Stevie Wonder appears in Epstein files for refusing to perform for Israeli army. Here's why

The U.S. Department of Justice's release millions of documents related to the case of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein sparked a rumor in February 2026 that singer Stevie Wonder appeared in the files for refusing to play for the Israeli army.

The claim appeared on Instagram as an image that relayed it (archived):

The image and its caption read:

Epstein Files name music legend Stevie Wonder "anti-Israel" for refusing to perform for Israeli army

Motown music legend Stevie Wonder was included in the #EpsteinFiles for not cooperating, and being "anti-Israel." This comes after Wonder agreed not to perform for the Israeli Army after boycotts pushed him to do so. In 2012, after BDS placed pressure on Wonder, Wonder cancelled his performance at a benefit concert in Los Angeles for the Israeli military forces. Backing out of the show led to him being listed as "anti-Israel."

The claim appeared on a separate Instagram post, sharing the screenshot of an X post that described Wonder as "the original Bob Vylan" (referring to the English punk duo who caused controversy in summer 2025 for leading the chant "death, death to the IDF" — the Israel Defense Forces — at the Glastonbury Festival). Another post on X made the same claim, listing other celebrities had been flagged as "anti-Israel" in Epstein's files.

It is true that Wonder's name appears in one 2014 email to Epstein. That email was not a piece of personal correspondence by or to Epstein, however.

Instead, it was a newsletter, titled "Anti-Israel celebrities and their brands," from the Jewish News Syndicate, a news agency that covers "Israel and the Jewish world," according to its website. 

On Aug. 6, 2014, JNS sent Epstein the newsletter with this list, in which Wonder appeared last. The section about him read:

Singer Stevie Wonder backed out of a performance at a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) gala in Los Angeles in 2012 due to "a recommendation from the United Nations to withdraw.' Prior to Wonders decision to cancel his performance. BDS activists posted a petition on change.org urging the singer to pull out. That petition garnered more than 4.600 signatures. 

In 2013, Wonder appeared in a Super Bowl commercial for Bud Light.

Other celebrities the newsletter singled out for allegedly being anti-Israel included actors Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem and comedian Russell Brand.

A Google search for the title of the newsletter revealed Epstein was not the only one who'd received it. For example, Crescent City Jewish News, a website dedicated to offering content for the Jewish community of New Orleans, published the text of the newsletter in full, crediting JNS.

Searching the DOJ's online Epstein Library for the key words "JNS News" revealed multiple emails from the outlet, suggesting Epstein subscribed to the newsletter. Other newsletters and automated emails Epstein seemingly subscribed to also appeared in the files the DOJ released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act — for example, the DOJ's Epstein Library also includes updates from streaming music service Spotify and social question-and-answer website Quora.

A search in the Epstein Library for the key words "Stevie Wonder" returned other mentions of Wonder, but none that touched on his relationship to Israel. For example, another newsletter Epstein received in 2013 recommended numerous songs including Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky." (As a caveat, we must note that Epstein frequently mistyped his emails, creating the possibility that he did discuss Wonder in the context of Israel while misspelling the artist's name.)

Context for the newsletter

A search for the alleged incident JNS wrote about revealed extensive reporting from multiple reputable news outlets in 2012 regarding Wonder backing out of the fundraiser. 

That year, hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza intensified, causing repeated clashes between the two that culminated in an eight-day war from Nov. 14 to Nov. 21 launched by Israel in Gaza under the label "Operation Pillar of Defense."

According to several reports, the Friends of the IDF gala was set to take place in Los Angeles on Dec. 6, 2012 — days after the war ended. The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, better known as the Jewish Journal, reported on the gala after it happened, discussing the fact Wonder backed out a week before and describing protests outside of the venue.

The New York Times, Reuters, The Guardian, the BBC and Miami's WTVJ all published articles on Wonder's reported decision to back out of performing at the gala between Nov. 30 and Dec. 3, 2012. All of them quoted the musician as saying, "Given the current and very delicate situation in the Middle East, and with a heart that has always cried out for world unity, I will not be performing at the FIDF Gala on December 6th."

E! News reported Wonder signed off his statement with the words, "Hoping for one world, one people, one day, Stevie Wonder."

In addition, all articles said Wonder would be donating money to charitable organizations dedicated to helping Israeli and Palestinian children with disabilities.

Snopes reached out to Wonder's representatives asking them to confirm the statement the musician made at the time.

For further reading, Snopes has examined a number of claims related to the emails in the DOJ's Epstein Library, including the rumor Epstein said babies taste of cream cheese.