The release by the US administration of more than 3 million documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has put dozens of high-profile figures under scrutiny over their correspondence with him. RFI spoke to Frédérique Sandretto, a professor of American civilisation at Sciences Po university, who says while this move was meant to dispel doubts, it has instead enabled conspiracy theorists.
The United States Justice Department on 30 January published nearly 3 million government documents related to Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor and died by suicide in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
The mention of a name in the files does not, in itself, imply wrongdoing by that individual. However, the material has shown how Epstein embedded himself in elite international circles – through introductions, group emails and investment activity.
While some of the public figures named have stepped down from their positions, others have downplayed or denied ties to Epstein.
For Frédérique Sandretto, a professor of American civilisation at Sciences Po university in Paris, the release of such a large number of documents could do more harm than good without proper analysis.
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RFI: How has the publication of these documents by the US administration been received by the public?
Frédérique Sandretto: It was eagerly awaited. It was something [US President Donald] Trump had announced, but he had always backed down, fuelling conspiracy theories that there was something to hide. Finally, the Transparency Act was passed in 2025, with unprecedented consensus between Republicans and Democrats. When you see the documents, there are more than 3 million of them. And you don't know where to start. You feel like you have access to declassified data, which is true. So the gesture is good, but the question is: what do we do with this material?
RFI: How has their publication reignited conspiracy theories surrounding the Epstein case?
FS: It's very visible on social media. We are seeing a resurgence of old conspiracy theories, such as "Pizzagate", which claimed that the campaign manager of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had organised child sex trafficking in a pizzeria.
On platforms such as Reddit, if you type in the word "pizza" you'll see all sorts of conspiracy theories pop up based on the idea of a network of elites working together against the people and a paedophile ring.
Why? Because in the files leaked in recent days, the word "pizza" appears 911 times. It is indeed strange. Some see it as a code word. And that's enough to revive “pizzagate”, a conspiracy theory that emerged nearly 10 years ago, leading some to say, ‘we told you so, that's what it was'.
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RFI: What are the particulars of the Epstein case that fuel such conspiracy theories?
FS: Conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein really began after his death. Many people said to themselves: this man knew too much, he could have blown up the planet, he couldn't have committed suicide, it must have been a disguised suicide...
Added to this are his connections with powerful figures in Silicon Valley, Bill Gates, [the former] Prince Andrew and politicians in Europe. This fuels the idea of a transnational conspiracy, led by powerful elites against the people – especially since the victims were often young girls from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Here we see classic conspiracy theory patterns: the idea of a deep state, a radical opposition between elites and the people, and an anti-Semitic narrative superimposed on top of it all. This has led to theories claiming that Epstein was a Mossad agent.
Finally, the mass declassification of documents gives the impression of a vast web of connections, with new names emerging every day, further fuelling the conspiracy sphere.
RFI: Has the release of the documents, without full context, fuelled conspiracy theories, even if it was intended as a move towards transparency?
FS: There is a very strong desire for transparency, with the declassification of 3 million documents, which is a first in the United States. But what we are seeing is that releasing documents like this, in their raw state, can be counterproductive. It has also reignited all the conspiracy theories.
At the same time, everyone wanted these files and it is very good that the US Department of Justice has published them. They should have been sorted through. Now, anyone can log on and do a search. There are photos that may be shocking, and people whose names are mentioned who are not necessarily connected to Epstein. This can create an association between the name referenced and Epstein. And that can quickly turn into a witch hunt.
The fact that certain passages have been redacted also fuels the conspiracy theory: we are being given information, but not all of it. So we are really on the borderline between the US Congress's desire for transparency and the conspiracy theorists who say, ‘see, these documents prove we were right'. It's all very well to have a right to information, but we also have a right to be cautious. The question remains: what do we do with all this?
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RFI: Is it still possible to dispel the climate of suspicion surrounding the Epstein case?
FS: Trump said that now that he has given everything he had, he hoped we could turn the page. I don't think that's the case.
On the contrary, I think this is the beginning of something much bigger. Everyone wants to find out, to tell themselves that it's not possible that all this has been published without there being something to discover.
I just think that what we're seeing is the tip of the iceberg, and that there will be many more names that will be [thrown about], much more evidence that will come out. It's just a matter of time. All these documents need to be analysed.
This article was adapted from the original version in French by Aurore Lartigue.
