Beware alleged Epstein and Courtney Love photo

In February 2026, social media users circulated a photograph they claimed showed convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein posing with singer Courtney Love.

One X post (archived) included a caption reading “I think I figured out what really happened to Kurt Cobain.  I mean come on, do you trust Courtney Love?”

(X user @MrViper)

The image also spread on Facebook and in Italian– and French-language X posts. In comments, many users appeared to believe it was real.

However, the image was not an authentic photo and originated from a satirical social media account.

The account that first shared the image included a bio emphasizing that its content was not real, reading “• It’s all fake • Laugh about it • No Dms • Check the highlights • GFL.” In the comments, the original poster also pointed users back to that bio.

We also ran the image through Google Gemini’s SynthID check, a tool that scans for embedded watermarks by artificial intelligence software. That scan detected a SynthID watermark and concluded “All or part of this image was created or edited using Google’s AI tools.”

(Google Gemini)

Below is a genuine Getty Images photograph showing Love in an outfit similar to the one depicted in the fake photo — showing how the manipulated image appears to have been based on real footage:

(Getty Images)

All in all, the photograph purportedly showing Epstein with Love does not document a real meeting or relationship. It was digitally fabricated and originated on a satirical account, and there is no verified evidence that it represents an actual moment in either person’s life.

For background, here is why we alert readers to rumors created by sources calling their output humorous or satirical.