Epstein and Jehovah’s Witnesses
How was Epstein connected to Watchtower?
Recently discovered information was translated from Spanish regarding a possible link to Jeffery Epstein and Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was edited to reflect key information. There are some interesting allegations that may be true or untrue, but for the reader, it might provide the basis for something to research. **
**UPDATE: Research was done, see below at the end.
Was the Watchtower involved with Jeffrey Epstein?
When the first list of Jeffrey Epstein came out in the year 2022, artificial intelligence was not controlled as it is today. If you ask AI today what linkage there is to JWorg today, it restricts it. But almost four years ago, AI said something very interesting relating to Jeffrey Epstein and Jehovah's Witnesses.
AI was asked:
"Is the name of any member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses on Epstein’s guest list?"
AI stated, "Yes, two members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses appear on Jeffrey Epstein's guest list. The names are Samuel Herd and Jeffrey Jackson. The list was published in the New York Times in 2022 and includes the names of the people who attended Epstein's parties on his private island."
Next, AI was asked:
Does any name of a Jehovah's Witness appear in Jeffrey Epstein's activities?
“In 2023, the lawyer for Jehovah's Witnesses, Mark Rowley, submitted an affidavit to a court stating that there is no evidence that any Jehovah's Witness was involved in any crime related to Jeffrey Epstein.”
Next question:
What connection does Jeffrey Epstein have with Jehovah's Witnesses?
“The link between Jeffrey Epstein and Jehovah's Witnesses is complex and still not entirely clear. Epstein was a generous donor to the organization in 2009. He donated ten million dollars to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, the legal entity that runs Jehovah's Witnesses internationally. This donation was intended for the construction of a new training center for missionaries in Patterson."
“Also, some of Epstein’s accomplices were associated with Jehovah's Witnesses. In 2019, Florida police arrested Ghislaine Maxwell, a friend and associate of Epstein. Maxwell was involved with Jehovah's Witnesses for twenty years, and her father, Robert Maxwell, was a significant donor to the organization. In addition, Alan Dershowitz, a lawyer who defended Epstein in court, was also an advocate for Jehovah's Witnesses in legal cases related to religious freedom.”
It is important to clarify that this was asked of artificial intelligence in 2023, which was not as controlled as it is now in 2026. Current AI is restricted from saying certain things.
What is official is that Jeffrey Epstein was interested in buying the Watchtower buildings in 2017. Also, his relationship with Donald Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who, in the end, were the ones who bought the Watchtower properties in Brooklyn.
** Most of the information is debunked in the research below:
Epstein and the Watchtower are from a Spanish conspiracy site. Here are the facts:
No, the provided information is largely not true. It mixes a few loose, distorted facts with unsubstantiated rumors, apparent AI hallucinations from older models (pre-2024), and claims that circulate mainly in ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses online communities (Facebook groups, Reddit’s r/exjw, Instagram reels).
These have no backing in court documents, Epstein’s released files/emails/flight logs, news reports, or official records. Here’s a point-by-point fact-check based on publicly available sources, including Epstein document releases (up through 2026), mainstream reporting, and JW.org announcements:
Governing Body members (Samuel Herd and Geoffrey Jackson) on Epstein’s “guest list.”
False. No credible evidence exists. Their names do not appear in any released Epstein flight logs, “black book,” island visitor mentions, or unsealed court files (from the 2015 Giuffre v. Maxwell case, 2024 unsealing, or later 2025–2026 DOJ releases). Searches across news archives, court dockets, and the files themselves turn up zero hits.
The 2022 “first list” claim appears to stem from early AI hallucinations or forum speculation that spread virally in ex-JW circles. Current (and past) releases confirm this.
Mark Rowley’s 2023 affidavit denying JW involvement
False / fabricated. No such affidavit or court filing exists. “Mark Rowley” is the name of the UK Metropolitan Police Commissioner (unrelated to JWs or Epstein). No JW legal representative by that name, no 2023 court submission on this topic, and no mainstream or legal database reference. It only appears in the same viral Facebook posts as the other claims.
$10 million Epstein donation to Watchtower in 2009 (for Patterson training center)
False. No record of any donation from Epstein (or his foundations) to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Patterson facilities, or Jehovah’s Witnesses. Epstein’s known charitable giving is documented elsewhere (universities, science, etc.). This claim appears exclusively in the same ex-JW conspiracy posts with zero supporting evidence, receipts, tax filings, or news mentions.
Ghislaine Maxwell “involved with JWs for 20 years” + Robert Maxwell as donor
False. Ghislaine Maxwell has no known connection to Jehovah’s Witnesses—her background is Jewish/British socialite. This is almost certainly a confusion with Sarah Kellen (one of Epstein’s longtime assistants/schedulers, often called a co-conspirator in victim lawsuits). Kellen was raised in a strict Jehovah’s Witness family, married young, left/disfellowshipped, and began working for Epstein around age 22. She has described herself as a victim, too. Robert Maxwell (Ghislaine’s father) was a Jewish media mogul with no documented JW donations or ties.
Alan Dershowitz as “an advocate for Jehovah’s Witnesses in legal cases.”
Partially true but overstated. Dershowitz (who represented Epstein in 2008) has written positively about religious liberty cases involving JWs (e.g., the 1943 flag-salute case in his book Chutzpah). He has referenced JW parental rights issues in broader religious freedom discussions. However, there is no record of him directly representing the organization or Governing Body in any specific JW-related litigation.
Epstein was “interested in buying the Watchtower buildings in 2017.”
Partially true (minor real-estate mention). Recent Epstein email releases (2025–2026 DOJ batches) do include a 2017 email thread mentioning “the Watchtower building” (addressed to Epstein from David Mitchell). It appears in the context of real estate discussion. However, the main Brooklyn Heights Watchtower headquarters (25-30 Columbia Heights) and related properties were already sold by JWs in 2016. No evidence that Epstein actually bought, bid on, or closed any deal.
The properties went to developers. “Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner… bought the Watchtower properties in Brooklyn.”
True (with nuance). Jared Kushner’s family company (Kushner Companies) led a joint-venture purchase of the Watchtower HQ complex for $340 million in 2016, partnered with CIM Group and LIVWRK. They later sold their stakes. JW.org publicly announced the sales. Trump himself had no direct involvement; the connection is through his son-in-law’s family real-estate firm. Epstein and Trump did know each other socially in the 1990s/2000s, but that’s separate from the property deal.
Bottom line: The sensational core claims (Governing Body on Epstein’s island/guest list, huge secret donation, Maxwell family JW ties, lawyer affidavit) are not supported by any evidence and appear to be a viral hoax/misinformation blend that older AI models repeated before guardrails tightened. The real (minor) overlaps are: One former JW (Sarah Kellen) worked for Epstein. A passing 2017 email mention of the already-sold Watchtower building. The Kushner Companies real-estate purchase (2016). Jehovah’s Witnesses have faced ext