Jeffrey Epstein passed away in 2019, but evidence suggests his genetic material might persist. Documents and emails disclosed by the Justice Department show that Epstein had stored his sperm for years before his death. He instructed that it should remain in the custody of his estate if he were to die.
Epstein deposited his sperm with California Cryobank sometime before October 2012, signing a renewed contract in 2016. An email from 2012 confirmed an upcoming renewal payment for his storage. The contract, dated May 9, 2016, outlined the terms for his sperm storage, ensuring it remained in his possession. Unlike sperm donation, if Epstein died, his estate or another legal representative would control the sperm. The arrangement came to light following the release of Justice Department files earlier this year.
Currently, it is uncertain whether Epstein’s sperm is still stored and, if so, where. CooperCompanies, the owner of California Cryobank since 2021, stated the bank does not store samples linked to Jeffrey Epstein, but provided no further details. Epstein’s estate representatives have not commented despite multiple inquiries.
The documents do not clarify when Epstein first banked his sperm. In 2008, he pleaded guilty in Florida to soliciting prostitution from a minor. He awaited trial on sex-trafficking charges when he died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019.
Kimberly Mutcherson, a law professor at Rutgers University specializing in reproductive technology and bioethics, noted that the fertility industry debates the ethics of a sperm bank accepting sperm from sex offenders.