The office of the Dalai Lama released a statement denying reports that attempt to connect the Tibetan spiritual leader with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The statement, issued on February 8, emphasizes that the Dalai Lama has never met Epstein and has not authorized any such meetings or contact. This clarification comes after various reports, including those from China's state media, suggested that documents released by U.S. officials related to the Epstein case mentioned the Dalai Lama.

In its statement, the Dalai Lama's office highlighted that recent media attention and social media posts are misrepresenting the facts under the guise of 'Epstein files' that link the spiritual leader to shocking allegations. The office outright rejects any claims suggesting that such interactions occurred, and firmly asserts the integrity of the Dalai Lama's reputation amidst these unfounded allegations.

The controversy arises as millions of pages of documents, photographs, and videos related to the Epstein case were released last month by the U.S. Department of Justice. While many names were circulated in the media, the Dalai Lama’s office strives to clarify that there was never any mention of an actual meeting or contact, underscoring the necessity of verifying factual information before drawing conclusions from sensational headlines.