Rising public curiosity about Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and potential coverups has led to a spike in related media consumption.
In recent weeks, there has been a noticeable increase in public interest concerning Jeffrey Epstein and the lingering mysteries surrounding his offenses. This renewed intrigue is evident in the rising sales of books, increased viewership on Netflix, and a surge in YouTube searches.
Data indicates a significant public fascination with Epstein’s underage sex trafficking operations and possible governmental concealment. This comes at a time when President Trump is attempting to redirect focus away from the subject.
Investigative journalist Julie K. Brown’s 2021 book, “Perversion of Justice,” has seen a resurgence in demand, resulting in its scarcity across various platforms including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and smaller independent stores. Brown mentioned receiving numerous inquiries from buyers struggling to find copies. “The publisher is reportedly printing more copies,” she communicated on X.
HarperCollins, the publisher, has confirmed that the book is currently undergoing its third printing. Brown hopes this indicates a genuine desire among readers to grasp the full story. Another related book, “Filthy Rich” from James Patterson’s true crime series, has surged up Amazon’s sales charts.
The 2020 Netflix docuseries inspired by Patterson’s book, “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich,” experienced a spike in viewership earlier this month. This came after the Trump administration announced it would not release additional findings from its years-old investigation into Epstein’s activities.
The FBI and Justice Department’s declaration of a closed case ignited public backlash, prompting a dramatic increase in searches for further details. Google Trends captured a spike in Epstein-related inquiries following the government’s statement on July 17, which intensified after Trump attempted to calm the uproar.
From the first to the second week of July, viewership of the Netflix docuseries in the US increased by 268 percent, as measured in minutes watched, according to the streaming analytics firm Luminate. A YouTube search for Epstein-related content uploaded in the past week revealed over 40 videos each surpassing one million views, many of which featured late-night TV hosts satirizing Trump and speculating about secrets he might wish to keep hidden.
Last Friday, Trump filed a libel lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over its account of a birthday letter to Epstein bearing Trump’s signature and a naked woman’s outline. On CNN’s “NewsNight,” New York Post editor Kelly Jane Torrance remarked that the lawsuit could be a poor decision for Trump, invoking the “Streisand Effect” by bringing more attention to the story.
Recent polls suggest that while public interest in Epstein and associated conspiracy theories is significant, it does not surpass concerns about public policy issues like immigration and inflation. Nonetheless, Americans express a desire for greater governmental transparency, with many suspecting the files hold damaging information about influential and affluent individuals, as reported by CBS News pollsters.
Brown mentioned being busier this month with source calls and TV interviews than when Epstein was discovered deceased in his jail cell in 2019. She remains captivated by unresolved questions, particularly about the origins of Epstein’s wealth, echoing the sentiment, “Follow the money.”
She believes government officials are attempting to suppress the matter, heightening anxiety among some of Epstein’s victims. “I spoke to a few recently, and they’re scared,” Brown stated. She paraphrased their concerns: “The more our government conceals for Epstein, the more frightened I become, thinking, ‘Who is this guy? Who are the individuals mentioned in these files?’”
