Epstein’s $25,000 Telepathy Grant: The Deepak Chopra Link to UCSD Researchers, Exploitation of Autistic Children

Newly released U.S. Department of Justice documents from January 30, 2026, reveal a clear chain of events in which Deepak Chopra introduced Jeffrey Epstein to researchers at the University of California, San Diego. This introduction led to Epstein providing funding for a pilot study involving an autistic savant claimed to display telepathy. The funding came from Epstein’s private foundation and supported work at the Center for Brain and Cognition led by neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran.

Deepak Chopra played a central role as the connector. Chopra, who served as a voluntary clinical professor at UCSD in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, had maintained a long-standing email relationship with Epstein. In 2017, he forwarded several threads to Epstein that discussed consciousness, nonlocal mind, and potential telepathic abilities in autistic children. These emails formed the foundation for the eventual funding request.

The emails also touched on experiments that raised additional concerns in light of Epstein’s documented history of sexual abuse of minors. Separate forwarded threads discussed clairvoyant reactions to “erotic or violent” images and pleasure/pain responses. Some discussions referenced “cute Israeli girls” in the context of these psi proposals. While the specific telepathy pilot funded at UCSD focused on autistic savants, the broader email exchanges with Chopra included proposals involving emotional and sexual stimuli that critics have linked to Epstein’s pattern of exploiting vulnerable young people.

The July 2017 “Savant Syndrome and Nonlocal Mind” Email Chain (EFTA02393771 / Related EFTA_R1_01420657)

Date: July 11–12, 2017

Forwarded by: Deepak Chopra to Jeffrey Epstein (subject: “Fwd: Savant syndrome and nonlocal mind” + note “FYI on non local mind”)

Verbatim excerpt (full chain publicly hosted and quoted):

• Paul J. Mills, Ph.D. (UCSD Professor of Family Medicine & Public Health) to Darold Treffert, M.D. (cc: Deepak Chopra & Diane Hennacy Powell, M.D.):

“I’ve been working with Diane Powell, MD and Deepak Chopra, MD on a project that is part of a long-standing clinical and research program of Dr. Powell’s, studying telepathy in autistic children. Earlier this year we conducted a pilot study of a young boy and his mother and aim to continue this work under improved experimental conditions, pending grant funding.”

• Treffert’s reply (cc: Mills, Chopra, Powell):

“In my recent review of our savant registry, now over 300+ cases, about 1% of parents or other reporters indicated ESP/telepathy abilities in that sample… And I have been working with a girl with severe autism impairment since 2013 who shows clear (to me) telepathy connection with her ABA therapist.”

Chopra immediately forwarded the entire thread to Epstein on July 12, 2017. This is the origin point for the telepathy-in-autistic-children pitch. (The Powell/Mills/Chopra project is the same one referenced in earlier 2017 emails about autistic telepathy funding attempts via the Deepak Chopra Foundation, which had failed.)

The thread highlighted interest in autistic savants and claims of exceptional mental abilities, including telepathy. It aligned with broader discussions in Chopra’s circle about consciousness beyond conventional neuroscience. At the same time, other 2017 emails forwarded by Chopra explored using “erotic/violent” imagery in psi testing to measure emotional or clairvoyant responses. These elements have drawn scrutiny given Epstein’s convictions for sex trafficking minors and the abuse documented across victim testimonies and court records.

The September 2017 Funding Discussion

The connection deepened on September 25, 2017. V.S. Ramachandran emailed Deepak Chopra with the subject line “Cost to study the autistic savant who displays telepathy.” In the message, Ramachandran discussed a pilot study focused on an autistic savant exhibiting telepathic abilities. He explicitly stated that he had “no problem” with his lab being funded by Epstein, provided there was no direct UC connection. Ramachandran also suggested that a larger commitment, in the range of 500,000 to 3 million dollars, would interest university administrators.

This email directly referenced the same themes from the earlier Mills-Chopra-Powell discussions. Chopra had been updating Epstein on these conversations throughout the year.

