Peggy Siegal

Peggy Siegal (born July 17, 1947) is a New York entertainment publicist and Hollywood events organizer who maintained an extensive relationship with Jeffrey Epstein documented across 8,773 emails in the archive, spanning from at least 2009 through 2019. Owner of the Peggy Siegal Company, one of Manhattan's top media marketing firms, Siegal specialized in organizing exclusive film screenings and curating guest lists for Oscar campaigns. The archive documents her role in facilitating Epstein's social rehabilitation following his 2008 conviction, most notably organizing a December 2010 dinner at Epstein's townhouse for Prince Andrew attended by Katie Couric, George Stephanopoulos, Woody Allen, and Charlie Rose. Epstein provided extensive advice and assistance regarding Siegal's protracted legal dispute with her brother over their mother's estate, a matter documented in dozens of emails and legal communications. In March 2019, as renewed criminal investigations threatened Epstein, Siegal wrote him: "Your situation is nothing more than political shenanigans to extort more money from you and discredit competitive government officials". Following Epstein's July 2019 arrest, major clients including Netflix and FX severed ties with Siegal.

Background#

Born in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to a Polish Jewish family, Siegal founded the Peggy Siegal Company over three decades ago. By 2018, her firm was described as one of the top 12 media marketing firms in the industry. Siegal built her career on organizing red carpet screenings and intimate dinner events for critics, Academy members, and media influencers during awards season. Known for maintaining extensive categorized lists of tastemakers, she became the go-to publicist for film studios hoping to secure Oscar nominations, teaching stars like Leonardo DiCaprio how to navigate the awards circuit.

According to public reporting, Siegal's association with Epstein became publicly controversial in July 2019 when The New York Times reported on her role in facilitating his return to New York society after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. The reporting led Netflix, FX, and Annapurna Pictures to immediately terminate their relationships with her company. In 2020, Vanity Fair reported that Siegal claimed she could no longer remember when she first met Epstein, though the archive contains correspondence from at least 2009. Released emails in 2026 from the Epstein files showed extensive correspondence between the two, including Siegal's 2009 message offering to "bring a little baby back for you...or two. Boys or girls?" during a Kenya trip, revealing what Wikipedia characterized as "evident familiarity in their relationship."

Correspondence with Epstein#

The archive documents continuous correspondence between Siegal and Epstein from 2009 through March 2019, with Siegal sending 3,638 emails as sender and receiving 4,642 as a primary recipient. The correspondence reveals a relationship mixing social planning, estate legal matters, and personal support.

In July 2009, shortly after Epstein's release from custody, Variety reported that Siegal welcomed him back with an email asking: "How did it feel to fall asleep on 100% Egyptian cotton again? Exactly how long was your first freedom shower? What did you have for breakfast? Caviar, smoked salmon, eggs benedict?" The archive shows Siegal immediately began including Epstein on her invitation lists for film screenings and social events.

Throughout the correspondence, Siegal regularly forwarded Epstein her weekly screening schedules. In October 2013, she instructed her assistant: "Andres- send all new invites to Jeffrey including tonight". Epstein's assistant Lesley Groff frequently confirmed his attendance as "Jeffrey Epstein plus" one, two, or three guests. In July 2012, when planning Epstein's attendance at a screening of "The Campaign," Siegal wrote to his staff: "Do not want young girls with no last names. Press will be there. Please over 30". Groff relayed this to Epstein: "Peggy says she does not want young girls with no last names at the screening...She says the press will be there...she requests 'over 30'".

The relationship extended beyond professional courtesies. In October 2013, Epstein sent Siegal five cakes for her 67th birthday. She wrote back: "YOU! I am 67 today and do not look it because I never eat sugar The office LOVES you...Looking forward to seeing you tonight". The emails document regular social contact, with Siegal writing about visiting Palm Beach to stay with Kathy Rayner and keeping Epstein updated on her European travels, film festival attendance in Cannes, Taormina, and yacht trips.

A significant portion of correspondence concerns Siegal's dispute with her brother Gary over their mother Annette Siegal's estate. Beginning in 2011, after her mother's death, Siegal repeatedly sought Epstein's advice on legal strategy and financial matters. Epstein advised: "Make sure no distributions are made none zero, of gary tAkes it it will be years before you see a dime". He connected Siegal with attorneys Philip J. Michaels and Martin B. O'Connor II, who appear extensively in the correspondence handling the estate dispute. In December 2013, Epstein wrote Siegal: "I spoke to josh last night, as of feb last year I had caculatedd you were owed over 1 million dollars". The legal dispute, documented through 2014, involved negotiations over estate distributions exceeding $1 million, with Epstein providing strategic guidance and attorney referrals throughout.

In December 2018, as new reporting emerged about Epstein's past, he wrote Siegal: "press brutal, but ive been through it before". She responded with detailed advice, writing: "I told you a few years ago to be the poster boy for making amends. I suggested inventing a support system to aid disadvantaged young women...These young girls need help to learn how to make a living and not by prey to men".

