Epstein Files Drag Simpsons Creator Into Conspiracy Storm Over 'Predictions

The creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening, is mentioned in the latest and final tranche of documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, prompting widespread reaction on social media, Azernews reports.

The documents, made public on Friday, contain communications and references involving numerous public figures. One excerpt includes a message describing Groening being introduced to Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and current interim head of Bangladesh.

The message reads:

“A while back Isabel and I introduced our very good friend cartoonist Matt Groening to Nobel Peace winner Mohammad Yunus, and next Sunday (October 3rd), Yunus becomes part of the Simpson legend. Now, that is an accomplishment we can truly be proud of as being worthwhile and meaningful!”

There is no allegation of wrongdoing against Groening in the documents, and his name appears in the context of a social introduction rather than any criminal activity.

Despite this, Groening's inclusion has fueled renewed online speculation, particularly among users who have long claimed that The Simpsons“predicts” future events. Some social media users interpreted the mention as evidence of so-called“predictive programming” or broader elite coordination, claims that lack a factual basis. Even saying that this could be interpreted as an 'inside joke'.

Posts on X (formerly Twitter) linked Groening's mention in the Epstein files to past scenes from The Simpsons, including a line from Season 1, Episode 6, which jokingly references“crazy creeps on an island somewhere” running the world. Users have retroactively connected this fictional dialogue to Epstein's private island, despite the episode airing decades before Epstein's crimes became public.

These interpretations echo narratives previously promoted by QAnon and other conspiracy movements, which assert that a secret group of powerful individuals controls global events. Such theories have been repeatedly debunked by journalists and researchers.

Legal experts and journalists have emphasized that being named in the Epstein documents does not imply criminal behavior, as the files include a wide range of contacts, third-party references, and unrelated correspondence.

The Justice Department has stated that the release of the documents aims to provide transparency, not to assign guilt, and that any credible allegations of criminal conduct would be addressed separately through the legal system.

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