Newly released Epstein files show that Jeffrey Epstein received an email in March 2019 highlighting what was described as a “massive dispute” over Coinbase’s acquisition of blockchain analytics company Neutrino.
This email was sent on March 12, 2019 by Richard Kahn, a financial consultant based in New York. He appears repeatedly in the file as a source of forwarded news and analysis.
The subject line references claims made by Kraken’s CEO and Ripple’s $XRP Along with neutrinos.
An email was sent to Epstein regarding the Coinbase and Neutrino controversy. Source: Department of Justice
How the 2019 crypto crisis affected Epstein’s inbox
The timing of this message coincides with the widely reported backlash against Coinbase after the company acquired Neutrino in late February 2019.
Neutrino’s founders previously worked at Hacking Team, a controversial surveillance software company accused of enabling human rights abuses.
The acquisition caused a strong reaction across the crypto industry. Privacy advocates and users accuse Coinbase of betraying users’ trust; #DeleteCoinbase campaign And they are calling for a boycott.
So we took some time to find out about @coinbase’s latest acquisition, Neutrino. What I discovered just by reading the existing reports is very bleak and could/deserves to be a massive scandal for Coinbase. thread. /1https://t.co/z8MvAaPPKQ
— David Z. Morris (@davidzmorris) February 26, 2019
Around the same time, Kraken CEO Jesse Powell publicly criticized the deal, saying Neutrino would not have passed Kraken’s internal ethics review.
Coinbase later announced that Neutrino employees associated with Hacking Team would be leaving the company.
What’s even stranger is the acquisition and reputational damage they’ve done to provide this service to the government. https://t.co/7VMpF66pYd
— Jesse Powell (@jespow) September 19, 2021
of $XRP connection
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Coinbase.
Just a few weeks ago, the exchange was listed $XRP There is increased scrutiny of governance, listing standards, and influence within the cryptocurrency market.
Speculative reporting at the time was often linked to multiple threads — Coinbase $XRP list, the background of neutrinos, and widespread concerns about monitoring and regulation, even if a direct connection has not been proven.
The email subject line reflects an environment of heightened suspicion and rapid dissemination of information.
The Coinbase email is one of several crypto-related references in the newly released Epstein files.
https://t.co/ZbWPcCurGd
— BeInCrypto (@beincrypto) February 2, 2026
Other documents show Epstein discussing the true nature of Bitcoin with Peter Thiel, investing in early Bitcoin infrastructure company Blockstream, and maintaining close social ties with figures such as Michael Saylor and Kevin Warsh.
Taken together, the records suggest that Epstein was closely monitoring the rise of cryptocurrencies, especially at the intersection of financial, regulatory, and elite power networks, even though law enforcement authorities found no evidence linking cryptocurrencies to his criminal activities.
