The family of the late Stephen Hawking has recently addressed a photograph that has emerged from the Jeffrey Epstein files, which were released by the Department of Justice. The photo in question depicts the renowned theoretical physicist alongside two women in bikinis. According to a statement provided to the Daily Mail on Wednesday, these individuals were identified as Hawking's "long-term carers from the UK."
The representative for the Hawking estate confirmed that the photograph was captured at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas in 2006, following a speech on Quantum Cosmology that Hawking had delivered at a science symposium. Notably, Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender, was in attendance at the same event.
While the Hawking estate has declined to disclose the identity of the photographer or the circumstances under which the image was included in the Epstein files, they have made clear their position on any implications of impropriety. The Department of Justice has redacted the faces of the two women in the photograph, citing privacy concerns for victims and their families. They have emphasized that notable individuals and politicians were not subject to redaction, and that some images were redacted on the basis that all women depicted were treated as victims.
The Hawking family spokesperson provided a poignant statement: "Professor Hawking made some of the greatest contributions to physics in the 20th century while at the same time being the longest-known survivor of motor neurone disease, a debilitating condition which left him reliant on a ventilator, voice synthesiser, wheelchair and round-the-clock medical care. Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct on his part is wrong and far-fetched in the extreme."
Stephen Hawking, who passed away in March 2018 at the age of 76, had lived for over 50 years with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), necessitating constant nursing care for the majority of his adult life. He was among 21 internationally acclaimed scientists who attended a conference hosted by Epstein in March 2006, titled "The Energy of Empty Space That Isn’t Zero." This conference took place at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton on St. Thomas, a stone's throw away from Epstein's private island, Little Saint James.
The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation blog described the gathering as an opportunity for guests to "meet, discuss, relax on the beach, and take a trip to the nearby private island retreat of the science philanthropist Jeffrey Epstein, who funded the event." Attendees were able to split their time between St. Thomas and Little Saint James, with Epstein personally hosting them. It was also revealed that Epstein had arranged a submarine tour of the seabed around Little Saint James for Hawking, modifying the vessel to accommodate the physicist's needs, marking his first-ever underwater experience.
The photograph and its subsequent release have sparked conversations regarding the nature of Hawking's association with Epstein, although no evidence has emerged suggesting any wrongdoing on Hawking's part. The Daily Mail reported that photographs from 2015 depict Hawking at a barbecue on Epstein's island. These revelations have led to a re-examination of the interactions between Epstein and prominent figures in the scientific community.
