Infamous – "Deepak Chopra, Oprah, and Jeffrey Epstein" Date: March 12, 2026
Hosts: Vanessa Grigoriadis, Gabriel Sherman, Natalie Robehmed
Guest: Matthew Remski (podcaster, Conspirituality)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the entanglement of the wellness industry with elite power circles, focusing particularly on Deepak Chopra’s extensive correspondence and relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The discussion unpacks how Epstein exploited ties to influential figures in academia, science, and wellness, and explores what this says about American culture’s fixation with gurus and the commodification of spirituality. With the recent release of the Epstein files, the panel critiques the complicity and moral failures of those who remained close to Epstein, even after his criminal conviction.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Epstein’s Motivation for Befriending Wellness Figures

• Epstein’s Academic and Wellness Interests: Epstein presented himself as interested in physics and quantum theory, but the hosts suggest his true interest lay in New Age thought, especially the nature of consciousness (04:00).
  • "He funded a lot of neuroscience things that made him feel significant and helped him ask big questions of the world." — Vanessa Grigoriadis (03:10)
• Cultivation of Influence: Epstein donated to the sciences and wellness world for intellectual clout and access to power, culminating in relationships like the one with Deepak Chopra.

2. Deepak Chopra’s Role in the Epstein Circle

• Thousands of Interactions: Between 2016 and 2019, Chopra and Epstein exchanged messages frequently, covering spirituality, wellness, mutual acquaintances, and more dubious topics (04:43, 05:14).
  • "Chopra visited Epstein at Epstein's New York City townhouse, his South Florida home, and a Paris apartment." — Natalie Robehmed (05:05)
• Personal Tone: Chopra often closed messages with "love," "xo," and similar language; at one point, emails include text exchanges with sexual undertones.
  • Deepak: “Sending love.”
    Epstein: “Can you send it in female form?” (05:54)
• Timing Matters: The relationship deepened after Epstein's 2008 conviction—a fact that complicates Chopra’s later claims of ignorance or limited contact.

3. Chopra’s Public Statement

• Chopra unequivocally condemns abuse, distances himself from criminal activity, and regrets the tone and judgment reflected in some emails (06:19).
  • “Any contact I had was limited and unrelated to abusive activity. Some past email exchanges have surfaced that reflect poor judgment and tone. I regret that … My focus remains on supporting accountability, prevention, and efforts that protect and support survivors.” — Deepak Chopra (06:19)

4. The Rise of Wellness Gurus and Their Messaging

• Guest Insight from Matthew Remski: Remski, a longtime observer of the spirituality-wellness world, traces Chopra's rise to Oprah’s endorsement and his skillful blending of Eastern metaphysics, pseudo-scientific ideas, and Western self-optimization (08:17).
  • “His main hook, I think, was the promulgation of a very old folk medicine form within India called Ayurveda ... and it resonates with his own alienation from medical science…” — Matthew Remski (09:13)
• On Transcendental Meditation (TM): Remski distinguishes between the esoteric presentation and the simple practice, critiquing how such techniques become commodified and mystified (12:28).
• Quantum Healing and Magical Thinking: Remski dismisses "quantum healing" as a marketing tactic that wrongly claims consciousness can heal material conditions (13:50).
  • “It’s literally nothing. Like it’s a magic phrase … consciousness heals material conditions, which is the opposite of what’s actually true.” — Remski (13:55)
• Commodification of Wellness: Remski notes, “If he [Chopra] was really interested in public service ... they would give these techniques away,” highlighting the contradiction between commercialized wellness and claims of universal healing (13:00).

5. Wellness, Declining Trust in Institutions, and Societal Context

• “You don’t get promises going viral for quantum healing unless you already have a population that has said, ‘Well, I guess we can’t expect to really have any kind of reform of this predatory medical insurance racket that we’re all subject to and that is killing us.’” — Remski (18:07)
• Remski and the hosts connect the rise of self-help spirituality to a retreat from communal solutions and a broader neoliberal emphasis on individual optimization (19:07).
  • “The wealthy of the neoliberal class need spirituality constantly that makes them feel okay about what they’re doing ... ‘Deregulate your consciousness, expand your mind and your markets.’” — Remski (20:35)

