DOJ Files Reveal Epstein Suggested an 'Erotic Massage' for Pope Francis

Newly released Justice Department records include a 2015 email in which convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein suggested inviting Pope Francis for an "erotic massage," even making a crude reference to Jesus. The message appears among millions of documents that shed light on Epstein’s contacts and interests.

The Email

Pope Francis was the subject of one of Epstein's vulgar emails. / Vatican Pool / Getty Images

Epstein’s reply, dated September 23, 2015, read in part: "=hought (sic) id invite him for a massage" and included masked letters and a vulgar line rendered in the records as: "so when he =ears oh jesus Im coming. he feels =appy." The message was a reply to his brother, Mark Epstein, as they discussed the pope’s U.S. visit.

Context

The email was sent seven years after Epstein’s controversial 2008 Florida conviction on child-sex charges that resulted from a plea agreement. At the time of the exchange, Pope Francis was on a U.S. trip that included meetings with President Barack Obama, an address to Congress, an appearance at the U.N. General Assembly and a Mass at Madison Square Garden. Mark Epstein warned Jeffrey that the pope would be "staying around the corner" from his New York residence and joked that Jeffrey should invite him over for an egg cream.

Epstein made lewd comments about Pope Francis. / DOJ

Why It Matters

Observers say the emails reflect more than tastelessness: they show Epstein’s tendency to mock religious figures and to cultivate an interest in Vatican history and politics. Christopher Hale, who runs the Substack "Letters From Leo," said the tone signaled contempt for Pope Francis and the moral authority the papacy represents.

Pope Francis waves as he approaches the St Patrick's Cathedral to lead evening prayers in New York on September 24, 2015. / JEWEL SAMAD / AFP via Getty Images

The DOJ files document Epstein’s broader engagement with Vatican-related subjects: he read Catholic texts and papal biographies, appeared in photos with associates near figures such as Pope John Paul II, and associated with outspoken Vatican critics, including Steve Bannon. In a 2019 text message cited in the records, Bannon wrote that he wanted to "take down Francis," reflecting the political friction between some conservative operatives and the pope over issues such as migration, LGBTQ inclusion and climate policy.

Recent Developments Involving The Papacy

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell meet Pope John Paul II. / Daily Beast

The reporting in these files also notes that Pope Francis died in April 2025. According to the documents, his death occurred one day after a visit from Vice President J.D. Vance to the Vatican residence Casa Santa Marta. The records further describe how critics of the pontiff have shifted their focus to his successor, identified in the files as Pope Leo XIV, who has publicly distanced the church from elements of Trumpism on immigration, foreign policy and climate change.

Those stances drew public pushback from some conservative U.S. politicians and commentators. The White House press secretary responded to criticism by emphasizing that the administration was enforcing immigration law "in the most humane way possible."

VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - APRIL 20: (EDITOR NOTE: STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY - NO MERCHANDISING). Pope Francis meets with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and delegation during an audience at Casa Santa Marta on April 20, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images) / Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

Closing

Jeffrey Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex‑trafficking charges. His former associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted and is serving a 20‑year sentence for her role in his network.