Stephen Hawking is among many prominent figures referenced in the Justice Department’s release of Epstein document, highlighting the difference between inclusion in documents and criminal culpability.
BY PC Bureau
February 26, 2026: A photograph of the late British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking relaxing between two bikini‑clad women has resurfaced in court records tied to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, reigniting public discussion over the extensive investigations into Epstein’s network and associations.
The image, which was included in a tranche of documents recently released by the US Department of Justice, shows Hawking seated on a sun lounger with what appears to be a cocktail in hand, flanked by the two women in swimsuits. The photograph, believed to have been taken in 2006 at the Ritz‑Carlton Hotel in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, has circulated widely on social media and in news reports.
According to Hawking’s family, the two women pictured were his long‑term professional caregivers from the United Kingdom, who accompanied him as part of his necessary medical support due to the debilitating effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the neurodegenerative condition he was diagnosed with in 1963 and lived with for more than five decades. In a statement to multiple outlets, including The Times and The Mirror, the estate emphasised that any suggestion of inappropriate behaviour on his part is “wrong and far‑fetched in the extreme.”
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The photograph appears to have been taken during a scientific symposium on St. Thomas, where Hawking — who revolutionised modern cosmology with his work on black holes and general relativity — was one of more than 20 invited scientists. The event, titled The Energy of Empty Space That Isn’t Zero, was funded by Epstein and included opportunities to discuss scientific topics, socialise, and visit his nearby private island, Little Saint James.
Other images in the Epstein files show Hawking at social gatherings and recreational activities connected to the same visit, including a barbecue and a specially adapted submarine tour arranged so that he could experience exploring the sea floor near the island despite his wheelchair mobility. Authorities have clarified that these appearances do not by themselves indicate inappropriate conduct.
🚨 HAWKING MAY HAVE KNOWN MORE THAN JUST THEORETICAL PHYSICS
New Epstein files revealed details of Stephen Hawking allegedly participating in an “underage orgy.”
Source: Sky News pic.twitter.com/czGUKQ5D3K
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 8, 2024
Hawking — who died in March 2018 at the age of 76 — is referenced multiple times in the released documents, but he has never been formally accused of misconduct. The files also include an unverified allegation referenced in a 2015 email from Epstein to his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, suggesting purported claims that Hawking “participated in an underage orgy” — a claim that was never substantiated or supported by evidence, and for which prosecutors have not found credible proof.
In defending the physicist’s legacy, his family highlighted Hawking’s extraordinary contributions to theoretical physics and his remarkable resilience in the face of ALS, which left him reliant on a ventilator, voice synthesiser, wheelchair, and around‑the‑clock care for decades. They said that any insinuation of inappropriate conduct arising from the photograph is misleading and detached from the documented realities of his life and condition.
The ongoing release of Epstein‑related files continues to draw attention to the extensive list of high‑profile individuals mentioned in the records, underscoring that inclusion in the documents does not equate to criminal liability. Prominent scientists, business leaders, and public figures have appeared in various capacities, often linked to philanthropic events or intellectual gatherings organised or funded by Epstein prior to his legal troubles.
