Newly Released Epstein Files Feature Photographs of Professor Stephen Hawking

Recent DOJ documents include photos of Stephen Hawking on Jeffrey Epstein's private island, though the late scientist has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 25, 2026, 5:18 AM EST

Source: Information for this report was sourced from LADbible

Photographic Evidence from Little St. James

The January 2026 document dump has provided the public with a visual record of high-profile guests who visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, Little St. James. Among the most striking images is a snapshot of Professor Stephen Hawking, who passed away in 2018, smiling and holding a cocktail while flanked by two unidentified women in bikinis. The Department of Justice included this image as part of the broader evidentiary trail documenting the social circles maintained by the disgraced financier.

Other photographs released in this tranche confirm Hawking’s participation in a 2006 physics conference hosted by Epstein. These images show the world-renowned scientist enjoying a specialized submarine tour of the island’s seabed, a vessel Epstein reportedly had modified specifically to accommodate Hawking’s wheelchair. While these photos illustrate the level of access and hospitality Epstein provided to academic elites, they do not contain evidence of illicit behavior by the physicist.

The 2015 Email Exchanges and Defense of Hawking

The investigative files also include internal correspondence between Jeffrey Epstein and his associates that specifically mention Hawking. In a 2015 email exchange, Epstein asked Ghislaine Maxwell for assistance in debunking rumors that Hawking had participated in an "underage orgy." This request suggests that even before the full extent of Epstein’s crimes became public, the financier was aware of and concerned about the potential reputational damage such rumors could cause to his high-profile guests.

Why this matters is found in the efforts of other scientists to defend Hawking’s legacy. Theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss is featured in the documents via a 2017 email where he dismissed claims of Hawking’s involvement in illicit activities as "patently ridiculous" given Hawking’s physical condition and character. These defenses highlight the tension between the late scientist’s genuine interest in the scientific conferences Epstein funded and the dark reality of the environment in which those conferences took place.