Episode 8: What is Happening with the Epstein File Investigations?

The Jeffrey Epstein story is no longer one investigation. It is a collection of congressional inquiries, document disputes, civil lawsuits, state level efforts, and demands for federal prosecution.

In this episode of the Butterfly Bureau, we examined the fourteen people Representative Thomas Massie named on the House floor, the testimony of former banking executive Jes Staley, the escalating conflict involving billionaire Leon Black, and the proposed Epstein Files Transparency Act II.

These are the receipts.

The Bottom Line

There are four major fronts to watch:

Congress is investigating people and institutions connected to Epstein.
The Department of Justice says it has complied with the original Epstein Files Transparency Act, while lawmakers and survivors say millions of responsive records remain withheld.
Civil lawsuits are producing allegations and documents that may never have appeared in a criminal courtroom.
Representative Massie is promoting the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, which would give survivors, state prosecutors, state attorneys general, and members of Congress new ways to challenge federal secrecy.

None of this means that everyone appearing in an Epstein record committed a crime. A name in an email, address book, flight log, photograph, or congressional speech is not proof of criminal conduct.

That distinction matters throughout this story.

Massie Names Fourteen People

Episode timestamp: 1:10

Representative Thomas Massie used a House floor speech to identify fourteen people he described as Epstein co conspirators and to call for their investigation and prosecution.

The names were:

Jes Staley
Leon Black
Les Wexner
David Copperfield
Lapo Elkann
Tom Pritzker
Glenn Dubin
Frédéric Fekkai
Edoardo Teodorani Fabbri
Jean Luc Brunel
Daniel Siad
Ramsey Elkholy
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew
Lesley Groff

You can watch Massie’s floor speech here. A written account of the speech and the complete list was also published by Law Commentary.

Massie’s statements placed the names into the political and congressional record. They were not criminal charges, indictments, or judicial findings.

Some of the people named have denied wrongdoing. Some have never been charged with an Epstein related offense. Jean Luc Brunel died in French custody before he could stand trial. Lesley Groff has denied knowingly participating in Epstein’s abuse. Andrew has repeatedly denied Virginia Giuffre’s allegations and settled her civil case without admitting liability.

Every name therefore has to be evaluated through the underlying evidence, not the existence of the list alone.

The Lapo Elkann and Agnelli Family Thread

Episode timestamp: 2:25

One of the less familiar names was Lapo Elkann, a member of Italy’s powerful Agnelli family.

An Epstein email from 2006 contains the message:

“i called lapo and left a message”

The email can be viewed through Jmail’s searchable Epstein email archive.

The message does not include a surname. The identification of “Lapo” as Lapo Elkann is an inference based on the surrounding network and other records. The email alone does not prove the identity of the person being referenced, much less criminal conduct.

Researchers Bekah Day and Katie Chenoweth explored the Agnelli network, Edoardo Teodorani Fabbri, Paolo Zampolli, and related Epstein records in their investigation, Another Epstein Rabbit Hole Leads to the Agnelli Family. Bekah also published A Crash Course Into the 14 Names.

One correction from the episode is important. Lapo Elkann is not the head of the Agnelli family business empire. His older brother, John Elkann, has held the central leadership roles at Exor and Stellantis.

We also discussed claims that Lapo Elkann and Paolo Zampolli are cousins. The available public material demonstrates overlapping family and social networks, but it does not clearly establish that exact relationship. It should not be presented as confirmed without better documentation.

Jes Staley, Snow White, and the House Testimony

Episode timestamp: 11:01

Jes Staley is the former JPMorgan and Barclays executive whose communications with Epstein have been scrutinized for years.

His 2026 deposition before the House Oversight Committee is now one of the most important primary sources in the congressional investigation.

In that testimony, Staley acknowledged visiting Epstein’s private island approximately three times, visiting the Manhattan townhouse on numerous occasions, and visiting the Zorro Ranch in New Mexico once. He also described one intimate encounter with a member of Epstein’s staff, which he characterized as consensual.

The committee questioned Staley about strange messages involving Disney characters, including Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. Staley said he did not remember what the messages meant and denied having sex with the person described as Snow White.

The official House Oversight deposition transcript allows readers to see those questions and answers in context.

