Jeffrey Epstein was apparently interested in genetic engineering.Image: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
Feb 6, 2026, 2:28 p.mFeb 6, 2026, 2:28 p.m
A week ago today, the US Department of Justice released three million pages of new documents about Jeffrey Epstein. As a result, more and more new details about the convicted sex offender are coming to light.
One of these details is that Epstein had paid for genetic testing – apparently with the intention of using his own genetic material for regenerative medicine. This aims to repair the body by developing new tissues and organs when the old ones wear out. He is said to have hoped to be able to prolong his life – but he ended it himself in his prison cell in 2019.
Researcher Joseph Thakuria, who was in contact with Epstein, played a major role in Epstein’s plans. At the time, Thakuria was part of a large-scale genomic research project. Opposite CNN He also explained that he had taken part in the Harvard Personal Genome Project. This is a huge public global database of genetic information from volunteers that is intended to make genetic research easier for scientists.
Among the newly released documents is a proposal Thakuria emailed to Epstein in February 2014. Epstein was asked to fund a private project to sequence patient genomes to learn more about the genetic causes of their diseases. At the same time, he offered Epstein a special genetic test.
A few months later, Thakuria issued Epstein an itemized invoice for several projects, including an initial payment of $2,000 for sequencing part of Epstein’s genome. The invoice shows that Epstein provided a saliva sample. Epstein’s employees sent a check for $2,000 that same day.
The check for $2000.Image: us justice department
In a statement, Thakuria told CNN:
«Mr. Epstein was involved in the Personal Genome Project, which aimed to study his genetic predisposition to various health conditions. […] I was a doctor and researcher, and he [Epstein] was a research participant. […] We also had initial discussions about possible funding for his research, but that never happened.”
Thakuria feels “terrible because of what his victims went through.” He regrets that he “didn’t know more about his background and the extent of his crimes at the time,” said the researcher.
His suggestion was to modify Epstein’s stem cells using the then-new CRISPR technology to incorporate possible life-extending mutations. The offer was exclusive to Epstein because the capacity for such a project was limited, he told CNN. The bill also listed other research options, including new stem cells starting at $10,000 and extensive longevity studies. Sequencing Epstein’s entire genome was expected to cost $11,400, including $21,000 including the parents. In total, the entire project should cost $193,400.
Jeffrey Epstein was annoyed by delays.Image: US Justice Department
It is not known whether Epstein paid this bill. However, email communications between Thakuria, Epstein and his assistants continued until at least 2015. Epstein’s assistants attempted to follow up on the researcher’s initial work. Epstein himself was annoyed by the delays and threatened Thakuria with reporting him to his superiors if the results were not available soon. (hkl)