On February 12, 2026, newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents revealed that Dr. Mehmet Oz — administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the Trump administration — appears in the recently disclosed Epstein files due to his past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The files show that Dr. Oz and his wife sent an email invitation to Epstein on February 1, 2016, asking him to attend a Valentine’s Day celebration hosted at their home. ([turn0news1], [turn0news4])
The email, with the subject line “Mehmet and Lisa Oz’s Valentine’s Celebration,” was sent nearly a decade after Epstein had already been convicted in 2008 for solicitation of prostitution involving a minor and served time in jail. Jeffrey Epstein later died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting federal sex trafficking charges. Oz is not accused of any criminal wrongdoing in relation to Epstein’s offenses. ([turn0news0], [turn0search10])
Justice Department officials released millions of pages of Epstein-related records under a congressional mandate, shedding light on Epstein’s wide network of contacts in politics, business, academia, and elite social circles. Oz’s name appears multiple times in the files, including email exchanges from 2016 and listings in guest lists from earlier years, though the content of many messages remains redacted or limited. ([turn0search15], [turn0search18])
Public reaction has been swift, with critics questioning the judgment of prominent public officials in maintaining social or personal contact with Epstein after his conviction. Supporters of Oz note that appearing in the files does not imply involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities, and emphasize that Oz has not been charged or accused of any crime. Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services have declined to comment on the matter. ([turn0search10], [turn0search21])
The revelations are part of broader scrutiny of high‑profile individuals whose names have surfaced in the Epstein files, reigniting debates over accountability, elite influence, and transparency in public life. As more documents continue to be analyzed and released, public and media attention on these connections remains intense.
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