Several referenced exhibits are also searchable through the Epstein document archive:

The testimony does not resolve what the coded language meant. It does show why congressional investigators remain interested in Staley’s communications, travel, relationship with Epstein, and representations about what he knew.

Leon Black and the Contempt Fight

Episode timestamp: 15:16

At the time we recorded, Leon Black was expected to appear for a sworn congressional deposition.

That did not happen.

According to the House Oversight Committee, Black failed to appear for the September 3 deposition, withheld requested nondisclosure agreements, and filed a lawsuit challenging the committee’s subpoenas.

The committee scheduled a September 15 meeting to consider a resolution recommending that the House hold him in contempt of Congress.

The committee says Black paid Epstein at least $158 million after Epstein became a registered sex offender. Black has said the payments were for legitimate tax and estate planning services. He has denied knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct and has challenged the investigation as legally invalid and excessively broad.

The current dispute is therefore about more than Black’s past financial relationship with Epstein. It is also a constitutional and institutional fight over Congress’s ability to compel testimony and records.

Les Wexner and Epstein’s Financial Power

Episode timestamp: 17:14

Les Wexner’s relationship with Epstein has been public knowledge for years.

Epstein managed Wexner’s finances, held an unusually broad power of attorney, and acquired the Manhattan townhouse that became central to later accounts of Epstein’s abuse.

Wexner has said that Epstein misappropriated substantial sums from him and that he severed the relationship after discovering the misconduct. Wexner has denied knowing about or participating in Epstein’s abuse.

The importance of this relationship is not based merely on social association. Wexner’s financial trust helped Epstein acquire money, property, access, and credibility. Investigators still have reason to ask how Epstein obtained that power and who understood how he was using it.

David Copperfield and the FBI Records

Episode timestamp: 17:27

The episode also examined records concerning magician David Copperfield.

Documents reported by The Guardian describe an FBI investigation following allegations by model Lacey Carroll. An FBI memo characterized the connection between Copperfield and Epstein as something investigators believed required examination, including whether women were referred between their circles.

The investigation was later closed, and Copperfield was not charged.

Copperfield has denied allegations of misconduct and has said that he did not know about Epstein’s crimes.

That full context is essential. An FBI lead or investigative theory is not the same thing as a proven allegation. The legitimate question is what investigators examined, what evidence they gathered, why the case was closed, and whether the public record now contains material that was unavailable at the time.

Tom Pritzker and the Political Network

Episode timestamp: 18:02

Tom Pritzker is the executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels and a member of the prominent Pritzker family. Epstein records show communications and social connections involving Pritzker and people within Epstein’s network.

Family association cannot substitute for evidence. Tom Pritzker must also be distinguished from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

One correction from the episode is that JB Pritzker is the governor of Illinois, not the mayor of Chicago.

The broader issue raised by the Pritzker material is how Epstein cultivated wealthy people with influence across business, philanthropy, foreign policy, academia, and politics. Those relationships deserve examination, but a family name or professional affiliation does not establish participation in a crime.

Glenn Dubin, Highbridge, and JPMorgan

Episode timestamp: 20:35

Glenn Dubin was a longtime Epstein associate and the founder of Highbridge Capital Management.

The name of the firm was misstated during the episode. It is Highbridge Capital, not Hybrid Capital.

Staley testified that Epstein introduced him to Dubin and helped facilitate JPMorgan’s acquisition of a controlling interest in Highbridge. Staley described the transaction as important to his career and testified that Epstein received a $10 million fee connected to the deal.

That testimony creates a concrete financial receipt. It demonstrates that Epstein was not merely moving through elite social circles. He was facilitating valuable introductions and transactions between major financial figures.

Dubin has denied allegations of sexual misconduct and has denied knowing about Epstein’s abuse.

Frédéric Fekkai and the Salon Receipts

Episode timestamp: 38:16

Frédéric Fekkai’s name appears in records involving salon services arranged for women and girls within Epstein’s orbit.

One relevant receipt is preserved as EFTA00536881.

The existence of salon appointments is not, by itself, evidence of abuse. The significance comes from testimony and civil allegations claiming that beauty, modeling, and personal care services were used as part of a grooming system.

