Democratic Senate Candidate Graham Platner Confronted by Epstein-Linked Donations and Nazi Tattoo Scandal
Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner has launched fierce criticism against what he terms the 'Epstein class,' yet financial records reveal he accepted thousands of dollars from a family foundation associated with a close associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Platner is competing in the primary election against Maine Governor Janet Mills, aiming to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in the November general election.
Platner's Campaign Against Collins and Epstein Files
Platner has targeted GOP incumbent Susan Collins for her refusal to vote in favor of releasing the Epstein files, accusing her of 'protecting pedophiles and abusers' and questioning 'whose bidding is she doing?' However, Platner's own connections to Epstein's wider network are now under intense scrutiny, potentially undermining his moral stance on the issue.
Funding from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation
Platner, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, returned to Maine in 2018 to work on an oyster farm initiated by a friend, eventually taking over the business. According to an article from the Maine Small Business Development Centers, Platner received a $20,000 grant in 2021 from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to support the expansion of his oyster farm. The foundation, based in Athens, Greece, was established following the death of Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos I in 1996 and currently lists his son, Spyros Niarchos, as a board member.
Spyros Niarchos' Links to Jeffrey Epstein
Spyros Niarchos has been identified by the Greek newspaper Documento as a member of the 'inner circle of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.' His name appears in several of the Epstein files released by the Department of Justice in recent months, though it is important to note that inclusion in these documents does not automatically imply wrongdoing.
In a January 2018 conversation between Epstein and a redacted individual, Epstein inquires, 'Is there a new boy?' to which the response is, 'Yes, there is an older man, you will be proud of me.' When Epstein asks for the older man's identity, the redacted person reveals it is Spyros Niarchos and advises Epstein to keep it confidential. Subsequent emails in the same thread show Epstein describing Spyros Niarchos as 'very interesting' and referencing a 'beautiful Venezuelan girl' as a mutual friend from the 1980s.
Further emails from April 2018 reveal Epstein requesting assistance with 'girls with great task to help decorators' for his island, to which a redacted person replies, 'What nationality and age do you want? I am in saint moritz with Spyros now!' Epstein responds, 'up to 30yrs.' Other Niarchos family members, including Stavros Niarchos III, the grandson of the shipping mogul, are also named in the files. Stavros Niarchos III co-hosted a 2013 Halloween party that Epstein was invited to attend and has previously dated Paris Hilton and is now married to Dasha Zhukova, ex-wife of former Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich.
Nazi Tattoo Controversy and Political Fallout
Platner has additionally faced significant backlash over a Nazi tattoo discovered on his chest. A video surfaced showing an inebriated Platner, stripped down to his underwear, celebrating his brother's wedding while singing and dancing to Miley Cyrus' 'Wrecking Ball.' On the left side of his chest, a 'Totenkopf' tattoo was visible, a symbol associated with the SS during Nazi Germany.
In response, Platner released a statement last fall explaining that he had covered the tattoo, asserting he was unaware of its SS connotations when he drunkenly acquired it with Marine Corps buddies in Split, Croatia, in 2007. 'I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that – and to insinuate that I did is disgusting. I already had the tattoo covered with a new design,' Platner stated. He later showcased the new tattoo in a video on X, describing it as 'a Celtic knot with some imagery around dogs, because my wife Amy and I, love dogs.'
Platner has claimed that the stories about his Nazi tattoo are part of an establishment plot to sabotage his candidacy, telling local station WGME, '[My donors] know that this is all nonsense. It is no surprise that these stories dropped within days of DC's chosen candidate getting into this race.' Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who favors Governor Janet Mills to challenge Susan Collins, publicly endorsed Mills after the Nazi tattoo story emerged, declaring her 'the best candidate to retire Susan Collins.'
Additional Controversies and Political Support
Platner has also come under fire for his Reddit history, where he questioned why 'black people don't tip' and suggested that women who experience rape in the Army should be cautious about their alcohol consumption. He defended these comments by explaining they were made in 2013 after leaving the infantry, a time when he 'rarely interacted professionally with women in the service.'
Despite these scandals, Platner has garnered support from progressive figures. Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed him to 'fight oligarchy,' and prior to the tattoo controversy, Platner was celebrated as a Democratic blue-collar alternative to MAGA, drawing overflow crowds at town halls and building a viral social media presence that positioned him as a national progressive folk hero. He has campaigned vigorously in rural areas of Maine, criticizing 'oligarchy' and corporate greed while advocating for working-class voters.
The Daily Mail has reached out to both the Platner campaign and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for comment, but responses have not been disclosed at this time.
