Is this a photo of Kamala Harris with Jeffrey Epstein on a beach? No, it's fake

What’s the claim?

Ahead of the 2024 United States presidential elections, a photo allegedly depicting Vice President Kamala Harris posing with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has circulated widely on social media, accompanied by the text, “Old photos don’t lie.” 

A user on Facebook shared the image with the claim, “#KaMana & #Epstein who ain't #dead.” An archived version of the post can be found here. Harris is the Democratic nominee for the upcoming elections, facing off against the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump.

The image also gained traction in July 2024, with users on X (formerly Twitter) asserting, “Seems like Lying Kamala Harris loved Epstein Island. This doesn’t appear to be that old.” An archived version of this post is available here.

Screenshot of the claim made online. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, this image is AI-generated and not authentic.

What did we notice about the image?

In the viral image, we identified several inconsistencies, including the uneven appearance of Harris'  fingers and slight blurriness above her head. Additionally, the background featuring a thatched roof made of dried palm leaves is unevenly blurred. Both Harris' and Epstein’s faces appear airbrushed and unrealistically smooth. These anomalies suggest that the viral image may be manipulated or AI-generated.

Inconsistencies in the viral image. (Source: Facebook/Modified by Logically Facts)

Logically Facts analyzed the image using an AI-generated content detection tool, Hive Moderation, which confirmed that the image is “99.5 percent AI-generated or deepfake content.”

(Source: Hive Moderation)

We also examined the image using True Media, another AI content detection tool, which confirmed it exhibited “substantial evidence of manipulation,” further indicating that it was digitally created.

(Source: True Media)

It is important to note that while these online tools do not provide conclusive proof, their findings, combined with the visible discrepancies in the image, strongly suggest that the photo is not authentic.

Epstein was arrested in 2005 on charges of sex trafficking minors. He was registered as a sex offender and reportedly died by suicide in prison in 2019. Over the years, several celebrities have been linked to Epstein as alleged clients and associates involved in the crimes for which he was indicted. However, many celebrities have also been falsely associated with Epstein through altered images and unsubstantiated claims.

Logically Facts has previously debunked several similar images, with fact-checks available here and here. We also investigated another manipulated image falsely linking Kamala Harris to Epstein, which can be read here.

The verdict

The image purporting to show Kamala Harris with Jeffrey Epstein is fake and was most likely created using AI.