Comments The dad of the world’s richest man subscribes to the theory that the late Jeffrey Epstein isn’t quite as late as we’ve just indicated (Pictures: Getty Images) The always controversial figure of Errol Musk – father of Elon – has resurfaced with another eyebrow-raising take. This time the South African’s claiming that Jeffrey Epstein is still alive. The 79-year-old made the comments during a primetime interview on Russian state television. Asked, for some reason, about Epstein, Errol dismissed the official account of his death outright, leaning into long-running conspiracy theories about what exactly happened to the paedophile financier. Convicted sex offender Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell on August 10, 2019. He was, at the time, awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in a case that drew global attention and endless – ongoing – scrutiny. Errol’s currently in Russia on a short trip that’s ‘focusing on research projects with Russian scientists’ (Picture: AP) Epstein’s death was formally ruled a suicide by the city’s chief medical examiner. Questions about the circumstances have continued to circulate in the years since. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. ‘In my opinion, it’s absurd to think that he is dead. It’s ridiculous,’ Errol said. The line didn’t land all that well, drawing a number of groans from the studio audience. That didn’t slow him down, though. ‘The prison guards have come out to say that he was swapped out the night before he was supposed to commit suicide,’ he continued. Epstein died in police custody in August of 2019 (Picture: AP) He then doubled down even further, adding: ‘The cameras were off at the wrong time, the guards went to sleep.’ He then concluded: ‘It’s absolutely absurd to think that this man is dead. He’s alive and well.’ It’s a familiar line of thinking in conspiracy circles. One that’s cropped up repeatedly since the news of Epstein’s death hit, alongside others. The setting was fairly unusual. Then again, so was the claim. Errol is currently in Russia on a two-week visit focused on what’s been described as ‘research projects with Russian scientists’. He’s no stranger to the country, having made repeated trips in recent years. Mr. Musk not only believes that Jeffrey Epstein is alive, but says that the very idea that he’s dead is ‘ridiculous’ (Picture: REUTERS) Over the weekend, he was reportedly spotted at a Moscow cathedral attending an Orthodox Easter midnight service, an event also attended by none other than Vladimir Putin himself. The appearance placed him alongside the Russian president at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, one of the most prominent religious sites in the country. Errol has built something of a reputation for speaking his mind, regardless of the audience or their reaction to what he comes out with. That’s extended beyond geopolitics, too, occasionally drawing his own family into the conversation. Elon and Errol Musk are estranged, with the Tesla boss once calling his father ‘a terrible human being’ (Picture: AP) Musk has previously blamed his son for a falling out with Donald Trump, adding yet another layer to an already complicated public dynamic.