Dr. Oz Invited Jeffrey Epstein to Valentine's Party After Conviction

The celebrity doctor, who now runs a federal health agency, sent the invite in 2016 after Epstein had served time as a child sex offender.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Newly released Department of Justice files suggest that Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity doctor who now runs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, invited convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to a Valentine's Day party in 2016. The email invite was sent to Epstein's personal email address, years after he had served 13 months in jail for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Why it matters

This revelation raises questions about Dr. Oz's judgment and associations, especially given his current role overseeing a major federal health agency under the Trump administration. Oz's connection to Epstein, a notorious sex offender, could undermine public trust in the agency he leads.

The details

The email invite, sent using the Paperless Post platform, had a subject line of 'Mehmet & Lisa Oz's Valentines Celebration' and listed an address that matched the Palm Beach home Oz and his wife reportedly purchased for $18 million the prior year. The invitation came years after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to one count of soliciting prostitution and one count of soliciting prostitution from a minor, for which he served 13 months in jail.

  • In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to charges related to soliciting prostitution from a minor.
  • Epstein served 13 months in jail for these charges.
  • In 2016, Dr. Oz sent Epstein an email invitation to a Valentine's Day party.

The players

Dr. Mehmet Oz

A celebrity doctor who now runs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a federal health agency, under the Trump administration.

Jeffrey Epstein

A billionaire financier and convicted sex offender who was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on new federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges.

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What they’re saying

“I'm glad to be here to make it clear. I met Jeffrey Epstein when he moved-- when I moved to a house next door to him in New York. I met him then. Over the next 14 years, I met him two other times that I can recall.”

— Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary (Senate Appropriations Subcommittee)

“Probably the total, and you've seen all of these documents of these millions and millions of documents, there may be 10 emails connecting me with him, probably about 10 emails connecting me with him over a 14-year period. I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person, okay?”

— Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary (Senate Appropriations Subcommittee)

What’s next

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which Dr. Oz leads, has not yet commented on the revelations about his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. It remains to be seen whether this will impact Oz's standing or lead to any further scrutiny of his associations and judgment.

The takeaway

This case highlights the troubling connections between some of America's elite and convicted sex offenders like Jeffrey Epstein, raising concerns about the judgment and ethics of those in positions of power. It underscores the need for greater transparency and accountability among public officials, especially those entrusted with overseeing critical government agencies.