Epstein's Associates were on the Navajo Nation

Epstein's Associates were on the Navajo Nation

Monument Valley photo by Navajo Parks and Recreation

Newly released Epstein Files Reveal Epstein Associates on the Navajo Nation, and E-mails of Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson

By Brenda Norrell, (c) Censored News, Feb. 14, 2026

The newly released Epstein files reveal that Jeffrey Epstein's associates were on the Navajo Nation and that New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson kept Epstein informed of his dealings with Navajo President Ben Shelly.

The Epstein files reveal two of Epstein's associates were on the Navajo Nation and told Epstein of their plans after he was convicted of sex crimes in 2008. The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Slovakian, shared his travel plans with Epstein to go to Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation.

Another of Epstein's associates headed up the tech media of MIT and told Epstein he was on the Navajo Nation.

MIT carried out screening of preschool children on the western portion of the Navajo Nation in Shonto, Tuba City and Monument Valley, a disturbing fact coming after the release of the Epstein Files.

Further, an unverified email claims that a Navajo held the key to all of Epstein's vaults. Those vaults contained the photos and videos of the sexual abuse of children were reportedly used to blackmail the leaders of the world as a method of control.

Following the release of more than 2 million of Epstein Files, Censored News is now researching these files for ties to the Navajo Nation and Indian country.

New Mexico Gov. Richardson and Navajo President Shelly

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson sent Epstein updates on his dealings with the Navajo Nation. The news articles forwarded to Epstein included news of Navajo President Ben Shelly and an agreement regarding wild horses.

(Below) : In the Epstein Files -- Gov. Richardson's assistant sent news articles about brokering a deal with Navajo President Ben Shelley and a link about protecting wild horses.

The deal brokered by Richardson with Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly was an agreement for the protection of wild horses on the Navajo Nation. In 2013, Navajo President Shelly said there was an overpopulation of feral horses and the horses were causing damage to grazing lands. There was a plan to round up wild horses and send them to slaughter.

Richardson, who was co-founder of the Foundation to Protect New Mexico Wildlife, along with actor Robert Redford, negotiated directly with Shelly.

In regards to Navajo President Shelly, the Washington Post article that Gov. Richardson shared with Epstein is Richardson's op-ed article titled -- "I've made deals with dictators, here's my advice to Congress."

During those years, Gov. Richardson presented himself as a friend to the Navajo Nation and Indian country. The Epstein Files reveal he was a long time associate of Epstein, corresponding with Epstein for years. At the same time, Richardson was deeply involved in energy negotiations in Indian country, both as New Mexico governor, and as U.S. Energy Secretary.

Gov. Richardson was accused of sexual abuse by one of the underage girls who was trafficked by Epstein. She also revealed that she was trafficked to Prince Andrew, who no longer holds the title following the release of the files. Richardson's name appears on Epstein's flight logs for years.

(Below) From the Epstein Files -- New Mexico Governor Richardson's office setting time for Richardson to chat with Epstein on Dec. 17, 2012.

Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, 30 miles southeast of Santa Fe, was never searched. One of the e-mail states that two foreign girls were abused and buried there.

(Below) An e-mail to Epstein shows Gov. Richardson's arrival at Epstein's private island, Little St. James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Nov. 27, 2010. Richardson had ongoing contacts with Epstein after he was convicted of sex crimes in 2008, including meetings at Epstein's New York townhouse and Zorro Ranch in New Mexico. 

Epstein Associate from MIT on the Navajo Nation

Joi Ito (Joichi Ito), Japanese-American, and former director of the MIT Media Lab, wrote to Epstein that he was on the Navajo Nation in 2015. Joi and MIT were funded by Epstein after his conviction for sex offenses, and MIT connected Epstein with Bitcoin. Joi was also involved in Epstein and non-profit funders at Arizona State University, which involved genetics.

Joi was on the Navajo Nation and wrote Epstein on May 21, 2015:

"And don't ask me what I'm doing in Navajo Nation."

Censored News research reveals that MIT hosted a program involving Navajo preschoolers the following year, in 2016.

It is a disturbing fact which comes after the Epstein Files reveal horrific abuse and torture of young children on Epstein's properties.

On the Navajo Nation, Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology carried out health screening clinics for preschoolers in Shonto, Tuba City, and Kayenta, on the western portion of the Navajo Nation in the summer of 2016. The MIT students included those studying genomics and DNA.  link

Slovakian and President of U.N. General Assembly at Monument Valley

Epstein received the travel plans of his associate, Miroslav Lajčák, Slovakian and President of the U.S. General Assembly, and his plans to be at Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation, during a trip on July 22 and 23, in 2018.

