‘Never met’: Dalai Lama denies links with Epstein

NEW DELHI

The Dalai Lama “never met” convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a statement from his office.

The statement comes following references to the Dalai Lama more than 150 times in the latest tranche of documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released by the US Justice Department.

A cursory search of Epstein files on the US Department of Justice website shows 157 mentions of the Dalai Lama.

A statement by the Tibetan Buddhist leader on Sunday said: “Some recent media reports and social media posts concerning the 'Epstein files' are attempting to link" Dalai Lama with Epstein.

“We can unequivocally confirm that His Holiness has never met Jeffrey Epstein or authorized any meeting or interaction with him by anyone on his Holiness’ behalf,” said the statement.

Born Tenzin Gyatso, the 90-year-old Dalai Lama, was announced as a Grammy winner earlier this month for his audiobook Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.

The Buddhist leader has also been linked to past controversies, including an incident in 2023 in which he was filmed asking one of his young male students to “suck my tongue,” prompting widespread public backlash.

China took control of Tibet in 1951, describing the move as a “peaceful liberation.” Following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, the Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala in northern India, where he later established a Tibetan parliament and government-in-exile.

Beijing does not recognize this administration, asserting that Tibet has been part of China since the 13th century. The Dalai Lama, however, maintains that Tibet was an independent state at the time the Chinese People’s Liberation Army entered the region.

The US Justice Department recently released more than 3 million pages, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images related to Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The materials include photographs, grand jury transcripts, and investigative records, though many pages remain heavily redacted.