Calls Grow for Ripple to Seek Government Records on Epstein-Linked Influence Over XRP
Crypto commentator Dr. Russell McGregor has urged Ripple to demand that US authorities disclose any government records showing Jeffrey Epstein–linked influence on early crypto policy that may have targeted Ripple, XRP or rival Stellar. The call follows the public release of emails in which Blockstream co-founder Austin Hill urged Epstein and Joichi Ito in July 2014 to withdraw or limit funding for projects tied to Jed McCaleb — explicitly naming Ripple and Stellar and arguing their support would harm crypto’s image. McGregor asked Ripple to press the SEC, DOJ and Congress for records revealing whether Epstein-associated individuals or networks influenced enforcement priorities or regulatory narratives affecting Ripple/XRP. Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz said the email may be “the tip of a much larger iceberg.” The article notes Ripple later faced FinCEN and SEC actions, including a 2015 $700,000 FinCEN penalty and a multi‑year SEC suit that ended with Ripple paying $125 million and accepting an injunction. Some in the community are skeptical Ripple will pursue such records aggressively given its regulatory ties. The developments have reignited debate about early industry influence, regulatory formation, and whether undisclosed networks affected XRP’s treatment.
Neutral
This story is primarily political and regulatory rather than market-moving news about token fundamentals or product launches. The revelations and calls for records increase reputational and legal scrutiny around XRP and Ripple, which can raise uncertainty among traders. However, the piece is speculative — it recounts past emails and calls for disclosure rather than confirming new government actions or legal reopenings. Historically, reputational scandals and regulatory uncertainty can cause short-term price volatility and heightened selling pressure (bearish in the near term) but do not always produce sustained long-term declines unless they lead to fresh enforcement or concrete legal findings. Given Ripple’s prior resolution with the SEC (a settlement and injunction), and because no new enforcement action is announced, the likely market response is muted overall: short-term volatility and increased risk premium for XRP, but no definitive long-term downward catalyst unless investigations produce formal actions. Traders should watch for (1) any formal records released by SEC/DOJ/Congress, (2) Ripple’s public/legal response, and (3) on‑chain flows and derivatives positioning. If disclosures suggest coordinated influence that altered enforcement, that could trigger broader regulatory reviews and more significant market impact. Conversely, absence of corroborating government records would likely neutralize the story over time.