Newly released documents from the Department of Justice have brought to light a series of email exchanges between Mehmet Oz, the current administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. These communications, including an invitation to a Valentine's Day party in 2016, occurred after Epstein had served a sentence for soliciting a minor and was listed as a registered sex offender.
The emails, exchanged between 2012 and 2016, were part of a broader set of files that have recently drawn public attention to past interactions between high-profile individuals and Epstein. Specifically, the invitation sent by Dr. Oz and his wife, Lisa, through Paperless Post, has placed Oz among these figures, triggering discussions about the judgment and associations of those in public service.
The details surrounding the emails surfaced when the DOJ published a selection of documents that shed light on various communications with Epstein post-conviction. Notably, one email, dated January 1, 2016, was encrypted and could not be read among the released files.
Dr. Oz, a longtime television host, was appointed to lead CMS by President Donald Trump. The administration has not yet responded to media requests for comment on the matter. The revelation of Oz's past interactions with Epstein has coincided with increased scrutiny of other officials within the Trump administration.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before Congress, facing allegations from Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) of misleading both the public and Congress regarding the extent of his relationship with Epstein. In a previous statement to the New York Post, Lutnick had claimed he cut ties with Epstein after feeling "creeped out" from their initial 2005 meeting. However, the recent document release indicates Lutnick and his family visited Epstein's private island in 2012.
When President Trump was asked about Lutnick's visit to the island, he stated he was not aware of it and had not discussed it directly with Lutnick.
The broader context of these revelations ties back to the scrutiny Epstein's network has faced following his 2019 death in federal custody while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Public records and disclosures have gradually uncovered the extent to which Epstein was connected to influential figures across various sectors.
As for Dr. Oz, the documents specifically point to the email communications and the social invitation sent to Epstein, with no allegations of criminal involvement on Oz's part in the released material. The situation reflects the ongoing public and legal interest in Epstein's associations, as additional records continue to emerge through litigation and government disclosures.
The dialogue about Epstein's relationships remains active on social media, with a recent tweet from Molly Ploofkins highlighting Oz as the latest Trump administration official mentioned in the Epstein files.
