Does this image show Epstein with Island Boys hip-hop duo? Don’t be fooled

Claim:

An image authentically shows convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein posing with twin brothers who would later form the Island Boys hip-hop duo.

Rating:

On Feb. 2, 2026, an X user posted (archived) an image purportedly showing convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein posing for a years-old photo with the Island Boys hip-hop duo. The image allegedly showed Epstein with his arms around two boys internet users said were Alex Venegas, known as “Flyysoulja,” and his twin brother Franky Venegas, who goes by “Kodiyakredd.” Facebook users posted the image, as well.

The user’s post, which circulated following a fresh release of Epstein case files, read, “It all makes sense now.” The post displayed a single image comprised of four total images, including the Epstein image and several photos of the Venegas brothers.

(@klara_sjo/X)

In short, the Epstein photo was fake and created with the generative-AI platform Midjourney. It was first posted (archived) in March 2023 by an Instagram user with “AI” in their handle.

In 2023, TMZ reported Alex Venegas confirmed the image did not picture him with his brother. Investigative X user @hoaxeye debunked the matter, as well. Snopes contacted Alex Venegas via a TikTok private message to independently obtain the same information and will update this article if we receive a response.

The Venegas brothers first rose to a level of TikTok notoreity in 2021, singing, “I’m an Island Boy.”

We sourced reporting for this article from Know Your Meme, Reuters and the fact-checkers with the Italian Open publication.

Fake photo shows many signs of AI

Instagram user @aiartistking posted (archived) the original, uncropped image as part of a two-image slideshow on March 25, 2023. The user’s handle, reading as “AI Artist King,” provided the first hint the user generated their content with AI tools.

The post’s text caption featured the hashtags “#midjourney,” “#midjourneyai” and “#midjourneyv5,” identifying the user created the picture with Midjourney. That original, high-quality version of the image — when viewed directly on Instagram — showed skin that appeared smooth and shiny on all five subjects, a characteristic consistent with AI creations.

(@aiartistking/Instagram)

The second AI-generated image in the slideshow showed Epstein posing with five boys. The image displayed the text “Epstein Island,” referencing Epstein’s Little St. James Island in the Caribbean Sea. When closely viewed directly on Instagram, Epstein’s mouth and some of the boys’ faces had deformities — another sign of AI.

(@aiartistking/Instagram)

The user @aiartistking hadn’t posted any new content since 2023, and their profile did not contain external contact information.

Social media users reposted the AI-generated image of Epstein and the four boys in the weeks and months following the initial March 2023 Instagram post.

For further reading, we previously reported about whether Epstein truly owned a painting of former U.S. President Bill Clinton wearing a blue dress.

Sources