New Delhi/London — Indian-American author, physician and wellness guru Deepak Chopra has broken his silence after his name emerged in newly released court documents linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The disclosure, part of a massive tranche of files from the US Department of Justice, includes archived email exchanges between Epstein and Chopra from more than a decade ago.
After the documents triggered backlash online, Chopra took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify his position and deny any involvement in criminal conduct.
‘I Was Never Involved In Any Criminal Or Exploitative Conduct’
In his statement, Chopra made it clear that he did not participate in anything unlawful or exploitative. He wrote: “I want to be clear: I was never involved in, nor did I participate in, any criminal or exploitative activity.”
Chopra also addressed the nature of his communications with Epstein, stating: “Any contact I had was limited and unrelated to abusive behaviour.”
Condemning Abuse And Expressing Sympathy For Survivors
While defending his own conduct, Chopra expressed compassion for victims of exploitation tied to Epstein’s crimes. In his post, he said: “I am deeply saddened by the suffering endured by survivors. I unequivocally condemn abuse and exploitation in all forms.”
This condemnation aligns with broader reactions to the documented revelations, which include references to individuals of various backgrounds without implying any wrongdoing by them. Experts emphasise that being mentioned in the Epstein files does not inherently suggest criminal conduct, but merely that an individual appeared in archived communications.
‘Poor Judgment In Tone’ And Regret
Chopra also addressed the tone of some past emails now in circulation, acknowledging how such content could be troubling in light of Epstein’s crimes. He wrote: “Some past email exchanges have surfaced that reflect poor judgment in tone. I regret that and understand how they read today, given what was publicly known at the time.”
Social media users reacted strongly to informal and at times provocative language appearing in the archives. Among the surfaced messages was an email where Chopra wrote about “cute girls,” a phrase that drew significant online attention and criticism.
Context Of The Epstein Files
The Epstein files are an extensive collection of documents — including emails, court filings and digital communications — released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act after prolonged public and legislative pressure. The files are estimated to contain millions of pages and reference a wide range of political, cultural and business figures.
According to news reports and experts, the presence of a name in these documents does not, by itself, prove involvement in illegal or exploitative activity. Many interactions consist of brief exchanges or references, some of which are purely professional or social.
