Newly released documents linked to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein have renewed scrutiny of his long-rumoured fascination with transhumanism, a movement that promotes the use of technology to enhance human physical and cognitive abilities, and allegations that he sought to pursue genetic experiments and so-called “designer baby” projects.
Several years after Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution, including of a minor, records show he paid for experimental medical testing from a senior doctor at one of America’s leading hospitals. The physician, Joseph Thakuria, was at the time a senior doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston and affiliated with large-scale genomic research projects at Harvard Medical School.
In a statement to CNN, Thakuria said Epstein was enrolled in the Harvard Personal Genome Project, a global public database of genetic information contributed by volunteers to advance scientific research into genes and traits. He said Epstein’s participation followed standard consent procedures.
‘Designer Baby’ Project Mentioned In Emails
The latest Epstein files also reveal correspondence linking him to a proposed “designer baby project”. Emails dated August 30, 2018, show programmer Bryan Bishop requesting funds to support research involving genetic enhancement, germline edits, embryo implantation and cloning. In the correspondence, Bishop referred to continued “mouse testing” at a laboratory in Ukraine.
The documents add weight to long-standing reports that Epstein was fixated on transhumanist ideas. According to acquaintances cited in previous media reports, he spoke openly about wanting to “seed the human race with his DNA” and allegedly explored using his New Mexico ranch as a base for such efforts. A New York Times investigation reported that Epstein envisioned multiple women being inseminated with his sperm at the property.
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Unverified Allegations Of Abuse
More disturbing allegations appear in unverified first-person accounts referenced in the files. One woman claimed she gave birth to a child around 2002, when she was 16 or 17 years old, and that the baby was taken from her minutes after birth under the supervision of Epstein’s close associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The diary excerpts describing a “Nazi-like” attempt to create a “superior gene pool” have not been verified by the US Department of Justice.
Unanswered Questions After Epstein’s Death
No children were mentioned in Epstein’s will, and whether he ever fathered children remains unresolved. The documents also reference Epstein’s reported interest in cryonics, the controversial and unproven practice of freezing human bodies after death in the hope of future revival, adding to the disturbing picture of how his wealth intersected with fringe scientific ideas.