Newly released documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein have brought fresh attention to a 2006 photo of the late physicist Stephen Hawking, showing him sitting on a sun lounger with two women in bikinis beside him.
The photo, thought to have been taken during a science symposium at the Ritz-Carlton in St Thomas, has spread widely after being included in the latest batch of publicly released Epstein files.
Hawking was one of 21 scientists who attended a conference in the Caribbean in March 2006. The event took place near Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James, and featured academic talks on topics such as quantum cosmology, which was central to Hawking’s important work.
Photographs from the visit show Hawking smiling and holding a drink while seated between two women. According to his family’s representatives, the women pictured were his long-term carers in the UK. Hawking, who lived with motor neurone disease (ALS) for decades, required continuous medical support, including assistance with mobility and daily activities.
In statements reported by UK media, Hawking’s family strongly rejected any insinuations of inappropriate conduct. They described such claims as “wrong and far-fetched in the extreme,” emphasising his medical condition and the professional role of his carers.
Hawking, who died in 2018 at the age of 76, is referenced multiple times in U.S. Justice Department documents related to Epstein. Some files also mention allegations raised by accuser Virginia Giuffre, which Epstein had previously denied, even offering financial incentives to challenge certain claims.
No public evidence has linked Hawking to any criminal activity, and no photo of him with Epstein has appeared in the latest documents.
Beyond the headlines, Hawking is still one of the most influential physicists of our time. His groundbreaking work on black holes, singularity theorems, and general relativity changed cosmology and expanded our understanding of the universe.
Despite severe physical limitations, he became the longest-known survivor of early-onset ALS, relying on a ventilator, voice synthesiser, and wheelchair while continuing to publish research and engage in global scientific discourse.
The resurfacing of decades-old images underscores the complexity of public legacy in an age of document transparency and viral amplification. As historic associations are re-examined, context becomes central, particularly when it involves figures whose public lives were intertwined with academic and philanthropic networks.
For now, Hawking’s family says the photo shows nothing more than a professional moment during an academic event.
Stephen Hawking’s story is not defined by one photo but by a lifetime of scientific achievements that changed how we understand space, time, and the universe.
