A previous assistant to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein claimed to the FBI that Epstein introduced Melania Trump to her future husband Donald Trump, as indicated in documents unveiled by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on January 31, 2026.
The ex-assistant, who pursued a modeling career before working for Epstein between 2005 and 2006, made her statement under a proffer agreement to FBI agents and federal prosecutors in July 2019. Her testimony was part of the DOJ’s massive public release of over three million pages of Epstein-related documents.
This testimony challenges the narrative shared by both President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump about their first meeting. As per the FBI document dated November 2019, the assistant stated: “ZEMPOLI [Zampolli] was trying to buy Elite Models with EPSTEIN. EPSTEIN introduced MELANIA TRUMP to DONALD TRUMP.”
The assistant testified under a proffer agreement, which grants limited immunity in return for truthful statements. Anyone providing false information to the FBI can face up to five years in jail. The document shows the assistant was given immunity to testify, but it does not specify for what charges this immunity was granted.
For a long time, public accounts have attributed the introduction of the couple at the Kit Kat Club in 1998 to Zampolli. The White House referred to a DOJ caution accompanying the file release in response to the new documents. “This production may contain fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos,” the department stated, noting that unfounded and sensational claims were made to the FBI before the 2020 election.
Zampolli, appointed as special envoy for global partnerships by President Trump, is widely recognized as the facilitator of the Trumps’ meeting. However, this new information complicates this narrative and brings into question the nature of connections within Epstein’s social circle during the late 1990s.
The DOJ has released files, including approximately 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, according to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
In October 2025, Melania Trump’s lawyer sent a letter threatening a billion-dollar lawsuit against Wolff over claims linking her to Epstein’s social circle and demanding the retraction of his statements. In response, Wolff filed a preemptive anti-SLAPP lawsuit against the first lady on October 22, 2025, in New York State Supreme Court, invoking free speech laws to counter her attempt to silence him.
The documents also disclose Epstein’s links with several members of President Trump’s inner circle. Steve Bannon conducted a documentary interview with Epstein in the summer of 2019, just weeks before Epstein’s death. Elon Musk also corresponded with Epstein via email on Christmas Day 2012, inquiring about parties and expressing his desire to “hit the party scene.”
Also appearing in the documents is Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who had emailed Epstein about a Caribbean meeting. These messages suggest these figures had closer ties with Epstein than they had previously publicly admitted.
Epstein committed suicide in jail on August 10, 2019, while facing trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was just weeks after his July 2019 arrest, around the same time the former assistant gave her statement to federal investigators.
The Justice Department cautioned that the released files “may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos,” as all public submissions to the FBI were included in the production. Officials stressed that being named in the documents does not necessarily confirm credibility or suggest any wrongdoing. Thousands of references to President Trump are included in the files, but many are simply forwarded news articles and media mentions rather than evidence of criminal conduct.
The files also mention other prominent names like Bill Gates, Ghislaine Maxwell, Brett Ratner, and Kevin Warsh. The documents reveal Epstein’s extensive network of contacts across business, entertainment, and political spheres. Woody Allen texted Epstein, while wellness influencer Peter Attia appeared in the files.
Katherine Keating, the daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, offered to bring her sister to a dinner party hosted by Epstein, as seen in the email exchanges included in the release. These communications showed how Epstein fostered relationships with the children of influential political figures.
Survivors of Epstein’s abuse have criticized the document release, arguing that it revealed their identities despite promises from the DOJ to ensure their privacy.
The criticism heightened after nearly 100 victims had their identities exposed due to insufficient redactions, prompting lawyers representing 300 survivors to demand that the DOJ remove its website. In response, the DOJ took down “several thousand documents” from its website to correct redaction failures that revealed victims’ names, banking details, and other personal information. One survivor reported receiving death threats following the exposure of her private information.
The account of Epstein’s former assistant adds another dimension to the intricate network of relationships that Epstein had established with wealthy and influential individuals over the years. Her testimony, given under legal protections but also under the risk of perjury, is one of thousands of pieces of evidence now available to the public as the investigation into Epstein’s network and activities continues.
