Fake screenshot names Jimmy Kimmel in Jeffrey Epstein documents

"Jimmy Kimmel being mentioned in the Epstein documents," says a January 3, 2024 post on X, formerly Twitter.

The image appears to show a court transcript in which an unidentified person says they met Kimmel twice at Epstein's residence in Palm Beach, Florida and were coerced into giving him massages and sex.

Image

Screenshot from X taken January 3, 2024

Similar posts spread the supposed screengrab across X and other platforms, such as Instagram and Telegram -- where some promoters of the QAnon conspiracy theory embraced it.

The January 3 release of previously undisclosed documents comes as part of a defamation proceeding between Epstein's former mistress Ghislaine Maxwell, who in 2022 was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and a plaintiff against the duo, Virginia Giuffre.

The initial tranche, which includes court depositions and statements, was highly anticipated in conspiratorial internet circles, where fabricated accomplice lists and doctored photos of Epstein and others have circulated for years and fueled speculation about his potential associates in the sex trafficking of minors.

Kimmel a day earlier threatened American football star Aaron Rodgers with legal action after the New York Jets quarterback suggested on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" that the comedian could be listed in the documents.

"A lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, are really hoping that doesn't come out," Rodgers said during the January 2 taping of McAfee's program (archived here).

But the image circulating online is a fake -- there is no mention of Kimmel in the documents (archived here).

The image also suggests the exchange appeared on page 1,375. However, the unsealed records from January 3 contain only 943 pages.

Responding to Rodgers on X, Kimmel said he had no connection to Epstein, who maintained a bevy of high-profile connections including former presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.

"For the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any 'list' other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality," Kimmel said in the January 2 post (archived here).

"Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court."

McAfee of ESPN has apologized for Rodgers's comments. But the baseless allegation still gained traction across platforms such as X, where numerous posts also drew actor Tom Hanks into the fold.

AFP reached out to Kimmel's representatives for additional comment, but no responses were forthcoming.

The comedian has joked about Rodgers on his late-night show numerous times.

In a 2021 segment, for example, he clowned Rodgers for misleading on his Covid-19 vaccination status. Two years later, Kimmel called Rodgers a "tin-foil hatter" for suggesting that public interest in UFOs after the United States shot down an alleged Chinese surveillance balloon was meant to distract from "the Epstein client list."

Rodgers, a four-time NFL Most Valuable Player, has previously promoted misinformation about Covid-19 shots, according to US media and fact-checking organizations. He said in October 2023 that he plans to vote for Robert F Kennedy Jr, a long-time anti-vaccine advocate, in the 2024 presidential election.

AFP has debunked other disinformation about Epstein here.