Doctor Named Jeffrey Epstein Hits Headlines After Donation Mix-Up

A neurosurgeon from Long Island found himself unexpectedly dragged into a political controversy simply because he shares his name with the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The confusion began during a recent House session when US Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett mentioned the name Jeffrey Epstein while talking about political donations linked to former Congressman Lee Zeldin. She said that Epstein had donated to Zeldin’s campaign in 2020 — a year after the infamous Epstein had died in jail.

It was later revealed that the donor was not the convicted sex offender, but Dr. Jeffrey Epstein, a practicing neurosurgeon with no connection to any scandal.

Doctor Responds to the Confusion

After the mix-up went viral, Dr. Epstein responded with humour. He said he was considering donating money to Congresswoman Crockett “just to show that she also received money from Jeffrey Epstein,” highlighting the absurdity of the situation.

He explained that until Crockett mentioned his name publicly, it had never caused any serious problems. Sometimes people gave him odd looks when he introduced himself, but he usually brushed it off with a joke.

“That's my name — I can’t change it,” he said, adding that having the same name as a criminal can create uncomfortable moments, but he personally doesn’t let it bother him.

However, he admitted that the only thing he dislikes is getting phone calls from reporters because of the name confusion.

How the Mix-Up Happened

Congresswoman Crockett later clarified that she never directly stated that the convicted Jeffrey Epstein donated to Zeldin. She said she meant only that someone named Jeffrey Epstein had made those donations, and that she needed more time to verify the details.

She added that quickly checking the Federal Election Commission (FEC) database does not make it obvious that the donor was not the sex offender, which contributed to the misunderstanding.

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Dr. Epstein said he understands that having the same name as a controversial figure can lead to mistakes, but he emphasized that he has no connection whatsoever to the late financier.

He joked about the situation but also expressed that he prefers not to be mixed up in scandals that have nothing to do with him.