Documents declassified by the U.S. Department of Justice reveal that a Harvard geneticist proposed to Jeffrey Epstein the establishment of a biotechnology center in Seville to study the genetic secrets of individuals over 110 years old. The initiative, led by the company Androcyte LLC, sought Spanish public funding that ultimately did not materialize due to the economic crisis.
The plan, conceived in 2011, involved collecting biological samples in southern Europe. After the blockage of promised subsidies and loans by the Spanish Government, the project's promoters contacted Epstein in 2014. However, the magnate rejected the investment, considering it would not yield immediate financial profit and describing the proposal as a research grant rather than a for-profit investment.
The company invested approximately $30,000 (about €26,154) in establishing its Spanish subsidiary and negotiating with authorities. Although the operation received verbal approval, the economic recession prevented the disbursement of public aid, halting Androcyte LLC's establishment at the Cartuja Science and Technology Park.
Geneticist George Church, considered a pioneer of modern genomics, unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Epstein, who was more interested in regenerative medicine and longevity research for himself. The financier's final refusal definitively buried the Andalusian laboratory project.
