Newly released emails from the Epstein files show that Jeffrey Epstein, years after his first criminal conviction, quietly paid for genetic testing as part of what appears to have been an effort to explore regenerative medicine and longevity research using his own biological material.
The correspondence suggests that Epstein was not simply curious about science, but actively pursuing cutting-edge genetic work aimed at repairing or extending the human body, a field that focuses on developing new tissues and organs as others deteriorate with age.
Several years after his 2008 conviction on prostitution-related charges, Epstein paid for experimental testing through a physician affiliated with one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the United States. That doctor, Joseph Thakuria, was at the time a senior physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and affiliated with large-scale genomic research at Harvard Medical School.
In a statement to CNN, Thakuria said Epstein was also enrolled in the Harvard Personal Genome Project, a public, global database in which volunteers allow scientists to study genetic traits and variations.
Thakuria has not previously been publicly linked to Epstein and is not accused of wrongdoing. A Harvard spokesperson said Massachusetts General Hospital is an affiliate of Harvard but clarified that Thakuria was not directly employed by Harvard or the Wyss Institute, which oversees the Personal Genome Project. The hospital has no record of approving the studies described in Epstein’s emails. Thakuria left Massachusetts General Hospital in 2022, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Among the documents released by the US Department of Justice is a proposal Thakuria sent Epstein in February 2014. In it, Thakuria sought funding for a private genomic sequencing project involving patients with various diseases, while also outlining specific genetic investigations tailored to Epstein himself.
A few months later, in June 2014, Thakuria sent Epstein an invoice detailing a menu of research activities. The document shows an initial $2,000 payment for sequencing part of Epstein’s genome and exploring what were described as “personalized longevity studies,” including the use of gene-editing techniques. The invoice indicates Epstein provided a saliva sample.
The $2,000 payment covered $1,000 for sequencing Epstein’s exome, the protein-coding portion of the genome, and another $1,000 for sequencing fibroblasts, connective tissue cells that have become central to experimental research into reversing aspects of aging.
Epstein’s staff sent a $2,000 check the same day.
“Mr. Epstein was enrolled in the Personal Genome Project, which would study his genetic predisposition to various health conditions. At one point, a $2,000 check was provided to cover DNA sequencing,” Thakuria said.
“I was a physician-researcher and he [Epstein] was a research subject,” he added. “We also had early discussions about his potentially funding research, but that never materialized.”
“I feel terrible about what his victims went through, and I regret at that time not knowing more about his background and the extent of his crimes,” Thakuria said.
The proposal also discussed editing Epstein’s stem cells using CRISPR gene-editing technology to “introduce mutations in culture believed to increase longevity.”
“I’m only offering this to Jeffrey. Because of all the labor involved, there’s simply not enough bandwidth to offer this to more than a handful of people right now,” Thakuria wrote.
The invoice listed further possible projects, including creating new stem cells starting at $10,000, broader longevity studies involving other participants, and full genome sequencing for Epstein at an estimated $11,400, or $21,000 if both of his parents were included, with the caveat that this might not be feasible.
Altogether, the proposed work could have cost $193,400. CNN found no record that Epstein paid for the more extensive services. However, emails between Thakuria, Epstein, and Epstein’s assistants continued into 2015, with staff following up on progress. At one point, Epstein expressed frustration over delays and threatened to report Thakuria to his superiors if results were not delivered more quickly.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
His interest in genetic science was not new. Through his now-defunct foundation, Epstein donated to the World Transhumanist Association, now called Humanity+, which promotes using science and technology to expand human capabilities and reverse aging. Epstein also reportedly discussed using his own genes to help seed a new human race.
The latest emails deepen scrutiny of Epstein’s relationships with leading figures in genomic research and raise uncomfortable questions about how some scientists may have viewed him as a funding source despite his criminal past.
Thakuria told CNN he was introduced to Epstein by George Church, a prominent Harvard geneticist and pioneer of CRISPR technology, as a potential research subject for the Personal Genome Project. Church has previously acknowledged his association with Epstein and apologized in 2019 for maintaining ties after Epstein’s conviction, describing it as “nerd tunnel vision.” He has not been accused of wrongdoing and did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Some elements of the proposed research remain unclear. The largest line item in Thakuria’s invoice, $160,000, was for something called “The Venus Project.”
“Jeffrey and [I] briefly discussed a genomic research studying [sic] I’m dubbing the Venus project (he’ll know what this),” Thakuria wrote. “I can do this for him but doing this work would be greatly aided by having some good bioinformatic infrastructure.”
“[Epstein] mentioned 200 participants being in this project — I can deliver on this ‘Venus’ research,” he added.
Thakuria said the project never progressed beyond an early idea.
“He was interested in the genetics of facial features. There was no funding, and no research”.
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