Deepak Chopra, the well-known wellness entrepreneur and author, has surfaced unexpectedly in newly released documents from the House Oversight Committee related to Jeffrey Epstein.
The more than 20,000 pages of records include several email exchanges between Chopra and Epstein from 2016 to 2018. The messages do not indicate any wrongdoing, however it has raised questions about the relationship between them.
In one exchange from November 2016, Epstein sent Chopra a news article about a woman who had filed, then withdrawn, a civil lawsuit accusing Donald Trump of sexual abuse at an event linked to Epstein.
Chopra replied by asking whether the case against Epstein had also been dropped. When Epstein confirmed it had, Chopra responded, “Good.”
Deepak Chopra’s mail exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein
Another chain from July 2016 shows Chopra asking Epstein for information about Marla Maples, Trump’s second wife, and telling him that “Anything we share is between us.”
Epstein replied that he trusted Chopra and recounted a personal anecdote involving Trump, a $10,000 bet over Maples’ pregnancy and a truckload of baby food.
The release of the emails has drawn attention in part because Chopra, whose public image is rooted in meditation, spirituality and holistic health, has had no previous public association with Epstein.
Chopra rose from a medical career in Boston to become one of the most influential figures in the global wellness industry, with a vast catalogue of books, retreats and courses.
The documents provide no further context for the communications, and many other names in the files remain redacted.
Still, Chopra’s appearance in Epstein’s correspondence has added an unexpected twist to the broader effort by lawmakers to map the late financier’s network and contacts.
Who is Deepak Chopra?
Deepak Chopra is one of the most famous figures in the wellness world, but his career began far from meditation retreats and spiritual books. He was born in New Delhi in 1946 to cardiologist, Krishan Lal Chopra.
His family expected him to follow a traditional medical path, and he did. He went to St. Columba’s School and later studied at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, graduating in 1969.
After working in rural India, Chopra left for the United States in 1970. Because Indian doctors were not allowed to take the US licensing exam inside India, he first flew to Sri Lanka to sit for the test. He passed, moved to New Jersey and began an intense medical internship at Muhlenberg Hospital.
Over the next few years, he became board-certified in internal medicine and specialised in endocrinology. His career grew quickly, and by 1980 he was Chief of Staff at New England Memorial Hospital, a position few first-generation immigrant doctors held at the time.
His life changed in 1985 when he met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation. Chopra left hospital medicine, embraced Ayurveda and began focusing on the mind-body connection.
He opened the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center and soon started gaining national attention. His calm way of speaking and mix of Eastern and Western ideas made him popular, especially once he began appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Through the 1990s and 2000s, Chopra became a global wellness brand. He wrote book after book, now more than 95 in total and co-founded the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in 1996.
His business expanded to include retreats, online courses, herbal products and meditation programmes. Over time, he became one of the best-known voices in alternative health and spirituality, building an empire worth tens of millions of dollars.
Deepak Chopra’s personal life and net worth
Chopra has been married to his wife, Rita Chopra, since 1970. The two met in India and married just before moving to US. They have two children: Gotham Chopra, who is now a well-known filmmaker and media entrepreneur, and Mallika Chopra, who is an author and wellness speaker in her own right.
When it comes to finances, Deepak Chopra is one of the most successful figures in the global wellness industry. His net worth is estimated at over $80 million, coming from a wide range of projects and businesses he has built over several decades.
His earnings include income from more than 95 books, many of which became international bestsellers, as well as profits from the Chopra Center, meditation retreats, online courses, speaking engagements and brand collaborations.
(Financial Express has not independently verified the allegation. We have reached out to Deepak Chopra for comment and are awaiting a response.)