The Dalai Lama – Epstein Connection

 

The latest tranche of Epstein Files has put a rather unlikely figure in the spotlight: the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan religious leader’s name is mentioned hundreds of times in the newly-released documents, with suggestions and allegations that the two maintained some kind of personal relationship. A search for “Dalai Lama” elicits 156 results on the Department of Justice’s website, with other similar queries, such as “Dali Lama” (Epstein had notoriously poor spelling) also prompting dozens of relevant results. A prominent Epstein guest recalls meeting the Buddhist teacher at Epstein’s Manhattan mansion, scene of many of his most serious sex crimes. The Dalai Lama’s office has vehemently denied any connection to the disgraced pedophile and suspected Israeli intelligence operative.

A serial networker, Epstein’s emails show that he worked hard to connect with the Dalai Lama, sending requests out to his web of contacts for an invitation. Joichi Ito, head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, helped him in his endeavors, noting that his close contact, Tenzin Priyadarshi was a Tibetan monk, MIT’s Buddhist chaplain, and had a direct line to the Dalai Lama. As he wrote: 

“Yes. First step would be to meet Tenzin. His student who runs the Dalai Lama center and is now a Director’s Fellow at the Lab and going to start the ‘ethics initiative’ at the Media Lab. We’re working on some cool things like a meeting about cognitive machines and man. I think you’ll probably like him. He can get us the Dalai Lama.”

Epstein would go on to meet with Priyadarshi and donate $50,000 to the Prajnopaya Institute, a Buddhist Center he founded. In 2019, Ito resigned in disgrace over his association with Epstein.

Epstein was excited by the prospect of reeling the lama into his personal network. “I’m working on the dalai lama for dinner” he emailed Soon Yi-Previn, wife of Woody Allen. “Any date for the lunch with Woody and dalai L?” celebrity scientist Lawrence Krauss asked Epstein two weeks later. 

Another message from a redacted sender also hints at a closer relationship than previously known.

“Sorry for that didn’t check my email since yesterday morning. You know that I don’t have an Internet in my phone, why didn’t you call me or text me on my phone if you need me? About the event I told you almost a month ago on the island that Dalai Lama is coming and I want to go there to see him. But I can skip this event if you need my help today.”  (more...)

The Dalai Lama – Epstein Connection