he was so weird that even I walked away from him.”

According to the email, Saylor has provided $25,000 for a spring gala, “for the opportunity to have his name on the list.” [the] invite a hip group and meet them.”

The email was sent more than a decade before Saylor’s software company would make its first BTC purchase, amassing nearly $50 billion in assets and inspiring a wave of followers to adopt a crypto-treasury model.

Questionable ethics

Despite his 2008 conviction for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute, Epstein became concerned about the ethics of funding projects in the crypto space a decade later.

“I like to finance things, but because I have a prominent name, there can be no question of questionable ethics,” Epstein wrote in an email to Bitcoin researcher Jeremy Rubinwho responded, telling the financier that there is a “gray area between pumping and development.”

“Their deal is to pump up the currency,” Epstein said of investors in the space. “It’s dangerous.”

A “better” Vitalik Buterine

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s name is found in the Epstein files, but not as a result of any direct connection or correspondence with the disgraced financier.

Instead, the latest batch of emails shows an email Epstein received from Masha Drokova that emphasizes that the Russian investor had found a “super smart and young blockchain enthusiast in Russia.”

“He can be better than Vitalik Buterin if he focuses on technology,” Drokova added.

Although she offered to connect Epstein to the Russian individual, it is not clear who the technologist was, or whether or not they were ultimately connected to Epstein.