Lajčák stayed in Mexican Hat in Utah, and then took a Navajo-guided tour of Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation, and afterwards went to Lake Powell, the travel plan shows.

Lajčák resigned his position as an advisor to Slovakia's head of national security on Jan. 31, 2026, after the Epstein documents revealed his messages with Epstein about available girls, and diplomacy, BBC reported.

Unverified Claim: 'Navajo Has Keys to Epstein Vault'

In the Epstein Files, a person claiming to be Maxwell Ghislaine's sister wrote:

"My name is . Ghislane is my older sister. The man in the photographs from the Navajo Nation was the code keeper got the vault accessable only by a general on an island in Akhail Beach India. He has the keys to all the rooms of Epstein's video tapes."

Ghislaine Maxwell, British, was found guilty of child sex trafficking and other offences in connection with the deceased American financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In 2022, she was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment in the United States. 

In other Epstein files, Epstein requested an "Indian person" to explain the petroglyphs on his Zorro Ranch property in New Mexico.

Read more:

MIT's Joi Ito, who was on Navajo Nation, Resigned

The Guardian reports, "Joi Ito, the head of MIT’s world-famous Media Lab issued an apology last week for having accepted donations for the Media Lab and his own tech startups. In his open letter on the MIT Media Lab’s website, he said: “I take full responsibility for my error in judgment. I am deeply sorry to the survivors, to the Media Lab, and to the MIT community for bringing such a person into our network.

“Regrettably, over the years, the Lab has received money through some of the foundations that he controlled. I also allowed him to invest in several of my funds which invest in tech startup companies outside of MIT’s.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/aug/18/private-jets-parties-and-eugenics-jeffrey-epsteins-bizarre-world-of-scientists

Phoenix: Arizona State University's Origin Project

Compiled from news articles:

The Origins Project was a research and outreach initiative at Arizona State University (ASU) founded in 2009 and directed by theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss until 2018. It aimed to explore fundamental questions about the origins of the universe, life, consciousness, and culture through interdisciplinary events, debates, and collaborations with prominent scientists, authors, and thinkers like Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins.

The project hosted public dialogues, workshops, and an annual science festival, often held at ASU's Gammage Auditorium, and was part of the university's efforts to promote scientific inquiry and public engagement.In the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files—comprising over 20,000 pages of emails, documents, and other records from the U.S. Department of Justice's investigation—"Arizona State University" appears nearly 3,500 times, with many references tied to the Origins Project and its connections to Epstein.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender and financier who positioned himself as a "science philanthropist," donated approximately $250,000 directly to the project through his Enhanced Education foundation between 2010 and 2017. Additional funds totaling over $2 million came from Epstein's associates, including billionaire Leon Black and his wife Debra, who contributed $2 million in 2014–2015.

Epstein also hosted a science advisory committee for the project on his private island in St. Thomas in 2010.The files reveal a deeper personal and advisory relationship between Epstein and Krauss beyond funding. They exchanged dozens of emails from 2010 onward, discussing topics like climate change denial, travel arrangements, and scientific ideas.

Notably, during a 2018 Title IX investigation at ASU into sexual misconduct allegations against Krauss (which led to his removal as director and eventual resignation in 2019), Krauss sought Epstein's advice on public relations strategy, including drafting statements, handling media inquiries, and preparing cross-examination questions for accusers.

Epstein suggested categorizing the charges as "ludicrous" or minor issues like "ogling" and "jokes." Krauss described Epstein as a friend in these communications, and their exchanges continued even after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes.

ASU has stated that it was unaware of the full extent of Epstein's involvement at the time and has since distanced itself, with the Origins Project evolving under new leadership as the Interplanetary Initiative, focusing on space exploration and related origins themes.

The files highlight how Epstein used his wealth to ingratiate himself with academic elites, funding projects like this one while maintaining influence over them.

Copyright Brenda Norrell, Censored News. Censored News content may not be used without written permission, or in any way for revenues.

About the author

Censored News is a service to Indigenous Peoples, with no ads or revenues. It is now in its 19th year. It was created after news reporter Brenda Norrell was censored and fired as a long time staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. Norrell, a news reporter in Indian country for 44 years, was a reporter at Navajo Time during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation, and was a correspondent for Lakota Times, Associated Press, and USA Today.