On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti The Epstein class: What the files reveal about the global elite
14 snips
Feb 26, 2026 
Anand Giridharadas, publisher of The Ink and author who studies the global ultra-elite, guides a tour through the networks that enabled Jeffrey Epstein. He outlines who comprised that class and how wealth, secrecy, and horizontal loyalties created protection and impunity. The conversation connects Epstein’s files to broader systems of elite power and secrecy.
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Many Knew Enough To Act But Chose Not To
- The network included people who actively participated in crimes, those who witnessed abuse, and many who ignored red flags like photos of underage girls.
- Giridharadas points to emails and a birthday book where elites joked about girls, showing widespread knowledge and winked complicity.
Not Conspiracy Rhetoric But Documented Institutional Collusion
- This is not an Illuminati conspiracy but documented, mundane collusion among bankers, universities, and law firms offering advice and cover.
- Giridharadas cites emails where legal and PR counsel debated framing underage prostitution as non-prostitution to avoid charges.
Global Rootlessness Binds The Epstein Class
- The Epstein class is global and rootless: loyalty runs horizontally across the network rather than vertically to place or institution.
- Giridharadas contrasts them with historical elites tied to land or factories, noting constant travel between Dubai, London, and Davos.
