Def Con Bans Three People Linked to Epstein

Hacking conference cites DOJ files, Politico article in banning Pablos Holman, Vincenzo Iozzo, and Joichi Ito

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The Def Con hacking conference announced it has banned three people - Pablos Holman, Vincenzo Iozzo, and Joichi Ito - who were linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the Department of Justice's investigation files and a Politico article. The conference cited the individuals' connections to Epstein as the reason for the ban.

Why it matters

The banning of these individuals from Def Con, one of the largest hacking conferences, highlights the cybersecurity industry's efforts to distance itself from those associated with Epstein's crimes. The move reflects a broader reckoning in the tech world over its ties to the disgraced financier.

The details

Def Con justified adding the three individuals to its public list of banned attendees, citing their appearance in the DOJ's Epstein investigation files and a Politico article that detailed their email exchanges with Epstein. A spokesperson for Iozzo claimed the ban was "entirely performative" and not based on any wrongdoing. Representatives for Def Con, Holman, and Ito did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

  • Def Con announced the bans on Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

The players

Def Con

One of the largest and longest-running hacking conferences in the world.

Pablos Holman

A hacker, inventor, and technology futurist who was in contact with Epstein since 2010 and planned to stay at one of his apartments in 2013.

Vincenzo Iozzo

A veteran of the cybersecurity industry who is the founder and CEO of identity startup SlashID. He previously interacted with Epstein between 2014 and 2018.

Joichi Ito

The former director of the MIT Media Lab who resigned in 2019 after it was reported he was aware Epstein was a convicted sex offender and had extensive personal and financial relationships with him.

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What they’re saying

“It was a rush to judgment not based on any investigation or wrongdoing by Mr. Iozzo.”

— Joan Vollero, Spokesperson for Vincenzo Iozzo (TechCrunch)

What’s next

It is unclear if Def Con plans to take any further action against the banned individuals or if the conference will continue to monitor connections between the cybersecurity community and Epstein.

The takeaway

The Def Con ban highlights the tech industry's efforts to distance itself from those associated with Epstein's crimes, as the broader reckoning over the disgraced financier's ties to the sector continues.