Is Jeffrey Epstein alive, or did he stage his death owing to his controversial past records? Let’s find out.
The wealthy financier and socialite, who died on August 10, 2019, has been in the headlines ever since Donald Trump returned for his second term.
However, a viral video on March 19, 2026, showing a man who closely resembles Jeffrey Epstein, has fueled online speculation that the late financier might still be alive and may have faked his death.
The person who shot the clip posted it with a funny caption, “Epstein is alive,” and the internet went crazy. The man is identified as Peter, also known as “Palm Beach Pete,” who had the same smile, hairline structure, and eye twitches as Jeffrey Epstein.
He reportedly had no idea he was being filmed until the video went viral and he became an overnight star.
According to the Miami Herald, Peter dismissed the rumors as he created an Instagram account that had already gained around 18,000 followers. In one of his posts, he called the situation “crazy,” thanked supporters, and repeatedly clarified: “I’m just me.”
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The video showed Peter driving along Interstate 95 in Florida. His uncanny resemblance flooded the internet with mixed reactions.
Peter also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday and had a fun chat with Jimmy Kimmel, who has been hosting the longest-running late-night talk show on ABC. Kimmel welcomed Peter on the show, which was met with wild applause.
Kimmel then asked him, “If I were to point at you and I were to point at Jeffrey Epstein if he were alive, it would be towards two different directions, right?” he asked. “No, I am the better-looking guy,” he answered as laughter broke out.
Kimmel then asked, “Do people mistake you for him?” Peter said that initially people gave him awkward stares, but “Now that I’ve gone viral, it’s nonstop,” Pete said. “They want to take pictures with me, my autograph … But I’m just Palm Beach Pete, living my life.”
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Even though in an interview with TMZ, Peter (Pete) did not reveal his last name, he said that he was a former Division I tennis player and gold medalist who previously lived in New York City.
He also mentioned he had experienced public attention before, including a brief appearance on a 2011 episode of The Real Housewives of New York City, where he greeted Sonja Morgan at a party.
Even then, people were startled by how much he resembled Jeffrey Epstein. According to sources, Peter said he met Epstein years ago at a party, but they never had a conversation.
The controversy took a big leap after the U.S. Department of Justice released 11,000 files related to Epstein, adding to a massive dump in December 2025.
These files were released after Attorney General Pam Bondi and several members of the Trump administration were pressured and slammed for withholding key information.
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Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy s– offender, was accused by several underage girls of abuse in his Florida and Manhattan residences between 2002 and 2005.
Epstein’s controversial plea deal in 2008 let him avoid serious federal charges in exchange for shorter jail time; however, he was later found dead at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan.
According to the BBC, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons ruled the disgraced financier’s death an “apparent suicide.”
Yet, an investigation was relaunched. Two prison guards were suspended over “irregularities” within the MCC. These included the mandatory 30-minute checks for the cell Epstein was in.
As new conspiracy theories resurfaced, The New York Times reported that guards who were on duty had allegedly fallen asleep when Epstein died.
