The viral doppelgänger tried to kill the rumors with science. Then the state stepped in. Here’s what we know — and what they’re not telling us.
Picture this: You’re cruising down I-95 in a convertible, minding your own business, when a stranger in the next lane starts filming and screaming “Epstein is alive!”
Within hours the clip explodes across TikTok, Instagram, X and YouTube. Millions of views. Your face is suddenly everywhere next to the most infamous financier in modern history. Your quiet retirement in Palm Beach? Over.
That man is Peter Simel — now known to the world as Palm Beach Pete.
He did what any rational person would do: he announced he would take a private DNA test to once and for all prove he is not Jeffrey Epstein. The results were due any day.
Then came the twist that changed everything.
Instead of his DNA results, Pete says he received a letter from the Florida Division of Elections advising him to drop his campaign for mayor of Palm Beach — and informing him that the state was taking over his DNA test “due to apparent irregularities and public concern about [his] identity.”
The results vanished. The state stepped in. And the internet lost its collective mind.
The Viral Spark: One Highway Video, Millions of Questions
In March 2026, a passenger in another car filmed Pete driving his convertible on I-95. The audio is unmistakable: “Epstein out here in South Florida… Epstein is alive!”
The clip spread like wildfire. Side-by-side comparisons flooded timelines. Some noted the gray swept-back hair, the profile, even claims of a similar arm tattoo or gait. Others said it was just another gray-haired Jewish man in South Florida — a region Epstein once called home.
"Same everything. It’s him.""He even stutters like Epstein did in old videos.""Why does he keep saying he’s not him if he’s not?"
Pete responded quickly and calmly on social media and in interviews (including Jimmy Kimmel Live): “I’m not Jeffrey Epstein. I’m Palm Beach Pete.” He has repeatedly stated that Epstein is dead and was “a very bad person.” He also admitted he attended a couple of parties in the past where Epstein was present, describing him as “creepy and reclusive.”
Who Is Peter Simel Really?
Born in 1955 (age 71), Peter Bart Simel is a retired managing director at Colliers International, a major commercial real estate firm. A Syracuse University alumnus and former International Tennis Federation Masters competitor, he has lived a relatively low-profile life in Florida until the viral moment.
He is not a politician by trade. His mayoral platform (announced May 2026 for the 2028 Town of Palm Beach election) leans heavily into lifestyle and wellness: expanding pickleball and padel courts, free Botox, leasing residents convertibles, “mother-in-law therapy,” and keeping wealthy residents in town longer so they keep paying taxes. It’s equal parts satirical and serious — classic Palm Beach eccentricity.
Sources: Fox News, CBS12, Washington Times, Wikipedia entry on Palm Beach Pete (updated 2026)
The DNA Test That Was Supposed to End It All
Fed up with the constant accusations, Pete announced in May 2026 that he would submit a DNA sample to a top private lab. He framed it as a public service: “I just wanted to put the rumors to rest.” He even teased that results would premiere on popular podcasts.
Forensic DNA profiling using Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) — the standard method — is considered one of the most reliable biometric identifiers available when proper chain-of-custody protocols are followed. Error rates in accredited labs are extraordinarily low for unrelated individuals.
Then, instead of the results arriving from the lab, Pete says he received an official letter from the Florida Division of Elections.
- • Advised him to “reconsider” or suspend his mayoral campaign
- • Stated the Division would assume “full responsibility for conducting and overseeing all further analysis” of his DNA
- • Cited “apparent irregularities” and “public concern about [his] identity”
- • Suggested the state, not the private lab, would now handle everything
Pete posted: “This is not right and I will be taking legal action to fight this.”
Public Reaction: From Skepticism to Outrage
Reactions compiled from X, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Reddit and YouTube comments (March–June 2026). Sentiment is deeply polarized.
Why Is Mainstream Media and Fact-Checking So Quiet?
The initial viral video and mayoral announcement received coverage from CBS12, Fox News, CNN’s “Have I Got News For You,” and others. They treated it as a quirky human-interest story.
The DNA “confiscation” twist, however, has largely stayed in alternative media, Pete’s own channels, Alex Jones’ platform, and YouTube deep-dives.
Possible reasons for the silence:
- • The core allegation remains unverified by independent journalists (no leaked letter image widely authenticated yet)
- • Touching the Epstein “alive” theory risks being labeled conspiracy-adjacent
- • Election officials have not issued a public statement
- • Fact-checkers traditionally defer to official records on Epstein’s death (August 2019 autopsy)
- • Pete is seen by some outlets as a self-promoter capitalizing on the resemblance
How Much Truth Is Actually Here?
The resemblance is real. Side-by-side photos are striking enough that millions noticed immediately. That part is not debatable.
The DNA test initiative was real. Pete publicly documented his decision and process on Instagram and podcasts.
The letter from the Division of Elections is currently Pete’s word + secondary reporting. No official confirmation or full text of the letter has been independently published by major outlets as of June 27, 2026. This is the weakest link in the chain.
1. Legitimate state interest in candidate identity/eligibilty amid public outcry.
2. Bureaucratic overreach or miscommunication with the private lab.
3. Pete exaggerating or misrepresenting routine correspondence for attention.
4. Something more coordinated — the version conspiracy circles prefer.
Jeffrey Epstein’s official cause of death remains suicide. Multiple credible questions persist around the circumstances (camera malfunctions, guard logs, the broken hyoid bone debate among forensic pathologists). Those questions fuel ongoing distrust — and this story lands directly in that fertile ground.
Related Deep Dives from Planet Today
For more on elite networks, official narratives, and public skepticism around high-profile cases.
What Happens Next?
Pete has vowed legal action. If he follows through, discovery could force the letter and any related communications into the public record. The state could clarify its position at any moment. Or the story could fade — another viral moment swallowed by the algorithm.
One thing is certain: the public appetite for transparency around anything Epstein-related remains voracious. When a man who looks exactly like him tries to prove he isn’t, and the government allegedly takes the evidence away, people notice.
"I just wanted to put the rumors to rest. Now the results are gone."
— Palm Beach Pete, June 2026
- • Instagram post by real.palmbeach.pete (June 2026) — core allegation of letter
- • CBS12: "Palm Beach Pete... announces run for mayor" (May 27, 2026)
- • Fox News: Viral Jeffrey Epstein lookalike announces run (May 28, 2026)
- • Wikipedia: Palm Beach Pete (updated June 2026)
- • Viral video coverage & Pete’s statements on TikTok (@not_jeffepstein), podcasts (The Nicky Gordo Show), and The Alex Jones Show (June 25, 2026)
- • Forensic DNA standards: FBI CODIS, National Academy of Sciences reports on STR reliability