Newly released files from the US justice department have shed further light on the close friendship between Noam Chomsky and Jeffrey Epstein, undermining the academic's earlier claims that their relationship was primarily financial. The documents, made public under a congressional transparency law, include emails showing Chomsky seeking Epstein's advice on personal and legal matters, as well as social plans.
In one exchange from February 2019, Epstein told an associate that Chomsky had advised him on how to handle negative press following his 2008 guilty plea for soliciting a minor. Chomsky reportedly wrote, 'The best way to proceed is to ignore it... especially now with the hysteria about abuse of women, where even questioning a charge is a crime worse than murder.' This advice came months before Epstein's death in federal custody.
The emails also reveal Chomsky contacting Steve Bannon, former White House strategist, for an introductory meeting, noting that Epstein had provided Bannon's contact details. Additionally, Epstein's then-girlfriend Karyna Shuliak offered to send Chomsky and his wife genetic testing kits.
Financial dealings between the two are also detailed, including Chomsky consulting Epstein over a dispute involving a $187,000 payment and a $20,000 cheque arranged by Chomsky's wife, Valeria, for a linguistics challenge. Chomsky's earlier statements that their relationship was mainly financial have been contradicted by the personal nature of the correspondence.
The documents include plans for social gatherings, with Chomsky expressing a desire to visit Epstein's Caribbean island. In 2016, Epstein invited the Chomskys to New York or the Caribbean, to which Noam replied, 'I'm really fantasising about the Caribbean island.' Neither Chomsky nor his wife responded to requests for comment on the authenticity of the emails.
