A Jewish billionaire child molester, a suicide deemed mysterious, a “list” of names revealed including those of political figures, etc. These are the ingredients of the scenario of the Jeffrey Epstein affair which has been delighting the conspiracy sphere since Thursday, while several documents relating to the wealthy child molester have been made public. “It’s clearly bingo. This affair is a kind of blessing for the complosphere, which shakes up all the fantasies at once,” describes Iris Boyer, general secretary of the ISD, a think tank against extremism and polarization.
2024 has only started four short days ago, so the complosphere can already celebrate a successful year. Notably the famous QAnon movement, which has for years imagined several large pedophile networks within international elites. And some 180 names emerge from these 1,000 pages, including those of Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton and the former modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.
The fantasy of the network of powerful child criminals
Please note, being one of these names does not automatically mean being involved in illegal activity, much less prostitution of a minor, nor does it indicate that the person in question went to Jeffrey Epstein’s famous private island, who committed suicide in prison in 2019. But for followers of conspiracy or the deep state, what does this nuance matter, however crucial: in their eyes, these 180 names form the long-awaited “list” of people invited to practice there child criminal activities.
“The facts alleged against Jeffrey Epstein fit perfectly with one of the narratives of conspiracy: the Jewish billionaire who uses his power to do evil, particularly harm to children,” continues conspiracy specialist Marie Peltier. “Be careful, this does not mean that the alleged facts are false, just that the conspiracy theorists are exploiting them to validate their story and draw the line even further,” specifies the expert at 20 minutes, for whom this affair represents a certain anti-Semitism. The Belgian professor also draws a parallel with the DSK affair, that of a Jewish billionaire involved in a sexual assault which had fueled the conspiracy narrative. But also with the Marc Dutroux affair: “it was only a sordid news item, and there was a whole imagination saying that it was only the visible face of the iceberg, that there was had a network of powerful people behind it all. Each time, we start from a single story to “prove” the existence of an entire network behind it. »
The list, the holy grail of conspiracy theorists
And in terms of “network”, what could be better than this list of names in spades? Iris Boyer: “There is a fascination with lists in our era full of binary where you necessarily have to choose a side, take a position, be pro-this or anti-that. The French news surrounding Gérard Depardieu also clearly illustrates this trend. Seeing several names emerge in this affair allows conspiracy theorists to fantasize a pro-Epstein list, a list of enemies. »
Because for conspiracy theory enthusiasts, “the list” is the Holy Grail to obtain, adds Marie Peltier: “it’s the ultimate fantasy, finding the names of the conspiracy and revealing them, revealing them in broad daylight for the accuse and judge them. »And if they are political figures and billionaires, the “bingo” counts double. “Once again, it is not a question of denying that certain big names frequented Jeffrey Epstein, but the conspiracy theorists push this logic by imagining a secret organization and an alliance between them. However, it is not because there are relationships that there is an organization,” adds the Belgian professor.
Duration and teaser
Finally, the duration of the file – spanning more than four years between the suicide and the revelation of these documents – “favored conspiracy around this affair. Over time, there have been plenty of scraps of decontextualized, false information, altered images which constantly add noise and confusion, but also which constantly magnify the facts and each time rekindle the interest of the people. conspirators around her,” says Tristan Mendès France. The lecturer and expert in digital worlds and conspiracy then evokes a first founding element: the suicide of the billionaire, with a few vague elements “overexploited and used”, including the fact that the cameras were not working at that precise moment.
This was without the public revelation of the latest documents, announced several weeks ago. “There was a sort of “teasing”, “clickbait” and announcement effect around the future publication of this “list”, denounces Iris Boyer. Some even made predictions about who would or would not appear there. It increased the rumor, like a sort of trailer. » And what does it matter if the revelations in question are not really revelations, and if the names “revealed” are in no way accomplices. The complosphere already has its 2024 blockbuster, it will see what it decides to see there.