4Chan knew about Jeffrey Epstein's death 38 minutes before the rest of the world. The FBI tried to figure out how.
Business Insider
February 26, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A mysterious 4Chan user claimed Jeffrey Epstein’s death nearly an hour before it was publicly announced. The post, made at 8:16 a.m. on August 10, 2019, described Epstein’s death as a suicide by hanging and included medical details suggesting the poster had direct knowledge of the situation. This beat ABC News’ tweet about the death by 38 minutes, making it the first public notification of Epstein’s passing.
The FBI launched an investigation to identify the 4Chan user behind the posts. The Justice Department subpoenaed 4Chan for the user’s IP addresses and obtained screenshots of their messages. The anonymous poster provided medical details about Epstein’s body being intubated and moved to a nearby emergency room, along with conspiracy theories suggesting his body might have been swapped. Despite efforts, the FBI was unable to determine the user’s identity due to dynamic IP addresses and limited records from internet providers like AT&T and T-Mobile.
The case highlights the challenges of tracking anonymous online posters, particularly in cases involving high-profile individuals or sensitive events. The failed effort underscores vulnerabilities in digital privacy and information control, raising questions about how such leaks occur and who might be behind them. For businesses, this underscores the importance of securing communications and managing potential information risks
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Originally published on Business Insider on 2/26/2026