Michael Wolff is seen in 2012.

Dozens of people who communicated with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein over the years are now being scrutinized for their relationship based on emails that lawmakers released to the public.

The late financier's correspondents are mostly men, and the recognizable names include an economist, a scientist, an investor and a journalist. They sought advice about pursuing women, discussed current events and otherwise bantered in these pen pal friendships.

These email exchanges took place years after Epstein became a registered sex offender in 2008. Between a federal indictment, a police investigation, civil lawsuits, and public allegations, Epstein is accused of recruiting and trafficking more than 1,000 girls as young as 14 to participate in sex with him, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and other men.

Women have said they were abused all over the world ‒ in California, Florida, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, the United Kingdom and the Virgin Islands — by Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and trafficked to other men.

Here is a look at what some of the men and women corresponding with Epstein said in their exchanges.

Larry Summers

Summers, a former Treasury secretary and ex-president of Harvard University, appeared to seek advice from Epstein about a romantic relationship he was interested in initiating with a female economist he described as a "mentee."

In an email message on Nov. 20, 2018, the female economist appears to ask Summers about edits on a research paper. Summers forwards the email to Epstein and says, "Think no response for awhile probably appropriate." Epstein responds, "she's already begining (sic) to sound needy :) nice."

Summers' email correspondence lasted from November 2018 through July 5, 2019, according to The Harvard Crimson. The Miami Herald's blockbuster expose on Epstein ran in November 2018. A federal court decision in February 2019 paved the way for federal charges against Epstein, and he was indicted on July 6, 2019. Epstein died by suicide about a month later while awaiting trial.

Elisa New

Elisa New, who has been married to Summers since 2005, sent Epstein a copy of an invitation to an unnamed event on Nov. 25, 2018. She is an American literature professor at Harvard and also discussed literature with him.

She says in one message that she is going on a trip to Australia and will read a copy of "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov. The book is about a 30-something married scholar and his sexual obsession with a 12-year-old girl. People later named Epstein’s private plane, which flight logs show ferried VIPs and women all over the world, "The Lolita Express."

New then recommends he read "My Antonia" next time he's on a long plane trip. "The prose is gorgeous, and the book has – come to think of it – similar themes to Lolita in that it's about a man whose whole life is stamped forever by his impression of a young girl."

Lawrence Krauss

The physicist Lawrence Krauss, who wrote "The Physics of Star Trek," messaged Epstein to ask for advice when a reporter with BuzzFeed News contacted him about sexual harassment allegations he was facing. Versions of these allegations were later published.

"I did neck with that woman, but never forced myself on her, and we talked about kissing or going beyond that and decided not to," Krauss writes to Epstein Dec. 11, 2017. He includes a lengthy list of events in his account of the encounter that prompted the inquiry and asks if he should respond to the reporter.

Epstein asks if Krauss had sex with the accuser and for the details of the encounter if it did happen. He then concludes: "I wouldn't respond. My advice is consistent. Off the record." Krauss writes: "We didn't have sex. Decided it wasn't a good idea."

Steve Bannon

On Nov. 16, 2018, Steve Bannon, who was a top White House aide during President Donald Trump's first term, alerts Epstein that he is going to miss a flight at London's Heathrow Airport. Epstein responds: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a stop in Bahrain," before following up, "Arrives. 1130."

Bannon responds: "U r an amazing assistant."

The two sent many emails back and forth throughout 2018, some simply sharing news articles. Records also show Epstein scheduled a 7 a.m. breakfast with Bannon on Feb. 16, 2019. By that time, Epstein knew he was under federal investigation.

Jonathan Farkas

Jonathan Farkas, a scion of the Alexander's department store family and the husband of Trump’s ambassador to Malta, emailed Epstein on May 8, 2017. He asks what Epstein thinks of a woman he is seeing who is not his wife.

“careful she is nottrustworthy at ALLL,” Epstein writes.

“a 2 timer?” asks Farkas.

“worse,” Epstein says.

“Jeffrey please help me here is she a hooker,” Farkas asks.

Epstein’s response: “alcoholic . drugs. unstable . consumate liar. CAREFUL”

Michael Wolff

Journalist Michael Wolff emailed Epstein on Oct. 29, 2016, days before Trump was first elected president. He was writing a book about Trump's 2016 campaign.

“There's an opportunity to come forward this week and talk about Trump in such a way that could garner you great sympathy and help finish him,” Wolff writes. “Interested?” There’s no indication in the emails that Epstein responded or that he acted on Wolff’s request. The president has said he ended his friendship with Epstein many years prior to this exchange.

On Feb. 1, 2019, Epstein sent Wolff a 5 a.m. typo-ridden email about the federal investigation into his conduct. He describes some activity that lines up with what his accusers have said they were forced to do for money but downplays other allegations.

"there were many girls," he wrote. "the girls retunred (sic) the house multiplie times for 200 dollars for a rub and tug. . no sex . . . some worked in the locak massage parlors, most in thier mid twenties."

Boris Nikolic

Epstein emailed biotech venture capitalist Boris Nikolic in January 2010 to ask about a conference in Switzerland, according to PBS.

Nikolic writes in the email chain that he met Epstein's friends, former President Bill Clinton and then-Prince Andrew. Later, he writes that he is getting sick of meetings, and, “it would be blast that you are here.”

"I was just flirting with 22 years old hot blond blue eyes mexican chick," Nikolic writes. "It turns out she is with her husband. Did not have chance to check him out. But as we concluded, anything good is rented;)"

Elon Musk

Epstein's schedule for Dec. 6, 2014, says: "Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)" After Forbes covered the purported island trip in September 2025, Musk posted a response on social media: "This is false."

Musk told Vanity Fair in 2019 that he visited Epstein at his house in Manhattan years before "for about 30 minutes."

"We did not see anything inappropriate at all, apart from weird art," Musk said. "He tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I declined.”

Kathryn Ruemmler

The Goldman Sachs executive and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama made disparaging comments about people in New Jersey in an email with Epstein. On March 24, 2018, she shared an article called, “How close is Donald Trump to a psychiatric breakdown?”

Later in the thread, Epstein writes: "plenty of blame. mostly the feminists." Ruemmler responds: "Careful, or the pendulum is going to swing hard the other way and feminists will be in charge of everything." Epstein says he was kidding, and Ruemmler responds, "So was I, mostly. :-)"

"see you at 2 , i ordered sushi for you," Epstein says.

Goldman Sachs spokesman Tony Fratto, told CNBC: “These emails were private correspondence well before Kathy Ruemmler joined Goldman Sachs."

Transparency Note:

Michael Wolff was a freelance USA TODAY contributor from 2012 to early 2017. USA TODAY had no knowledge of any relationship between him and Jeffrey Epstein, nor any actions beyond his submissions for publication. We are committed to integrity and transparency, as we uphold our editorial standards and maintain the trust of our readers.

Contributing: Josh Meyer, Zac Anderson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here are some of the high-profile names in the Epstein emails

Reporting by Erin Mansfield and Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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