PALM BEACH, Fla. — A Florida man, identified locally as Pete, is addressing a surge of online speculation that he is, in fact, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The claims, fueled by a viral video filmed on Interstate 95, have prompted Pete to repeatedly and publicly state his identity.
The video, which quickly spread across social media platforms, shows Pete driving a convertible when a passerby begins filming, exclaiming, “Epstein is alive!” Pete, who has since been dubbed “Palm Beach Pete” online, initially learned of the viral attention after being offline for several hours. “Some dude randomly filmed me while I was driving on I-95, unbeknownst to me, and the next thing I know, I’m a viral sensation,” he said in a video posted online.
“I’m not Jeffrey Epstein. I’m Palm Beach Pete,” he stated directly to the camera. In a subsequent video, he reiterated his denial, stating, “I’m just Palm Beach Pete gonna play some tennis today, going into town, have lunch. I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. He’s a highly bad person, and he is dead — and I’m alive.”
The incident occurred while Pete was en route to a tennis match, according to his account. Reports indicate Pete is a former Division I tennis player and previously worked in real estate.
Reaction to the video on Palm Beach Island has been mixed, ranging from amusement to renewed discussion of conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s death. Some individuals expressed belief that Epstein faked his death, stating, “There was too much out there, so they said, ‘we’re going to fake your death.’ He could still be out there.” Others noted the striking physical resemblance, with one woman commenting, “It is a creepy resemblance. I don’t want to see Jeffrey Epstein around here.” Not all residents found the situation humorous, with one man expressing sympathy for Pete, saying, “It’s just not something to joke about. People shouldn’t joke about that.”
Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019, a ruling that has nonetheless spawned numerous conspiracy theories. The release of documents related to the Epstein case by the U.S. Department of Justice in January 2026 further fueled public interest and speculation. The viral video of Pete, with his gray hair, facial features, and sunglasses, tapped into this existing fascination, leading many online to describe the resemblance as “uncanny.”
Pete acknowledges the unexpected attention, describing the situation as “a crazy phenomenon that went really viral.” He continues to maintain his identity as “Palm Beach Pete,” despite ongoing online debate and speculation.
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