The Dalai Lama’s office has issued a detailed clarification after reports of his meeting with Jeffrey Epstein started doing the rounds of social media.
According to the Tibetan Computer Resource Center under the Central Tibetan Administration, a close review of the files released by the US Department of Justice shows that the name “Dalai Lama” appears 154 times and “Dali Lama” appears 59 times. However, officials say most of these are repeated entries of the same documents. After removing duplicates, they found that “Dalai Lama” or “Dalai” appears only 59 times, and “Dali Lama” just nine times.
They stressed that these mentions do not show or confirm any meeting between the Dalai Lama and Jeffrey Epstein. They also said there is no record of any donation from Epstein, whether requested or received. They said that the emails released so far, especially from 2015 to 2017, show only that Epstein and his associates were trying to arrange a meeting with the Dalai Lama.
An email dated May 10, 2015, reportedly shows Epstein was still attempting to fix a meeting at that time. This, they say, contradicts claims made by author Michael Wolff that the Dalai Lama met Epstein in 2012. According to the statement, there was no meeting in 2012 or at any other time.
The Dalai Lama’s office also urged media organisations to be careful while reporting on the issue. It warned that misinformation can easily spread and asked news outlets to verify facts thoroughly before publishing. The statement called on independent media to check their research carefully and correct any inaccurate reports in the public interest.
What were the allegations by journalist Michael Wolff
Last year, a journalist named Michael Wolff claimed in the ‘Daily Beast’ podcast, recounting various high-profile figures at Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse during “salons” or gatherings there.
When listing names, he included the Dalai Lama. Wolff’s claim was reported and analysed in articles by independent journalist Jacob Silverman in his Substack piece ‘Why Was The Dalai Lama At Jeffrey Epstein’s House?’
Silverman noted that the Dalai Lama’s office did not respond to questions about any potential donations or Epstein links.
Which other high-profile individuals were named in Epstein files?
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, award-winning filmmaker Mira Nair and Indian-American wellness guru Deepak Chopra were some of the other people named in the newly released documents.
Disclaimer: The mere mention or naming of an individual in emails, documents, or records does not imply wrongdoing, involvement, or malicious intent. The references cited are part of documents released by official US government sources and do not constitute evidence of illegal or unethical conduct.