Photographer Christopher Anderson Recalls Intimidating Encounter with Jeffrey Epstein
It came as little surprise to Christopher Anderson when he discovered his name among the Epstein files. In 2015, he was commissioned by New York magazine to photograph the American financier for a profile interview by journalist Michael Wolff. Anderson admits he was largely unaware of Epstein's background at the time, not knowing he was a convicted child sex offender who had served time in a Florida jail. "What I knew was that this guy is a rich and powerful man connected to rich and powerful men," Anderson says.
An Unsettling Assignment
Epstein insisted on an advance meeting, which Anderson believes was to "suss me out" and negotiate buying the photo rights for $20,000. Anderson describes Epstein as "quite an unnerving person" who played with "the theatrics of intimidation," aiming to convey that he was someone not to be crossed. The shoot occurred at Epstein's New York City home, featuring a stuffed tiger and what Anderson calls a "creepy" decor reminiscent of Donald Trump. He also noted a young woman with an Eastern European accent taking down a massage table, a detail that has since taken on a sinister meaning.
Intimidation Tactics and Legal Documents
After the magazine article fell through, Epstein began demanding the photos, leading to email exchanges with his secretary Lesley Groff, now part of the 3.5 million pages released by the US Department of Justice. This culminated in Epstein sending a man named Merwin to Anderson's studio. Anderson recalls Merwin as "very large with very large, black leather-gloved hands," describing the incident as "very mafia-esque" and intended to intimidate him into handing over the hard drive.
Recently, Anderson found copies of the photos on another hard drive. One image from Epstein's mansion shows a printed email on a desk, seemingly detailing a $60,000 claim for unpaid staff wages related to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson. The Epstein files suggest the former prince and his then-wife sought Epstein's assistance, possibly to pay the bill on their behalf. "I made a few photographs in his house," Anderson reflects. "I wish I'd made a lot more now."
A Career Spanning Conflict and Celebrity
The Epstein photos are included in Anderson's new book, Index, which showcases his work over the past 30 years. This includes hard-hitting images from Haiti and Afghanistan, street photography from China, and portraits of Donald Trump's inner circle. Born in 1970 in Kelowna, Canada, and raised in Texas, Anderson gained recognition in 1999 when he and journalist Michael Finkel documented 44 Haitian refugees on a sinking boat, earning him the 2000 Robert Capa Gold Medal. This led to assignments in conflict zones like Afghanistan, Gaza, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Now based in Paris, Anderson balances celebrity portraits for magazines with personal projects, including film-making. When Vanity Fair asked him to photograph Trump's White House team, he initially declined, assuming they wanted a "celebrity" treatment. He accepted only after they asked him to "dust off" his "journalist hat." Anderson believes in his role to depict experiences honestly, saying, "That is the job."
Ethical Reflections and Historical Records
When asked if he would still photograph a known paedophile like Epstein today, Anderson affirms he would, stating his responsibility is to "make a photograph that reveals something about that person." Index also features historical images, such as a portrait of Epstein that Anderson says reveals his intimidating nature, a Staten Island Ferry scene evoking immigration themes, a pressured group shot of Trump's inner circle, a market burning in Haiti during political upheaval, and nuns on a flight from Milan to Paris, offering a counterbalance to his war photography.
Index by Christopher Anderson is published by Stanley/Barker, offering a profound look into moments of truth and power across the globe.
