Fact Check: Was Jeffrey Epstein also known as Marius Robert Fortelni?

WASHINGTON, DC: Following the release of a massive tranche of new documents related to the convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein, a claim has been circulating on social media platforms that the late financier was also known by the name Marius Robert Fortelni. The rumor has sparked speculations among many. Let us fact-check the claim.

Claim: Jeffrey Epstein was also known as Marius Robert Fortelni

The rumor emerged after a passport showing the photo of Jeffrey Epstein surfaced. According to the Austrian passport as seen in the viral photo, the person is named Marius Robert Fortelni, and it is even shared by Rep Anna Paulina Luna.

Her post has garnered more than a million views and is accompanied by a caption saying, “Jeffrey Epstein was also Marius Robert Fortelni.” 

“This is an official passport with a different name that was released in the files, and yes, that is Epstein.” 

“EFTA LOCATOR ON BOTTOM OF DOC.”

The document appears to have been issued in 1982 and lists a Saudi Arabian address, and gives a birth year of 1954 — one year off Epstein’s actual birth year. The passport stamps show travel to London, France, Spain, and Saudi Arabia.

Fact Check: The name is fake

According to investigators, the passport is fake, and hence the name in the document. 

A prosecutor said Epstein's lawyers said in a court filing that the document 'expired 32 years ago' and that Epstein had never used it.

"Epstein — an affluent member of the Jewish faith — acquired the passport in the 1980s, when hijackings were prevalent, in connection with Middle East travel."

"The passport was for personal protection in the event of travel to dangerous areas, only to be presented to potential kidnappers, hijackers, or terrorists should violent episodes occur,” it quotes the filing as saying.

Under her post, Rep. Paulina Luna also stated, “Before people try to say this is fake, the FBI was extensively running this. The correspondence is also in the files." Communication from the FBI showed he had traveled back and forth to France quite a few times with this passport.”

Authorities also noted that a real person with the same name exists and that they were seeking to contact him.

Release of millions of files linked to Jeffrey Epstein

The fake passport was revealed after the release of millions of additional pages of records linked by the Justice Department to Epstein on January 30. 

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release also included more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.

The decision came after weeks of criticism that the department was not following a federal law passed in November, which required all Epstein-related files to be made public by December 19.