A House inquiry into testimony from former Epstein assistant Sarah Kellen raised a specific sexual assault allegation involving Fekkai. In September 2026, seven women also filed a civil lawsuit alleging that Fekkai and his salon business helped facilitate Epstein’s grooming and abuse.

Fekkai and his representatives have denied all wrongdoing. The allegations have not been proven at trial.

The distinction between a receipt and the interpretation placed upon it is critical. The receipt establishes that a service was purchased. Testimony and litigation address the contested question of why women were sent there and what allegedly happened around those visits.

The Remaining Names

Episode timestamp: 43:30

Several names were mentioned quickly near the end of the discussion.

Edoardo Teodorani Fabbri

Fabbri is connected to the extended Agnelli family network and appears in Epstein related records. His inclusion appears tied to the same international social network discussed in the Lapo Elkann section.

Jean Luc Brunel

Brunel was a French modeling agent accused by multiple women of supplying and abusing girls. French authorities charged him with offenses involving minors. He died in custody in 2022 before trial, so the charges were never adjudicated.

Daniel Siad

Siad appeared in Epstein’s financial and social network. Public reporting about his role is considerably thinner than the record surrounding figures such as Staley, Black, Wexner, or Brunel. Claims about his conduct require particularly careful sourcing.

Ramsey Elkholy

Elkholy appears in Epstein records and was included in Massie’s floor statement. An appearance in the files or in Massie’s speech is not a criminal finding.

Andrew Mountbatten Windsor

Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her when she was seventeen. Andrew denied the allegations and settled Giuffre’s civil lawsuit without admitting liability.

Lesley Groff

Groff worked as Epstein’s assistant and appears throughout his scheduling and communications records. She has denied knowingly participating in Epstein’s criminal activity.

These names do not all carry the same quantity or quality of evidence. Combining them into one list should not erase those differences.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act II

Episode timestamp: 45:51

The original Epstein Files Transparency Act was supposed to force the federal government to release its Epstein records.

The Department of Justice says it released approximately 3.5 million pages and complied with the law. Massie and other critics argue that millions of responsive records remain withheld, improperly redacted, or hidden behind disputed claims of privilege.

The evolving federal collection can be searched through the Justice Department’s Epstein Library.

Massie’s proposed Epstein Files Transparency Act II, introduced as H.R. 9694, attempts to create enforcement mechanisms that were missing from the first law.

According to Massie’s official summary, the bill would:

Give survivors standing to sue over withheld or improperly redacted records
Allow survivors to obtain their own unredacted federal records, including FBI interview reports
Permit state attorneys general and other authorized state prosecutors to seek access
Give members of Congress a legal path to challenge federal withholding
Require access to unredacted material following qualifying congressional requests
Prevent officials from relying on broad common law privileges to defeat disclosure
Apply existing federal criminal penalties when officials knowingly conceal, destroy, falsify, withhold, or misrepresent responsive records

A discharge petition needs 218 House signatures to force floor action without leadership approval.

The episode referred to roughly seventeen signatures at the time of recording. That number is a snapshot, not a permanent count. The relevant question is whether the petition ultimately reaches 218.

What These Receipts Prove

The records establish several important facts.

Epstein maintained relationships with powerful figures across finance, entertainment, fashion, politics, academia, and international society.

Some of those relationships continued after his 2008 conviction.

His access was valuable. It produced introductions, transactions, professional opportunities, social credibility, and financial rewards.

Federal agencies possessed significant information about Epstein and his network across multiple investigations.

Congress still does not believe it has received the complete federal record.

What the receipts do not prove is that every person who communicated, traveled, worked, or socialized with Epstein participated in his crimes.

The standard should be consistent: investigate credible evidence, protect survivors, release legally disclosable records, preserve due process, and prosecute conduct that can be proved.

What Happens Next

The most immediate developments to watch are:

The House Oversight Committee’s contempt proceedings involving Leon Black
Additional congressional depositions and document demands
The signature count for the EFTA II discharge petition
Civil discovery in lawsuits involving people and businesses accused of facilitating Epstein
State prosecutors seeking records or opening their own investigations
Further releases or corrections from the Department of Justice
Whether evidence against any living person produces an actual criminal referral or indictment

Reading fourteen names on the House floor was politically significant. It was not the end of the investigation.

It was a demand that the investigation finally begin treating Epstein’s network as a network.