In August 2019, an anonymous 4Chan user posted about Jeffrey Epstein's death 38 minutes before mainstream media, sparking an FBI investigation that ultimately went nowhere. The user claimed Epstein had died by hanging at 7:16 a.m. on August 10, beating ABC News' Aaron Katersky by nearly 40 minutes.

Newly released Epstein files reveal the Justice Department subpoenaed 4Chan for the user's IP addresses four days after the posts. The anonymous poster demonstrated medical knowledge, mentioning intubation and fluid infusion, while also spreading conspiracy theories about body switching. Despite efforts to trace the user through AT&T and T-Mobile records, investigators hit dead ends.

The mystery deepened when prosecutors confirmed they never identified the poster during the criminal case against the two guards responsible for Epstein. The Justice Department inspector general's 128-page report on Epstein's death made no mention of the 4Chan posts, focusing instead on systemic failures at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Epstein himself appeared to be a 4Chan user and was acquainted with founder Christopher Poole, though Poole told The Verge he regrets ever meeting the convicted sex offender.