Alfredo Rodriguez Sells Epstein's Black Book; Gawker Publishes Contact List
Alfredo Rodriguez, a former household manager at Epstein's Palm Beach mansion, had stolen Epstein's contact directory — later known as the 'black book' — containing 1,571 names and contact details for Epstein's network. Rodriguez attempted to sell the directory in a sting operation, was arrested, convicted of obstruction of justice, and sentenced to 18 months. The FBI seized the directory. Gawker Media subsequently published a version of the list, bringing the names of hundreds of prominent Epstein contacts into public view for the first time.
People Involved
The Black Book
Alfredo Rodriguez, who worked as a household manager for Epstein, had taken a copy of Epstein’s contact directory during his employment. The book contained 1,571 names with contact details, including:
- Phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses
- Prominent politicians, businesspeople, royals, celebrities, and scientists
- Notations indicating closer relationships for some entries
Rodriguez’s Obstruction
Rodriguez attempted to sell the contact list as leverage in legal proceedings, was caught in a sting, convicted of obstruction of justice, and sentenced to 18 months.
The FBI Seizure
The FBI seized the directory as part of the obstruction investigation.
Gawker Publication
Gawker Media subsequently acquired and published the contact list, making the names publicly available. The massive contact list revealed the extraordinary breadth of Epstein’s social network for the first time.
Significance
The Gawker publication of the black book is the moment the full scope of Epstein’s network became visible to the public — though many names remained unexplained for years thereafter.