6. The Emails: Dissecting the Chopra-Epstein Correspondence

• Disturbing Content: Many emails dwell on “consciousness,” abstraction, and flirtation with disturbing ideas about women (23:51).
  • “Cells are human constructs. No such thing. Universe is a human construct. Cute girls are aw … Deepak to Jeffrey Epstein. Jeffrey Epstein says, ‘Thank God.’ And then Deepak responds, ‘God is a construct, which, wow, okay. Surprising to hear him say that. Cute girls are real.’” — Vanessa Grigoriadis (24:00)
  • “Yes, that’s divine transcendence.” — Deepak, responding to a sexualized exchange (25:50)
• Non-Dualism as a Shield: Remski explains how non-dual spiritual frameworks can anesthetize practitioners to hierarchy or exploitation, fostering moral detachment (28:20).
  • “If everything is non-dual, if everything is connected, then … the people that they’re exploiting are part of this great play. This great Maya…” — Remski (28:31)
• Moral Evasion: When confronted about Epstein’s reputation, Chopra’s focus remains on meditation—not on accountability (29:29).
  • “Sorry, I’m not concerned about that. Let’s connect, mostly by WhatsApp. I think we should meditate together.” — Deepak Chopra to Jeffrey Epstein, March 2019 (28:58)

7. Chopra as Brand and Businessman

• In addition to dozens of books, Chopra Global marketed wellness retreats costing upwards of $6,000, and meditation gadgets priced in the hundreds of dollars. Deepak sold the company for an estimated $20 million in 2023 (32:25).
• Chopra’s contract with UC San Diego set to expire; repercussions from the scandal are expected, but real consequences may be limited (33:33).

8. The Oprah Question and Broader Reckoning

• Remski is skeptical Oprah will ever be held accountable for platforming figures like Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, Chopra, or alleged abusers like John of God, citing her integration with America’s liberal elite (35:53).
  • “[Oprah] is too big to fail... Many people know what she’s done, but she’s not going anywhere.” — Remski (35:53)
• Remski predicts future wellness influencers will have shorter shelf lives, replaced more rapidly in an increasingly competitive market (34:05).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Chopra’s Wellness Empire:
  "He does not deserve to become an oligarch because of that. And if he becomes an oligarch who's hanging out with Jeffrey Epstein because of incredibly simple things pretty much anybody could come up with … there's something wrong." — Matthew Remski (13:00)
• On the Power of Non-Dualism as Justification:
  "If everything is connected, even the people they're exploiting are part of this great play… Maya is the word that they use." — Matthew Remski (28:31)
• On Chopra’s Response to Epstein’s Bad Press:
  Epstein: "I am aware of the toxicity of my press."
  Chopra: "Sorry, I'm not concerned about that. Let's connect, mostly by WhatsApp. I think we should meditate together." (28:58)
• On Oprah’s Accountability:
  “She certainly does [have something to answer for]. I don’t think she will … She’s too big to fail…” — Matthew Remski (35:53)
• On the commodification and competition in the wellness industry:
  "Andrew Huberman is going to last for not as long. And there’s going to be more turnover, too... It’s a much more competitive market." — Matthew Remski (34:05)

Notable Timestamps

• [04:00] – Deepak Chopra’s prominence in the Epstein files is introduced
• [06:19] – Reading of Deepak Chopra’s official statement
• [08:17] – Matthew Remski contextualizes Chopra’s legacy
• [13:50] – Critique of “quantum healing” and commodification
• [18:07] – Wellness culture as a response to failures in public health
• [20:35] – The neoliberal embrace of self-optimization and spiritual wealth
• [24:00-25:50] – Breakdown of specific, troubling email exchanges
• [28:58] – Chopra minimizes concern about Epstein’s reputation in texts
• [32:25] – Chopra’s business empire and its lucrative exits
• [33:33] – UC San Diego cuts ties; future for wellness influencers
• [35:53] – The "Oprah reckoning" question addressed

Episode Tone & Style

• Candid, slightly irreverent, and deeply critical
• Blending investigative journalism with culturally savvy commentary
• The discussion marries hard facts with pointed opinion, particularly the skepticism of any meaningful accountability for powerful figures in wellness and media.

Final Thoughts

This episode critically examines how wellness culture, spearheaded by gurus like Deepak Chopra and amplified by media icons like Oprah, became entangled with power and privilege—often to troubling effect. It raises questions about moral responsibility, the dangers of spiritualized self-justification, and the commercial forces fueling the celebrity wellness machine. The Chopra-Epstein correspondence serves as a disturbing emblem of these themes, suggesting the structural issues run deeper than individual failings.

Guest plug:
Matthew Remski’s podcast Conspirituality investigates intersections of wellness, spirituality, and conspiracy. He announced a forthcoming podcast, "Antifascist Dad," and an upcoming book of the same name (37:11).

For More:

• Listen to earlier Infamous episodes for scandals featuring figures like Dr. Oz and John of God
• Check out Matthew Remski’s “Conspirituality” podcast for deep dives into health and spirituality culture.