Was Jeffrey Epstein really involved in cannibalism? Here's what DOJ files reveal

Ever since the US government permitted the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files related to late sex offender and wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein, multiple disturbing details have now surfaced. The Justice Department released more than three million files in connection with a convicted sex offender on January 30, 2026.

After the DOJ released the files, multiple claims on social media accused Epstein of reportedly eating babies and engaging in cannibalism and in “ritualistic sacrifice.” A video dating back to 2009 has resurfaced showing a 21-year-old model, Gabriela Rico Jiménez, being detained in Guadalajara while making claims about elites eating people, rituals, and human sacrifices at an exclusive party. Since then, the allegations gained traction through multiple posts circulating on social media platforms.

One of the released documents alleged that babies were dismembered and their intestines removed, claiming that some individuals even consumed faeces. The document also referenced “George Bush 1,” though it remains unclear whether this was meant to refer to former US president George H.W. Bush. These claims, however, originated from unverified online accounts.

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Fact-checking against Jeffrey Epstein

While examining the claims circulating online, a fact-checking website, Snopes, confirmed that although the DOJ documents include references to cannibalism and ritual sacrifice, the authenticity of these allegations could not be established. Snopes reported that the claims stemmed from an alleged 2019 interview between FBI officials and an anonymous individual.

The person claimed to have witnessed “ritualistic sacrifices” and “babies being dismembered” aboard Epstein’s yacht in 2000. However, DOJ records show that the individual failed to present any evidence to support these assertions. Further, the documents revealed that the anonymous man did not mention "cannibalism" during the interview, but the consumption of human faeces.

However, terms like "cannibal" or "cannibalism" have surfaced elsewhere in the files released by the department, but there is no evidence or charges of cannibalism connected to Epstein himself. The file also disclosed that the man accused multiple prominent people, including Epstein, of sexually assaulting him on a yacht in 2000.

In the FBI Officials' email, the man claimed he "was a victim of a type of ritualistic sacrifice in which his feet were cut with a scimitar, but left no scarring. On the yacht, he witnessed babies being dismembered, their intestines removed, and individuals eating the faeces from these intestines."

Snopes noted that among the more than three million documents released in phases by the US Justice Department, the term “cannibal” appears 52 times and “cannibalism” six times. However, none of these mentions support the allegations made by the anonymous individual.

The case against the late financier dates back to a 2006 complaint filed by the parents of a 14-year-old girl, who alleged that Epstein had molested their minor daughter at his Florida residence. According to a New York Times report, Epstein paid teenage girls to engage in sexual acts and relied on his former girlfriend and associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, to recruit and oversee his victims.