Jeffrey Epstein, the American billionaire convicted of sex crimes, was involved in talks to buy the Greek island of Scorpio, the former property of Aristotle Onassis, according to documents recently released by the US Department of Justice.
The contacts, which took place from August to the end of 2011, show that Epstein was gathering detailed information about the island, however the talks did not lead to a concrete agreement and it remains unclear whether he had a personal interest or was acting on behalf of a third party.
The data is part of about 3 million declassified documents and emails, where materials related to the island purchase have not been censored, except for the email addresses of Epstein’s interlocutors.
Among the people he communicated with were Boris Nikolic, a former associate of Bill Gates, who also had dealings with Epstein, as well as Richard Giraud, a French entrepreneur involved in luxury real estate.
According to the correspondence, on August 5, 2011, Giraud sent Nikolic information about private islands in Greece. The following day, Nikolic forwarded the information to Epstein, describing Scorpion as “one of the most private islands in Greece.”
In the days that followed, Epstein asked for more details, including whether the island’s shoreline was private or public. Nikolic responded that the island was not officially for sale, but promised to verify the requested information.
On August 17, Nikolic informed Epstein that Scorpio was completely private, describing its residences, helipad, and history, including its association with Aristotle Onassis and Jackie Kennedy.
Starting on August 20, a series of direct messages began between Epstein and Giraud, with the latter attempting to secure a private visit to the island. The emails show that Epstein was vacationing in Europe at the time and had persistent questions about privacy and access to the island.
“There is no such thing as a completely private island,” Giraud wrote in one of the messages, later clarifying that Scorpio is private property and entry is not allowed.
In early September 2011, the possibility of a visit in October was discussed, but Epstein, who was in New York, said he could not attend. Subsequent planning efforts, including another round of communications in November and late 2011, never materialized.
The documents show that Epstein’s interest in Scorpio Island remained at the level of talks and exploration, without turning into an agreement or official visit.
