In late January 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice released more than 3 million files related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In the days after the release, numerous social media users shared an April 2009 email that Epstein sent in which he praised a "torture video" he received from someone who was in China.
Many people online claimed the recipient, whose name was redacted, was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who they said was in China at the time of the email exchange. Screenshots of the files circulating online indicate the email exchange occurred on April 24 and 25, 2009. The exchange is as follows:
EPSTEIN: where are you? are you ok , i loved the torture video
REDACTED EMAIL ADDRESS: I am in china I will be in the US 2nd week of may
Some social media users who shared the rumor included a screenshot of a purported news article, which they suggested showed the Israeli prime minister was in China in April 2009. Another screenshot of a Wikipedia article shows Netanyahu was in the United States on May 18, 2009, which some users claimed further supported the theory he was the person emailing with Epstein.
(X user @jakeshieldsajj)
Epstein did send the above email about a "torture video" to an unknown recipient who claimed to be in China. However, Netanyahu was not the person exchanging emails with Epstein. He was not in China at the time, according to various sources. The person in the email was a Dubai-based business tycoon. As such, we rate this claim false.
In mid-February 2026, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., identified the recipient of the "torture video" email as Dubai-based tycoon Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem and noted that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche acknowledged that identification. Bin Sulayem subsequently resigned from his position as chairperson of DP World, a logistics company.
According to the Epstein email files released by the DOJ, Epstein sent the email in question to a redacted recipient on April 24, 2009. On April 25, Epstein also wrote back saying, "Hope to see you," after the recipient said they would be in the U.S. in May.
(Department of Justice)
On May 18, 2009, Netanyahu met then-U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., where they gave shared remarks to the press. On May 19, Netanyahu met with congressional leaders, according to news reports. By May 20, he was back in Jerusalem, The New York Times reported.
It is unlikely that Epstein would have been planning to meet Netanyahu within that time frame. Between 2008 and 2009, Epstein was serving an 18-month sentence in a Palm Beach County, Florida, jail for sex crimes involving a minor. According to a Washington Post investigation, Epstein was allowed to leave jail to go to his office during the day and return at night as part of a work-release program. He served 13 months in jail and was released in July 2009.
Snopes has reported extensively on various claims related to the Epstein files.