In March 2019, after a New York Times opinion letter mentioned Epstein, he sent it to Siegal writing: "i can use your help this is not what i do. people are suggesting i treat all women badly, you are the perfect example of its falsity". Siegal responded immediately: "I have been thinking about you for months. Your situation is nothing more than political shenanigans to extort more money from you and discredit competitive government officials. What deal the government made....there is no 'do over' ten years later. You have behaved impeccably. You paid your price to society".

In April 2019, when Netflix documentary producers contacted Siegal about participating in what would become the series about Epstein, she forwarded the request to him asking: "Jeffrey....how much do you know about this? When can I call you tomorrow? I know nothing but have friends at Netflix". Epstein forwarded the exchange to Steve Bannon, writing that the director was "a bit of a hack".

Connections#

Siegal's correspondence in the archive is predominantly with Lesley Groff (573 shared emails), Epstein's longtime assistant who coordinated his attendance at events. She also corresponds extensively with her own assistants Andres Fernandez (270 emails), who managed invitation distribution, and Lila Walker (192 emails).

The legal dispute over her mother's estate connects Siegal to attorneys Philip J. Michaels (257 emails), Martin B. O'Connor II (182 emails), and Joshua Schmell (253 emails), all of whom corresponded with Epstein about the matter. Her brother Gary Siegal appears in 187 emails related to the estate dispute.

Through her film industry work, Siegal connects to numerous other contacts in Epstein's network who attended her screenings and events, though the nature of those connections appears primarily professional.

Document References#

DOJ investigation files document Siegal's role coordinating Epstein's social calendar and event attendance. EFTA02218787.pdf shows an alert specifically monitoring "Peggy Siegal email" sent July 31, 2017. Multiple DOJ files document coordination between Siegal's office and Epstein's assistants regarding event RSVPs, with EFTA02216280.pdf showing inquiries about "Peggy's birthday party" details and EFTA02216613.pdf noting the party was "slated for Oct. 30th."

Documents extensively chronicle the 2010 Prince Andrew dinner arrangements. EFTA02411102.pdf shows Siegal proposing multiple event options for Andrew's visit, including screenings and parties, and suggesting: "Thursday, Dec. 2. I have nothing on my schedule....if we do a dinner Thurs. is this in your home?" Subsequent emails show Siegal curating the guest list, proposing Woody Allen after Epstein asked: "woody alien for prince andrew?, who is smart and today". Siegal responded: "Woody is a great idea. Do you know Woody? I do...If you get Woody...you can probably then build to Charlie Rose, Fareed Zakaria, Rick Stengel (editor of Time), Cynthia McFadden (Nightline), George Stephanopoulos".

EFTA02411832.pdf documents the final guest list coordination, with Siegal writing to attendees: "do not think less of me but I am putting together a very last minute casual dinner for Prince Andrew, who is in New York on an unofficial private visit...Prince Andrew, Woody Allen and Soon-Yi, Katie Couric....Jeffrey Epstein, where Andrew is staying. Jeffrey's house is one the largest single dwellings in New York...it's beautiful." When the event leaked to the New York Post's Page Six, EFTA00751096.pdf documents the full article describing how "Britain's Prince Andrew regaled a bevy of media heavyweights at billionaire Jeffrey Epstein's Upper East Side townhouse" and reporting that "everyone at the table, including Woody Allen, jokingly asked him for an invite to the wedding." Siegal wrote Epstein: "Emily Smith knew who was there. I am so sorry. I called you asap...I tried to deflect anything bad. I am very loyal to you. The leak originated from Tina Brown".

Estate-related documents chronicle the years-long dispute with her brother. EFTA02723471.pdf shows Siegal writing to Gary and copying Epstein: "I hope you will not make any final distributions without my sign off." EFTA02672697.pdf documents attorney Philip Michaels reporting to Siegal in October 2013: "We would settle but we needed Gary to come up considerably from his offer of $10,000...If we didn't settle, then we would force a judicial accounting of the trust." EFTA02596539.pdf from December 2014 shows complex negotiations over payments totaling $426,000 and $150,000, with Epstein advising: "get the first 426 and have gary agree now to finance 175 or pay 150 now."

Multiple documents show standard RSVP confirmations for Epstein's screening attendance, including EFTA00326124.pdf confirming "Jeffrey Epstein plus 3 will attend" a screening of "The Man Who Knew Infinity" in April 2016, and EFTA02164318 showing "Jeffrey Epstein plus TWO will attend" "The Campaign" screening in July 2012.

Visits to Epstein Properties#

The archive documents numerous visits and events at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse:

Manhattan Townhouse:

1. December 2010 - Dinner for Prince Andrew with multiple guests (email coordination, Page Six coverage)
2. December 3, 2010 - Post-dinner correspondence about "regular coffee instead of decaf"
3. December 4, 2010 - Follow-up discussion about Monday dinner, Siegal asked "I want to come...please"
4. October 2013 - Reference to seeing Epstein "tonight" for her birthday
5. Multiple references throughout 2010-2019 to meetings, dinners, and social gatherings at the residence

Other Properties: The archive contains no documentation of Siegal visiting Epstein's properties in Palm Beach, Little St. James island, New Mexico, or Paris, though she mentioned staying with Kathy Rayner in Palm Beach and traveling extensively to Europe for film festivals.