Epstein didn't kill himself
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"Epstein didn't kill himself" ("EDKH") is a conspiracy theory phrase used to reject the official cause of the death of American child sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. Authorities concluded that he died of suicide by hanging in his cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City in August 2019. Epstein was a convicted sex offender with connections to and public interactions with many powerful and wealthy people. His incarceration led to public hope that he might reveal the identities of other sex offenders, especially those in positions of authority and influence. When his suicide was reported, numerous hypotheses and conspiracy theories emerged to speculate about the true nature and cause of his death, framing the official suicide narrative as a lie, typically labelling it as part of a cover-up.
The phrase became a colloquialism as well as an internet meme, gaining traction in November 2019 as more of the details surrounding his death became public. "Epstein didn't kill himself" is used by and draws a wide audience, many of whom disagree with each other on the true circumstances surrounding Epstein's death. Generally, however, these theories agree that the true cause of his death was homicide, especially by strangulation, and that it was ordered by those who had engaged in sex offenses with Epstein, so that they could avoid the truth becoming public. Oftentimes these theories will assert the existence of an Epstein client list, or "black book" in which the names of high-profile sex criminals were recorded so that Epstein could blackmail them, should the need arise.
The accusations of murder associated with "Epstein didn't kill himself" are typically levied against people who the speaker dislikes or disagrees with politically. In radical right-wing and Republican circles, the most prominent theory holds that the killing was arranged by former United States senator and secretary of state Hillary Clinton. In leftist and Democratic circles, the theories almost universally accuse 45th and 47th U.S. president Donald Trump. The accusations levied against Trump are inspired in part by his personal relationship with Epstein, while the accusations against Clinton typically connect her to Epstein by way of her husband, former president Bill Clinton, and his relationship to Epstein. Yet more theories also hold that all three — both Clintons and Trump — are culpable in some way.
The phrase "Epstein didn't kill himself" is often inserted into unexpected contexts, or at the end of a social media post as a non sequitur. The meme has appeared at multiple televised sports games in the form of signs and painted bodies. Several people have also randomly interjected the phrase at the end of interviews.