Overview
- Short dash‑cam style clips from South Florida that spread in March 2026 showed a grey‑haired driver in a white cap, and commenters claimed it was Jeffrey Epstein.
- The driver identified himself online as “Palm Beach Pete,” said he is Peter Simel, and denied the rumor with the line, “He is dead, and I’m alive.”
- Snopes and other outlets concluded the man is a look‑alike after side‑by‑side checks that flagged differences in lip shape and ear structure when compared with verified Epstein photos.
- Official records say Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in August 2019, yet the clips drew millions of views and stirred fresh claims that he is still alive.
- Pete said he was filmed without knowing and that his phone “blew up,” while coverage ranged from forensic debunks to human‑interest profiles noting his past in real estate and college tennis.