Man known as ‘Palm Beach Pete’ says he was blindsided after video sparked conspiracy theories, saying ‘the next thing I know, I’m a viral sensation.’ (@not.epstein via Instagram)
It may be the worst kind of mistaken identity, being confused withJeffrey Epstein.
A Florida man is speaking out after a viral video of him driving a convertible sparked widespread speculation that he resembled disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The unidentified man, who calls himself "Palm BeachPete" on social media, said he was blindsided after video of him cruising along a South Florida highway began circulating widely, fueling conspiracy theories that Epstein could still be alive.
In the clip, which has more than 10 million views, TikTok user Andrew Posey shouts, "Epstein is alive!"
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A Jeffrey Epstein look-alike known as "Palm Beach Pete" addressed rumors after photos and videos of him circulated online in a post on Instagram Friday, March 20.(@not.epstein via Instagram)
The video quickly gained traction online, with users commenting on what many described as an "uncanny" resemblance.
The viral moment taps into years of lingering public skepticism and conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s 2019 death.
The man later addressed the speculation directly in a video posted to Instagram with a new account called "@not.epstein," saying, "Good morning everybody, this is Palm Beach Pete from Palm Beach, Florida.
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This photo is captioned "Hello I am Palm Beach Pete… Not Jeffrey Epstein" on the @not.epstein Instagram page. The photo has nearly 25,000 likes.(@not.epstein via Instagram)
"I want to thank everybody for the positive comments I got from saying I’m not Jeffrey Epstein. I’m so not Jeffrey Epstein, I’m me being me."
Pete also emphasized, "[Epstein is] a very bad person, what he did, obviously, and he is dead. And I’m alive."
Pete said his sudden internet fame began after he was unknowingly filmed while driving.
