DOJ files expose Gates–Epstein ties in pre-COVID pandemic planning, funding

Newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents show that, in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had repeated interactions with Bill Gates and individuals connected to the Gates Foundation, including exchanges focused on funding and structuring global pandemic preparedness and vaccination initiatives.

The documents form part of the so-called “Epstein Files,” released on January 30 following the passage of the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The records, which largely date from 2011 to 2019, include emails and correspondence that shed light on Epstein’s role as an intermediary between wealthy individuals, major financial institutions and global health initiatives.

Sayer Ji, founder of GreenMedInfo and publisher of TrialSite News commentary, said the files suggest Epstein acted as a “switchboard” linking hedge funds, central banks, billionaires, academic institutions and global health projects.

Ji published a multi-part analysis of the health- and medicine-related documents in a series of Substack articles and posts on X.

Seamus Bruner, director of research at the Government Accountability Institute, described the disclosures as evidence of an early framework for what he called “pandemic profiteering,” alleging that the foundations of large-scale pandemic response financing were laid years before COVID-19 emerged.

Several emails detail efforts by JPMorgan Chase executives and Epstein to develop a Gates-linked charitable investment vehicle focused on vaccines and global health.

In a February 17, 2011 email, a JPMorgan Chase executive sought Epstein’s input on ideas being assembled for Gates. Epstein later outlined how such a fund could be structured.

Subsequent correspondence from mid-2011 referenced proposals aimed at generating additional funding for vaccines, including discussions of offshore structures and projections of billions of dollars in donations.

By late August 2011, JPMorgan Chase had reportedly developed a proposal known as “Project Molecule,” which envisioned a perpetual charitable fund for pandemic preparedness, disease surveillance, vaccine promotion and disease eradication.

According to Ji’s analysis, Project Molecule incorporated many concepts Epstein had earlier discussed informally, including funding for vaccine purchases across Africa, Latin America, South Asia and the Middle East. While Epstein’s name does not appear in the final proposal, Ji described it as the “institutional translation” of ideas he helped shape.

By 2013, these efforts appeared to culminate in the launch of the Global Health Investment Fund, described in confidential briefings as the first investment fund focused on global health drug and vaccine development, promising annual returns of between 5% and 7%.

Attendees at the fund’s launch reportedly included senior JPMorgan Chase executives and representatives of major pharmaceutical companies.

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Ji and other analysts highlighted that many of the documents post-date Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor. Of particular note, they said, was the involvement of Boris Nikolic, Gates’ chief science and technology adviser.

In August 2013, Gates and Epstein reportedly signed an agreement appointing Epstein to act on Nikolic’s behalf, citing an existing professional relationship.

Critics argue this decision raises questions about judgment and accountability, given Epstein’s criminal record. Neither Gates nor the Gates Foundation has commented publicly on the newly released documents.

Ji also pointed to overlaps between figures appearing in the Epstein Files and participants in Event 201, a coronavirus pandemic simulation held in October 2019, just months before the COVID-19 outbreak.

He argued that the infrastructure discussed in earlier documents helped make such simulations possible.

Additional records from 2014 and 2015 suggest Epstein was involved in circulating proposals related to Ebola preparedness, including concepts for early detection systems and global coordination mechanisms.

During this period, Epstein reportedly acted as an intermediary for proposals involving scientists linked to U.S. government health agencies and international organizations.

Ji contends that the Ebola response helped establish what he described as a modern “biosecurity” framework, later activated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He argues that Epstein frequently appeared in the background of these formative discussions, connecting financial institutions, philanthropic capital and global health governance.

The disclosures come amid continued scrutiny of JPMorgan Chase, which in November 2023 agreed to a $290 million settlement with more than 100 women who accused Epstein of sexual abuse, alleging the bank continued doing business with him despite internal warnings.

While the full implications of the documents remain contested, the release has renewed debate over the role of powerful financial, philanthropic and political networks in shaping global pandemic preparedness long before COVID-19 emerged.