By Angel Au-Yeung and Becky Peterson
The Justice Department's release of its Jeffrey Epstein files has given some powerful people fresh fodder to embarrass their foes. Few of these feuds have been as prominent as the crossfire between billionaires Reid Hoffman and Elon Musk.
The latest Epstein files revealed that both tech titans had deeper connections with the sex offender than either previously acknowledged. The two men were once part of the so-called PayPal mafia, a group that went on to invest or found successful Silicon Valley companies. But they have sparred for years over presidential politics and tech policy.
They used the newly public documents to attack each other in recent days over their Epstein connections. Musk posted documents showing Hoffman visited Epstein's island. Hoffman quoted emails Musk wrote about looking to party on Epstein's island.
Hoffman and Musk didn't respond to requests for comment.
The files show that Musk inquired about visiting Epstein's private island both in 2012 and 2013. In a November 2012 email, Musk wrote: "What day/night will be the wildest party on your island?" Musk also hosted Epstein at SpaceX's facilities in 2013, the emails show.
The Tesla and SpaceX boss said he never made the trips or flew on Epstein's plane. He had previously said he visited Epstein once at his townhouse, had refused invitations to go to the island and had denied Epstein visited SpaceX.
In a Jan. 31 post on X, Musk said, "I have never been to any Epstein parties ever and have many times call (sic) for the prosecution of those who have committed crimes with Epstein."
The documents show Hoffman, who visited Epstein's island in 2014, gifted Epstein a statue that he wrote "may strike your funny bone for the island." He also offered to help Epstein with bad publicity after allegations of sex trafficking surfaced in late 2014.
The venture capitalist and LinkedIn co-founder said Feb. 3 on X that he knew Epstein "because of a fundraising relationship with MIT, which I very much regret." He acknowledged that he had meetings with Epstein from 2016 to 2018, after previously saying they last met in 2015.
Both men were communicating with Epstein and meeting with him several years after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution and was a registered sex offender. Epstein was arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges and died in 2019.
Elon Musk
On Christmas Day 2012, Musk wrote to Epstein asking if he had any parties planned. "I really want to hit the party scene in St Barts or elsewhere and let loose," Musk wrote.
Epstein responded: "Understood, I will see you on st Barth, the ratio on my island might make Talilah uncomfortable," referring to Musk's then-wife, Talulah Riley.
"Ratio is not a problem for Talulah," Musk wrote back. The following week Musk wrote that he wouldn't be able to make the trip after all: "Logistics won't work this time around."
In February 2013, Epstein and several of his assistants were scheduled to tour SpaceX at the invitation of Musk, according to the emails. Musk's assistant also scheduled lunch for Musk and Epstein during the visit.
On Feb. 26, Epstein wrote to Musk: "thanks for the tour, you would have had fun at xmas." Musk responded, "I see."
Musk in 2020 had denied Epstein had visited SpaceX facilities. "To the best [of] our knowledge, he never toured SpaceX. Don't know where that comes from," Musk wrote on X in 2020.
SpaceX didn't respond to requests for comment.
Reid Hoffman
In September 2014, Epstein's assistant wrote to his then-pilot to arrange a helicopter ride for Hoffman and MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito to take them to Epstein's island. The trip took place in November 2014, according to the files.
Ito, who resigned from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2019 over his Epstein ties, apologized at the time for associating with Epstein and said that he "never saw any evidence of the horrific acts that he was accused of." Ito didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
In December 2014, Virginia Giuffre alleged in an anonymous sworn affidavit that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell had sexually trafficked her as a minor to powerful men including Prince Andrew. The lawsuit made headlines. The royal denied the abuse allegations.
On Christmas Eve, Hoffman wrote an email saying he had sent Epstein two gifts: ice cream for him or "for the girls" and "something that may strike your funny bone for the island."
Weeks later in January 2015, Epstein asked Hoffman whether the tech entrepreneur had sent him a metal sculpture. "My gift to you," Hoffman wrote back. "Thought it might strike your sense of humor. (and have an appropriate nature to the island.)"
The artwork was from an artist who creates sculptures of little monsters out of recycled metal. In an interview, the artist said Hoffman ordered several of his sculptures to give as gifts, but he wasn't immediately able to confirm which one was sent to Epstein.
Hoffman then discussed helping the financier manage bad publicity. "Been giving a bit of thought to how I can help with the recent press fu," he wrote to Epstein. "Mostly looking for help on the on-line front."
Epstein replied, "Nothing to do during a storm, but hunker down, and wait until it blows over."
In April 2016, Epstein emailed Hoffman's assistant that he had Hoffman's passport. "Please tell Reid that I have his passport," Epstein wrote. "Found in the gift bag they had given me."
"We had wondered where it had flown to," Hoffman replied. "Thanks!"
Write to Angel Au-Yeung at angel.au-yeung@wsj.com and Becky Peterson at becky.peterson@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 08, 2026 08:00 ET (13:00 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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