A newly released photograph included in documents from the U.S. House Oversight Committee shows New Hampshire inventor and businessman Dean Kamen pictured with Jeffrey Epstein and British entrepreneur Richard Branson. The image was published Friday as part of an ongoing inquiry into Epstein, according to materials released by Democrats on the committee.
The photo’s release adds a new public data point about Kamen’s past proximity to Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges related to child sex trafficking and abuse. Kamen has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the new image was released without a date or other contextual information, according to New Hampshire Public Radio.
The photograph appears to show the three men outdoors on what looks like a beach. NHPR reported that no additional context was provided with the image, and it remains unclear when it was taken.
Kamen, 74, has previously been linked to Epstein through a flight log from 2003 that has circulated publicly as part of court proceedings involving Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate. That document includes an entry referencing a trip from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Monterey, California, according to NHPR, which cited the Justice Department document.
In the newly released photo, Kamen is shown alongside Branson, the entrepreneur behind Virgin Atlantic and other companies. NHPR reported that it is not clear how often Kamen and Epstein traveled together, or when they were last in communication.
NHPR said it attempted to contact Kamen for comment Friday morning by email through two associates who have worked closely with him in recent years, but did not receive a response.
Kamen did provide a statement to WMUR about the photograph. “I have been a guest of Richard Branson on his Necker Island a number times for conferences and fundraisers. I believe this photo must have been taken during one of those events many years ago,” Kamen said in the statement. “I have no knowledge of any of the horrific actions of Jeffrey Epstein other than what I have learned from news reports.”
The House Oversight Committee documents were released amid renewed attention in Washington on Epstein’s relationships with prominent figures. NHPR reported that Epstein’s ties to powerful people, including President Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Bill Gates, have been a major source of controversy, with bipartisan lawmakers calling for additional records to be made public.
According to NHPR, Trump signed a measure last month directing the Justice Department to release more materials related to its investigations into Epstein after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. NHPR reported it is not clear what those files will contain, though some materials are expected to be released, at least in part, next week.
Kamen is a prominent figure in New Hampshire, known nationally for unveiling the Segway personal transport device in 2001 after earlier work designing medical devices. NHPR also noted that Kamen previously served on NHPR’s Board of Trustees from 1987 to 1992.
In recent years, Kamen has become a central figure in a government-funded project in Manchester aimed at developing medical technologies intended to help regrow human tissues and organs, according to NHPR. NHPR reported that the effort has been championed by influential New Hampshire officials, including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
The broader Epstein case has also had a direct connection to New Hampshire. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of helping Epstein traffic and sexually abuse minors, and she was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022, according to NHPR. Before her arrest, Maxwell was living in a secluded home in Bradford, New Hampshire, NHPR reported. NHPR said it is not clear how Maxwell came to live in the state or whether she had any relationship with Kamen.
NHPR reported its story may be updated as additional details about the newly released photograph and related documents are verified.
