A former Jeffrey Epstein assistant told the FBI that the convicted sex offender was the one who introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump, according to documents released by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Jan. 31, 2026.
The assistant, previously a model who worked for Epstein from 2005 to 2006, made the claim to FBI agents and federal prosecutors in July 2019 under a proffer agreement. The statement was included in the DOJ’s release of more than three million pages related to the Epstein investigation.
The assistant’s account conflicts with the version of events publicly shared by President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump regarding their first meeting. An FBI report from November 2019 states that the assistant claimed: “ZEMPOLI [Zampolli] was trying to buy Elite Models with EPSTEIN. EPSTEIN introduced MELANIA TRUMP to DONALD TRUMP.”
The assistant spoke under a proffer agreement, which provides limited immunity in return for truthful cooperation. Lying to the FBI can lead to a prison sentence of up to five years. The document notes that the assistant was granted immunity, though it does not clarify the specific charges that immunity covered.
For decades, public accounts have credited Zampolli with arranging the couple’s meeting at the Kit Kat Club in 1998. The White House responded to the new documents by citing a DOJ caution that accompanied their release: “This production may contain fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos,” and noting that some questionable and sensational submissions were sent to the FBI ahead of the 2020 election.
Zampolli, appointed by President Trump as special envoy for global partnerships, has long been portrayed as the one responsible for the introduction. The claim contradicts that account and raises questions about Epstein’s connections within social circles in the late 1990s.
According to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the DOJ release included around 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.
In October 2025, Melania Trump’s lawyer issued a threat letter demanding that author Michael Wolff retract allegations linking her to Epstein’s social network, warning of a potential billion-dollar lawsuit. Wolff countered by filing a preemptive anti-SLAPP suit against the first lady on October 22, 2025, in New York State Supreme Court, arguing her actions were an attempt to suppress protected speech.
Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell on Aug. 10, 2019, while awaiting federal charges related to sex trafficking. His death occurred only weeks after his July 2019 arrest, around the same time the assistant shared her statements with investigators.
DOJ officials stressed that simply appearing in the records does not verify credibility or imply criminal behavior. Thousands of references to President Trump appear in the files, though many are nothing more than forwarded news clippings or media references.
Other high-profile individuals mentioned in the files include Bill Gates, Ghislaine Maxwell, Brett Ratner, and Kevin Warsh. The documents show Epstein maintained a far-reaching network spanning business, entertainment, and politics. Woody Allen exchanged text messages with him, while Peter Attia, a wellness figure, also appeared in the files.
Katherine Keating, daughter of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, offered in emails to bring her sister to a dinner party hosted by Epstein. The communications highlight Epstein’s efforts to build relationships with the children of influential political figures.
Survivors of Epstein’s abuse condemned the release, saying that despite DOJ assurances, their identities were revealed.
The backlash grew after attorneys for 300 survivors filed an emergency motion demanding that the DOJ remove its website, stating that nearly 100 victims had their identities disclosed due to poor redactions. The DOJ responded by taking down “several thousand documents” to correct failures that had exposed victims’ names, banking details, and other sensitive information. One survivor reported receiving death threats after her data was leaked.
The former assistant’s claims add yet another dimension to the intricate network of relationships surrounding Epstein, who spent decades cultivating ties with powerful and wealthy individuals. Her account, provided with legal protections but still under penalty of perjury, is one of thousands of pieces of evidence now available as investigators work to determine the full extent of Epstein’s network and actions.