[Tether Co-Founder Brock Pierce Closely Linked to Epstein] On February 5, documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein had close ties with Tether co-founder Brock Pierce. The two frequently communicated after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes. Email records show they discussed cryptocurrency matters and leveraged connections to develop business opportunities. Pierce had invited Epstein to visit his residence in Puerto Rico and planned to help Epstein establish connections with the Winklevoss twins. He also included Epstein in plans to acquire Mt. Gox. The documents indicate that Epstein had invested in Coinbase and Blockstream and provided $3 million to Pierce for investing in Coinbase, though the investment was ultimately completed independently.