Fact Check

Did the Clintons Release a Statement About Epstein's Death an Hour Before His Body Was Found?

A routine review of content labeled satire.

Published Aug. 29, 2019

 (a katz / Shutterstock.com)
Image Via a katz / Shutterstock.com
Claim:
The Clintons released a statement about financier Jeffrey Epstein's death an hour before the body was found.

Conspiracy theories about the suicide of Jeffrey Epstein, an ultra-rich financier and sex offender with ties to some of the world's most influential figures, have continued to circulate since his death. Popular but baseless claims, which were spread at the highest levels of government, posited that Bill and Hillary Clinton were behind his death.

Playing on one of the most persistent of internet conspiracy theories known as "Clinton Body Bags" -- a rumor positing that former president Bill Clinton and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton have snuffed out dozens of people who possessed damaging information about them -- the website Patriot Post circulated a meme labeled as "Humor" that insinuated the Clintons knew about Epstein's death before it was disclosed:

Although the meme may have circulated online without this context, it originated on a page labeled "humor" and thus should not be viewed as a statement of fact.

Sources

Kroll, Andy and Peter Wade.   "Trump Official Promotes Clinton Conspiracy Theory About Epstein’s Death."     Rolling Stone.   10 August 2019.

Forgey, Quint.   "Trump Defends Sharing Clinton-Epstein Conspiracy Theory."     Politico.   13 August 2019.

Watkins, Ali and Michael Gold.   "Jeffrey Epstein Autopsy Results Show He Hanged Himself in Suicide."     The New York Times.   16 August 2019.