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Posted connected Oct 21, 2026 UTC
Palm Beach Pete has spent overmuch of 2026 trying to person the net that helium isn't Jeffrey Epstein. Getting caller teeth and undergoing DNA investigating seemingly seemed similar tenable adjacent steps.
The 71-year-old Florida man, whose existent sanction is Peter Bart Simel, became an net personage earlier this twelvemonth aft a video of him driving a convertible done South Florida went viral. This is due to the fact that helium bears a singular resemblance to the disgraced financier and convicted enactment offender who died successful a New York jailhouse successful 2019.
Since then, Pete has amassed a pursuing nether the grip @not_jeffepstein, wherever helium posts updates astir his life, responds to conspiracy theories, and sometimes makes cheeky amusive of the precise rumors helium is disavowing.
Despite his insistence that helium is, successful fact, Palm Beach Pete and not Jeffrey Epstein, immoderate net sleuths stay unconvinced.
It each started connected March 19, 2026, erstwhile a motorist spotted an older antheral with grey hairsbreadth and sunglasses driving a convertible on Interstate 95 successful South Florida.
The viral clip rapidly dispersed crossed the net arsenic users joked and speculated that Epstein had faked his decease (an understandably enduring conspiracy, considering the details surrounding his demise) and was present conscionable casually cruising astir Palm Beach, Florida.
Matt Wallace / X / Via x.com
The adjacent day, the operator identified himself arsenic Peter, a Palm Beach nonmigratory who is decidedly not Jeffrey Epstein, and the adjacent time posted a follow-up video erstwhile again confirming, "I'm truthful not Jeffrey Epstein. I'm conscionable maine being me."
Palm Beach Pete / Via x.com
"Hey everybody, this is 'Palm Beach Pete,' and my video went viral due to the fact that immoderate dude randomly filmed maine erstwhile I was driving connected I-95, unbeknownst to me," helium says. "And the adjacent happening I know, I'm a viral sensation. I'm not Jeffrey Epstein. I'm 'Palm Beach Pete!'"
And successful an interrogation with TMZ aboriginal that time (March 20), Peter confessed the similarities were "pretty weird," labeled Epstein "a vile quality being," and admitted: "I could beryllium the guy, but I'm not the guy."
Naturally, Pete's attempts to wide his sanction lone made him much infamous and the net much suspicious, turning into an ongoing spot wherever helium repeatedly introduces himself to his 1.2 cardinal TikTok followers and insists that helium isn't Jeffrey Epstein, astatine the aforesaid clip dropping breadcrumbs related to the financier.
One peculiarly elaborate spot features Pete astatine the dentist's office, discussing getting caller teeth and, astatine 1 point, plugging the crypto sports-betting level Stake. The dentist's look is censored with a achromatic box—a important item considering Epstein's documented obsession with dentistry.
Comments nether the video were comically skeptical, with 1 idiosyncratic writing, "He is playing close successful ur faces and y'all are excessively unsighted to see."
In different TikTok video with implicit 14 cardinal views, Pete joked astir bone-mashing, a looksmaxxing trend from the depths of the manosphere that has men beating themselves successful the look with hammers to change their facial structures and look "manlier."
Again, commenters played into the bit.
But repeatedly insisting helium isn't Jeffrey Epstein wasn't enough. Pete decided to bring subject into the equation, announcing connected October 7 that helium was going to instrumentality a DNA test, explaining, "All you guys bash is inquire astir this DNA testing...it's been taking a toll connected me."
The pursuing day, helium posted 2 images successful which helium announced: "I person JUST RETURNED FROM ISRAEL, wherever I underwent a BRAND NEW DNA TEST astatine the world-renowned BioGenesis Laboratory successful Tel Aviv." He besides suggested the Florida authorities had interfered with his efforts to beryllium his identity. However, determination is presently nary grounds to suggest this truly happened.
I person JUST RETURNED FROM ISRAEL, wherever I underwent a BRAND NEW DNA TEST astatine the world-renowned BioGenesis Laboratory successful Tel Aviv.
The exertion successful Israel is DECADES up of what we person present successful the United States. Their scientists are doing things our alleged “experts” in… pic.twitter.com/ATLAAOdmKb
@not_jeffepstein/X / Via x.com
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