RFK Jr. Went on Dinosaur Bone Hunting Trip with Epstein and Maxwell

Newly released emails and interviews confirm the health secretary's ties to the convicted sex offender and his associate.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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According to newly released Department of Justice files, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. went on a 'dinosaur bone hunting' trip with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Epstein's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The trip was confirmed by an email exchange between Epstein and Maxwell, as well as an interview Maxwell gave to the Deputy Attorney General. Kennedy has previously acknowledged flying on Epstein's private jet with his family, but has said he had no other relationship with Epstein.

Why it matters

This latest revelation about Kennedy's ties to Epstein and Maxwell is likely to raise further questions about the health secretary's judgment and associations, especially given Epstein's history of sex crimes and Maxwell's conviction for sex trafficking. Kennedy has sought to downplay his connections to Epstein, but this new information suggests a closer relationship than he has previously acknowledged.

The details

In an August 2012 email, Epstein wrote to Maxwell about a 'dinosaur and fossil hunting' trip they took with Kennedy, saying they 'found 90 million year old clams and fossils.' The next day, Maxwell responded, 'Love that - didn't we go fossil hunting with him and Bobby Kennedy in N Dakota?' Epstein simply replied, 'Yes.' Maxwell also confirmed the trip in an interview with the Deputy Attorney General, saying she and the two men went 'dinosaur bone hunting in the Dakotas.' While there are no flight records related to this specific trip, Kennedy has acknowledged flying on Epstein's private jet with his family in 1994 to visit his mother in Florida, as well as a separate trip to South Dakota to go fossil hunting.

  • In August 2012, Epstein and Maxwell exchanged emails about a 'dinosaur and fossil hunting' trip they took with Kennedy.
  • In 1994, Kennedy and his family flew on Epstein's private jet from New Jersey to Palm Beach, Florida to visit Kennedy's mother.

The players

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The current U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

Jeffrey Epstein

The late financier and convicted sex offender who died in an apparent suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Ghislaine Maxwell

Epstein's longtime associate who was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking minors.

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What they’re saying

“Dinosaur and fossil hunting with [paleontologist] jack horner on the ranch, found 90 million year old clams and fossils. Right up your alley.”

— Jeffrey Epstein (Email to Ghislaine Maxwell)

“Love that - didn't we go fossil hunting with him and Bobby Kennedy in N Dakota?”

— Ghislaine Maxwell (Email to Jeffrey Epstein)

“Because we went on a trip together. … We went dinosaur bone hunting in the Dakotas.”

— Ghislaine Maxwell (Interview with Deputy Attorney General)

What’s next

The Department of Justice is likely to continue investigating Kennedy's ties to Epstein and Maxwell, and may seek to interview him further about the nature of their relationship and any trips they took together.

The takeaway

This latest revelation about Kennedy's connections to Epstein and Maxwell raises serious questions about the health secretary's judgment and the company he has kept, especially given Epstein's history of sex crimes and Maxwell's conviction. It underscores the need for a thorough investigation into Kennedy's ties to the disgraced financier and his associates.