Jeffrey Epstein Advised Rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink, New Emails Reveal

Newly released documents show the late financier Jeffrey Epstein was involved with a company that is now a key competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service. The emails reveal Epstein acted as a confidante to OneWeb Ltd. founder Greg Wyler in the company’s early days.

Epstein’s Role as Advisor to OneWeb Founder

The US Department of Justice recently released a batch of emails as part of an ongoing lawsuit. These messages show that in 2014 and 2015, Greg Wyler communicated with Jeffrey Epstein about his then-fledgling satellite venture, OneWeb. In the emails, Wyler shared details about his search for major funding and discussed business strategy.

Epstein, who was a convicted sex offender and faced new charges before his death in 2019, positioned himself as an advisor. He offered to connect Wyler with potential investors from his network. The correspondence indicates Wyler saw Epstein as a sounding board for his ambitious plans to build a global satellite internet constellation.

OneWeb’s Rise to Become a Starlink Competitor

OneWeb’s journey began with the goal of providing high-speed internet from space, a market now dominated by SpaceX’s Starlink. At the time of the emails, OneWeb was still seeking the capital needed to build and launch hundreds of satellites. Despite Epstein’s discussions about a potential investment, no financial deal between the two was ever finalized.

Instead, OneWeb later secured massive investments from major players. Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group and semiconductor giant Qualcomm became key backers, providing the billions needed to launch the constellation. Today, OneWeb operates a large network of satellites in low-Earth orbit and is considered one of Starlink’s primary global rivals.

Context and Impact on OneWeb’s Current Operations

The revelation of Epstein’s early advisory role is an unwelcome historical footnote for OneWeb. The company has since undergone significant changes, including a bankruptcy restructuring and a merger with French satellite operator Eutelsat. Its current ownership and management are entirely separate from the individuals involved in the 2014-2015 emails.

For investors, the news is unlikely to affect OneWeb’s current financial standing or technological capabilities. The market for satellite internet is rapidly expanding, driven by demand from remote areas, governments, and airlines. OneWeb and Starlink are both competing for a share of this multi-billion dollar industry.

However, the disclosure highlights the due diligence challenges investors and partners can face. It underscores how a company’s early associations, even those that did not result in a formal deal, can resurface years later. The focus for the satellite internet market remains on execution, launch schedules, and securing customers in a high-stakes capital-intensive race.