Conspiracy theories proliferate
Green party leaders counter that the German public needs an open investigation in order to counter proliferating online conspiracy theories related to the Epstein files, many of them propagating antisemitic worldviews.
There was a “sustained surge” of antisemitic content across major social media platforms following the U.S. Department of Justice’s latest drop of documents related to Epstein and his crimes at the end of January, according to a study by Democ, a Berlin-based nonprofit that researches anti-democratic movements. In Germany, social media accounts associated with the extreme right have “adopted and amplified” such conspiracy theories, the study says.
“If you leave it to others to explain and comment, conspiracy theories and narratives will sprout up,” Mihalic and von Notz said in their statement to POLITICO. “The federal government must finally counter such wild and sometimes absurd speculation with decisive and transparent action.”
While no high-profile individuals in Germany have been directly connected to Epstein, German companies have been linked to the financier — most notably Deutsche Bank, which counted the convicted sex offender as a client.
Germany’s largest bank had said it would cut ties to Epstein at the end of 2018, according to a Reuters report based on U.S. documents, but the institution only cut those ties following Epstein’s arrest in July 2019, the report says.
“As repeatedly emphasized since 2020, the bank acknowledges its mistake in accepting Jeffrey Epstein as a client in 2013,” Deutsche Bank said in a statement sent to POLITICO. “Since then, the bank has invested substantially in training, controls, and improving its operational processes, and has significantly strengthened its controls to combat financial crime.”
“We deeply regret our business relationship with Epstein at that time.”
German lawmakers will discuss calls for an investigation during a Friday parliamentary debate initiated by the Greens.