Epstein’s ‘Men’s Club’ and Women’s Marginalisation

The U.S. Department of Justice has released millions of emails from the notorious convicted s/e/x offender Jeffrey Epstein. Among them, The Guardian highlighted one randomly selected email that starkly illustrates the gendered hierarchy within Epstein’s social networks.

The email, dated a Saturday evening in February 2013, was sent by Epstein to an assistant of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. It contained a guest list for a high-profile dinner he was organising. The email began simply: “For Bill.” Epstein then enumerated potential attendees:

Notably, after listing ten powerful men, Epstein added Anne Hathaway’s name with the qualifier “really,” signalling that he was not joking. At the time, the idea of a woman attending such gatherings was highly unusual, and his insistence highlighted the exceptional, almost tokenised, presence of women. He concluded the list with a tentative mention of “Victoria’s Secret models?”

Epstein’s email went further, asking his assistant: “Which of the people on the list do you think Bill would enjoy the most?” This question underscores the male-dominated, transactional nature of his elite gatherings, where women’s presence was largely ornamental.

The broader collection of emails reveals a disturbing pattern. Epstein and his network of affluent, influential men—including politicians, entrepreneurs, and financiers—used women primarily for domestic, social, or sexual purposes. Women were expected to organise meals, attend to social functions, and provide sexual companionship. One email to a male associate read: “Thorbjorn Jagland, Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, will be in New York with me. You may find him attractive.”

In contrast, emails to women frequently contained sexually explicit content, directives regarding physical appearance, and health instructions. For example, in July 2017, Epstein instructed an unidentified woman: “See a doctor to reduce your nose before age 23.”

Epstein’s executive assistant, Lesley Groff, coordinated these arrangements, ensuring the women were ready for interactions with high-profile men such as Larry Summers, Elon Musk, and Richard Branson. Groff’s responsibilities included scheduling, meal preparation, and managing the women’s roles in these meetings.

The Epstein archives thus delineate two distinct groups:

These documents offer a rare window into the entrenched patriarchal structures of elite social networks. They reveal how men reinforce influence through mutual favour, socialising, and transactional relationships, while women are systematically marginalised. The files also provide insight for researchers and the public into the mechanisms of power, gender inequality, and exploitation at the highest levels of global society.

Epstein’s controlling behaviour extended into his personal relationships, dictating women’s appearances, health treatments, and behaviour, highlighting the pervasive and systemic abuse of power within his sphere.