The Actual Funding from Gratitude America Ltd.

Shortly after the September 25 exchange, Epstein instructed his accountant, Richard Kahn, to send 25,000 dollars from his private foundation, Gratitude America Ltd., to the University of California Board of Regents. The purpose was to support Ramachandran’s research on savant syndrome at the Center for Brain and Cognition. Epstein directed that the check be mailed to Peter Hinkley, then chief administrative officer of UCSD’s psychology department.

This payment represents the only confirmed transfer tied to the telepathy-related pilot study discussions. While some reports mention a possible 50,000-dollar check in related contexts, the documented instruction in the DOJ files specifies 25,000 dollars. Larger amounts discussed in emails did not materialize.

On October 5, 2017, Chopra followed up with Epstein. He reported spending the day with Ramachandran discussing the “pilot study of autistic savants,” confirming that the funding discussions had progressed.

Summary of the Funding Flow and Chopra’s Role

Chopra served as the key intermediary. He introduced Epstein to the UCSD researchers and forwarded relevant email threads about telepathy research involving autistic children. This led directly to Ramachandran’s approval of Epstein funding and the subsequent 25,000-dollar payment from Gratitude America Ltd.

Here is a clear timeline:

• July 2017: Mills emails Treffert about telepathy research in autistic children, with Chopra and Powell involved. Chopra forwards to Epstein.

• September 25, 2017: Ramachandran emails Chopra about the cost to study an “autistic savant who displays telepathy” and states no objection to Epstein funding.

• Late September 2017: Epstein directs 25,000 dollars from Gratitude America Ltd. to UC Regents for savant syndrome research.

• October 5, 2017: Chopra updates Epstein on discussions with Ramachandran about the pilot study.

The parallel discussions of erotic/violent stimuli in other psi proposals forwarded through the same network have fueled speculation about Epstein’s motives. Victim accounts in the broader Epstein case describe manipulation, control, and psychological coercion of minors. No released documents show direct evidence that Epstein applied psychic research techniques specifically during abuse incidents, but the overlap between his interest in emotional arousal-based psi experiments and his known exploitation of young victims has prompted criticism from advocates and commentators.

Outcomes & Aftermath

• Did the study happen? The $25,000 supported Ramachandran’s existing Center for Brain and Cognition savant research, which included the telepathic-savant pilot component. No public peer-reviewed paper resulted specifically from this grant (the lab’s broader savant work continued independently).

• UCSD reaction (2026): After the files dropped, UCSD cut all ties with Chopra. His voluntary clinical professorship (no salary) ended June 30, 2026.

• Chopra’s public response: His spokesperson claimed the money was returned, but no documentation of a refund has surfaced in the files or UCSD statements.

UCSD has stated that it has no record of receiving a gift from Epstein or his foundation in its official accounts. The university emphasized that it does not support fundraising from convicted sex offenders. Following the document release, UCSD ended its affiliation with Deepak Chopra, whose voluntary clinical professorship concluded on June 30, 2026.

Chopra’s representatives have claimed that any funds were returned, though no public documentation of a refund has been produced.

Key Takeaway

The 2026 DOJ Epstein DataSet files show a straightforward pattern: Deepak Chopra facilitated introductions and forwarded emails about telepathy research involving autistic savants. This directly resulted in Epstein directing 25,000 dollars from his foundation to support related work at Ramachandran’s UCSD lab. The exchanges occurred against the backdrop of Epstein’s ongoing abuse of minors, with some psi-related proposals referencing erotic or violent imagery. The files remain confined to private funding pitches for fringe aspects of brain and consciousness research. No government programs or classified ties appear in these specific chains.

All details above come from publicly released DOJ documents (including EFTA01013830, EFTA00982555, and related files in DataSet 9) and contemporaneous reporting by outlets such as the UCSD Guardian, San Diego Union-Tribune, New York Post, and others that reviewed the originals. The files are available through the Department of Justice Epstein disclosures.