Epstein pressed billionaire media mogul to influence coverage, files reveal

Al JazeeraEN 6 min read 100% complete by John PowerFebruary 9, 2026 at 10:59 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

Newly released documents from the US Department of Justice reveal that Jeffrey Epstein pressured billionaire media mogul Mortimer Zuckerman to influence coverage of sexual abuse allegations against him. Following Epstein's 2008 conviction, he leveraged his relationship with Zuckerman, then-owner of the New York Daily News, to try and control the tabloid's reporting. The documents show that after Epstein contacted Zuckerman, the Daily News delayed its coverage and omitted details Epstein requested. In a 2009 email, Epstein shared a "proposed answer" to questions from the newspaper, disputing allegations of abuse involving a minor and Ghislaine Maxwell. The allegations included accusations of routine sexual abuse and maintaining a database of underage girls.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Israel 30% Gaza Strip 30% West Bank 30% Portugal 30% Nepal 30% George Rush 40% Ghislaine Maxwell ×260% United States Department of Justice 60% New York Daily News ×370% Mortimer Zuckerman ×580% Jeffrey Epstein ×690%

Keywords

jeffrey epstein 100% mortimer zuckerman 90% sexual abuse allegations 80% media influence 70% new york daily news 60% child sex trafficking 50% ghislaine maxwell 50% quash coverage 40%