After being mentioned more than 150 times in the Epstein files released by the U.S. department of Justice between December 2025 and January 2026, the Dalai Lama has issued a statement.
References to the 90-year-old spiritual leader include an email that hints at an event involving him on a certain island.
Overall, the Epstein files have connected dozens of high-profile names to the disgraced financier. These names include the current U.S. President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, tech moguls like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and others.
Highlights
- The Dalai Lama has issued a clarification after his name appeared multiple times in the Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
- The files include emails showing Jeffrey Epstein and his associates attempting to arrange a meeting with the Dalai Lama.
- Last year, a journalist claimed he saw the Dalai Lama at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse.
Starting today, February 9, several members of Congress will be able to view the unredacted version of the Epstein files.
Following repeated mentions in the Epstein files, the Dalai Lama has addressed the matter publicly
Image credits: Getty/Elke Scholiers
While members of Congress will be able to view a more transparent form of the Epstein files starting today, to ensure the DOJ did not improperly withhold any information, on Thursday, February 5, China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported that the Dalai Lama appeared at least 169 times in the Epstein files.
The state-run broadcaster mentioned an email in which an unknown sender told Epstein they were considering attending a gathering the Dalai Lama was set to attend.
Image credits: DOJ
“About the event I told you almost a month ago on the island, that the Dalai Lama is coming, and I want to go there to see him. I can skip this event if you need my help today,” the email referenced by CGTN read.
The person in a later email, wrote, “Going now to the event with the Dalai Lama.”
Image credits: DOJ
There is no mention in the emails that the person actually met or saw the Buddhist spiritual leader, who, over the years, has made numerous appearances across the globe.
Several other correspondences in the Epstein files show the pe**phile and his associates attempting to set up a dinner with the Dalai Lama.
Image credits: Getty/Robert Nickelsberg
A May 2015 email shows Epstein writing to Woody Allen’s wife, Soon-Yi Previn, that he is “working on the Dalai Lama for dinner,” while another from around the same time sees him writing, “Fun dinner would be Dali [sic] Lama. Woody Allen and [Noam] Chomsky. Let’s do it.”
That same month, Epstein received an email from scientist Lawrence Krauss asking if “dinner with Woody and Dali Lama [sic] on May 19th” was fixed.
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“I will be coming to town on May 26th, and May 27th is my birthday. It would be a wonderful birthday gift to be involved. Otherwise, unless you want it to be the two of them, I might even consider flying in on a redeye just to be there for the afternoon,” the email added.
Epstein’s reply was concise, as he wrote, “Talk tomorrow.”
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About members of Congress reviewing the Epstein files: they will be prohibited from making copies for further dissemination.
In his statement issued on Sunday, the Dalai Lama denied any meeting with Epstein or his associates
Image credits: Getty/Elke Scholiers
“Some recent media reports and social media posts concerning the Epstein files are attempting to link His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Jeffrey Epstein,” the statement posted on X began.
“We can unequivocally confirm that His Holiness has never met Jeffrey Epstein or authorized any meeting or interaction with him by anyone on His Holiness’s behalf,” it added.
Netizens’ reaction to the clarification issued by the Dalai Lama’s office has been divided.
“Just because Epstein wanted to meet him doesn’t mean it happened,” wrote one user, while another added, “A mention in the Epstein files does not equate to guilt. Many names appear due to administrative records or third-party discussions.”
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“Investigate them all and punish the guilty no matter who they are,” a third opined, while another joked, “Next time it will be me at this rate.”
A Dalai Lama critic, meanwhile, remarked, “I want to believe him that he is honest, but I keep going back to that video where he is asking the little boy to suck his tongue.”
Image credits: DOJ
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Another shared similar sentiment, labeling the Dalai Lama as “the guy who put his tongue in a child’s mouth.”
Last year, a journalist claimed he saw the Dalai Lama at one of Epstein’s residences
Image credits: DOJ
Michael Wolff, during an appearance on The Daily Beast podcast in July 2025, claimed he saw various high-profile figures, including the Dalai Lama, at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse.
At the time, Wolff speculated that the figure's presence in Epstein’s circle could have been an effort to obtain donations for philanthropic purposes.
Image credits: Getty/Kypros
Wolff’s claim was analyzed by independent journalist Jacob Silverman in his Substack piece titled Why Was The Dalai Lama At Jeffrey Epstein’s House?
Though Silverman noted that the Dalai Lama’s office did not entertain his questions about any potential donations or links to Epstein, he pointed out that the spiritual leader had received money from other controversial figures in the past.
Image credits: DOJ
Silverman detailed the Dalai Lama speaking at an event for the multi-level marketing organization NXIVM in 2009.
NXIVM was founded by Keith Raniere in 1998. Raniere was convicted in 2019 on seven criminal charges and sentenced to 120 years in prison.
For his 2009 engagement with NXIVM, the Dalai Lama reportedly received $1 million.
"Worth remembering: the Dalai Lama has long been a political target," a netizen argued
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