Newly disclosed emails and documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files show that the convicted sex offender financed experimental genetic testing on himself as part of an apparent interest in regenerative medicine and longevity research, according to a CNN report published Thursday, February 6, 2026.
The records, released by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of a massive disclosure of Epstein-related materials, detail financial transactions and scientific proposals involving Epstein and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. The documents indicate Epstein paid for sequencing portions of his own DNA and explored projects related to stem cells, gene editing, and personalized longevity studies—fields aimed at repairing or regenerating tissues and organs to combat aging and disease.
The physician involved was Dr. Joseph Thakuria, who at the time was a senior doctor at MGH and affiliated with genomic research efforts connected to Harvard Medical School. Thakuria has not previously been publicly linked to Epstein and faces no allegations of wrongdoing or misconduct. He was not employed directly by Harvard University or the Wyss Institute, which oversees the Personal Genome Project—a publicly accessible international database of volunteer-submitted genetic data used to study human traits and diseases.
A spokesperson for Massachusetts General Hospital stated that the institution has no record of authorizing Thakuria to conduct the specific studies referenced in the emails. Thakuria left MGH in 2022.
The documents include a February 2014 proposal Thakuria sent to Epstein seeking funding for a private initiative to sequence patients’ genomes to identify genetic factors linked to their diseases. The proposal also outlined potential research specifically involving Epstein himself.
In June 2014, Thakuria sent Epstein a detailed invoice covering various projects. It included an initial $2,000 charge to sequence part of Epstein’s genome: $1,000 for exome sequencing (covering the protein-coding regions of DNA) and another $1,000 for sequencing fibroblasts—connective tissue cells often used in research on cellular aging and regeneration. Epstein’s staff promptly sent a $2,000 check the same day.
The invoice also projected costs for more ambitious “personalized longevity studies,” including creating induced pluripotent stem cells (starting at $10,000), broader gene-editing experiments, and full-genome sequencing. Sequencing Epstein’s entire genome was estimated at $11,400, or $21,000 if both of his parents’ genomes were included (though the latter was noted as uncertain). If all proposed projects had proceeded, the total cost would have reached $193,400.
Thakuria told CNN in a statement:
“Mr. Epstein was enrolled in the Personal Genome Project, which would study his genetic predisposition to various health conditions. At one point, a $2,000 check was provided to cover DNA sequencing. I was a physician-researcher and he was a research subject. We also had early discussions about his potentially funding research, but that never materialized.”
Thakuria added: “I feel terrible about what his victims went through, and I regret at that time not knowing more about his background and the extent of his crimes.”
The revelations highlight Epstein’s long-standing fascination with transhumanism, genetic engineering, and life-extension science—interests he openly discussed in the years following his 2008 conviction in Florida for procuring a minor for prostitution and solicitation. Epstein cultivated relationships with prominent scientists, hosted gatherings at his properties, and expressed ambitions to “seed the human race” with his DNA using artificial insemination and surrogates—an idea he reportedly floated to multiple researchers.
While the Personal Genome Project is a legitimate open-science initiative that allows volunteers to contribute their genetic data publicly for research, Epstein’s involvement appears to have extended into privately funded experiments focused on his own biology. The documents do not indicate that any stem-cell creation or gene-editing work on Epstein was ever completed, and Thakuria stated that broader funding discussions “never materialized.”
The newly released files have renewed attention on Epstein’s post-conviction activities, his access to elite scientific circles, and the ethical questions surrounding his financial support of research. The disclosures form part of a larger ongoing release of Epstein-related documents by federal authorities, which continues to generate public and media scrutiny over the financier’s network, crimes, and death in custody in August 2019.
No evidence in the released materials suggests Thakuria or the institutions involved were aware of Epstein’s criminal history at the time of the interactions. The latest revelations add another layer to the complex portrait of Epstein’s post-2008 life, during which he maintained significant wealth, influence, and connections despite his conviction.
