Recent viral images claiming to show Jeffrey Epstein alive in Israel have been thoroughly debunked as an AI-generated hoax. The photos spread rapidly across social media, showing a grey-haired man in sunglasses allegedly walking in Tel Aviv.
Epstein died in August 2019 at age 66 while held at a New York correctional center on federal sex-trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by the medical examiner, though conspiracy theories have persisted for years.
The recent release of additional Epstein-related documents created fertile ground for renewed speculation. Users shared images with captions claiming he was “walking free in Tel Aviv” and pointing to alleged gaming account activity from Israel.
Digital analysis confirmed the images were fabricated using artificial intelligence tools. Google Gemini’s assessment revealed the photos had been edited or created with AI software, with earlier versions containing a visible Gemini watermark that was later cropped out.
Experts identified multiple indicators of artificial generation, including inconsistent lighting, unnatural facial textures, and distorted background elements. These findings definitively confirmed the photos were not genuine.
Separate claims about Epstein’s Fortnite account being active in Israel were also disproven. Epic Games explained that an unrelated player had changed their username to resemble Epstein’s alleged account name after public documents were released.
Authorities continue to maintain that Epstein died in custody in 2019 with no credible evidence suggesting otherwise. Experts urge caution when encountering sensational claims tied to high-profile cases, as realistic AI tools make misinformation increasingly difficult to detect.