Epstein sought to bring entourage of women on 2013 SpaceX visit, e-mails show

WASHINGTON – Jeffrey Epstein attempted to bring three women who were foreign nationals with him for a tour of SpaceX’s headquarters in 2013, e-mails released by the US Justice Department show, an effort that raised security concerns within the Elon Musk-run company.

The women, described in various e-mails as Epstein’s “assistants” or “girls”, comprised two Russians and a South African, according to correspondence between Ms Lesley Groff, Epstein’s long-time executive assistant, and Ms Mary Beth Brown, Mr Musk’s former aide.

While Epstein went on the tour, which included lunch with Mr Musk, the e-mails suggest the women were not allowed past the lobby.

The visit is another example of how Epstein sought to ingratiate himself and his associates with high-profile people, pushing boundaries even after the convicted sex offender was released from jail in 2009.

While Epstein died behind bars in 2019 in what the authorities

ruled a suicide

, the recent release of millions of pages of his personal correspondence has pulled back the curtain on how he operated.

There have been previous reports that Epstein visited SpaceX’s Hawthorne, California, facility, but the circumstances surrounding his planned entourage add a new wrinkle.

SpaceX, which ferries astronauts to and from the International Space Station for NASA and launches satellites for commercial customers and the US military, is subject to strict rules under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Access to SpaceX facilities is often restricted to US citizens because the company’s rockets and spacecraft are considered defence-related technology.

The company has previously denied that Epstein had ever visited. Mr Musk posted on social media in July 2020 that Epstein “never toured SpaceX” to the best of his knowledge.

The new trove of e-mails,

released on Jan 30, shows more than 20 e-mails over multiple days involving Epstein’s and Mr Musk’s assistants – and some involving the men themselves – to plan the February 2013 visit. In one, Mr Musk advised Epstein on the best airport to fly into to get to SpaceX’s headquarters quickly.

‘Thanks for the tour’

After Epstein’s assistant reached out directly to Mr Musk on Feb 19, 2013, Mr Musk’s assistant responded the next day: “Shall we organise a lunch for Elon and Jeffrey to get together at SpaceX in the coming weeks?”

They settled on lunch for Feb 25 and exchanged several more e-mails discussing whether Mr Musk would like to visit Epstein’s ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, though he was busy and declined the invitation, as well as dietary restrictions for the planned lunch and details of who would accompany Epstein to SpaceX.

“Jeffrey is a US citizen, but he will have assistants with him who are not,” Ms Groff wrote in one e-mail. “They all have passports and proper paperwork. I’m pretty sure he will bring them all with him. Will this be ok?”

Mr Musk’s aide requested scans of their passports for security clearance and asked whether they would all dine with him. Later that day, after confirming receipt of the passports, she followed up to say the foreign nationals would not be cleared for a full tour.

“They are welcome to come into the lobby area/conference room adjacent to the lobby,” Mr Musk’s aide wrote. “I’m happy to provide lunch, but they will be unable to enter the main facility.”

The e-mails suggest Epstein did take the women to SpaceX – one sent on the day of the visit said he and three of his assistants would be attending – but it is not clear how far into the facility they went.

On Feb 26, the next day, Epstein e-mailed Mr Musk directly: “Thanks for the tour, you would have had fun at Xmas.”

Mr Musk responded, “I see”, with a smiling face emoji. BLOOMBERG