Observed Signal · Feb 18, 2026 · Policy Update · Source: TechCrunch · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
Def Con Bans Three Linked to Epstein Scandal
Def Con announced it has banned three individuals — Pablos Holman, Vincenzo Iozzo, and Joichi Ito — after their names appeared in the Department of Justice’s recent release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and reporting from Politico. Def Con cited those sources when adding the three to its public list of banned attendees. The article notes prior actions by other cybersecurity events: Black Hat and Code Blue removed Iozzo from their review board pages. Iozzo is identified as founder and CEO of identity startup SlashID and a former director at CrowdStrike; he says his interactions with Epstein were limited to business discussions. Ito resigned as director of the MIT Media Lab in 2019 amid scrutiny over his ties to Epstein. Holman is a general partner at Deep Future and had documented contact with Epstein dating back to 2010.
Community/ethical governance action within the cybersecurity conference circuit with limited direct impact on the broader AdTech industry.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Def Con has banned Pablos Holman, Vincenzo Iozzo, and Joichi Ito from attending the conference.
- Def Con said the bans were based on the Department of Justice’s recent release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein and a Politico article reporting on emails exchanged with Epstein.
- Black Hat and Code Blue removed Vincenzo Iozzo from their official review board pages following revelations linking him to Epstein.
- Vincenzo Iozzo is the founder and chief executive of identity startup SlashID and previously served as a director at CrowdStrike after its acquisition of IperLane.
- Joichi Ito resigned as director of the MIT Media Lab in 2019 amid reports of his and the lab’s financial and personal relationships with Epstein.
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Cybersecurity Figure Linked to Epstein Exits Black Hat Conference
Vincenzo Iozzo, a cybersecurity figure linked in newly released DOJ documents to Jeffrey Epstein, has been removed from the review board pages of Black Hat and Japan’s Code Blue conferences. Iozzo, founder and CEO of SlashID, was previously on Black Hat’s review board since 2011 and earlier founded IperLane, which was acquired by CrowdStrike; he served as a senior director at CrowdStrike. His name appears in more than 2,300 documents published by the Department of Justice related to its investigation into Epstein, with interactions dated October 2014 to December 2018. Iozzo denies unlawful conduct, welcomes a full investigation, and said his interactions with Epstein were professional. Code Blue said it had been planning to remove several inactive board members and that the timing coincided with the DOJ release.
Epstein Files Reveal Troubling Ties to AdTech Industry
A recently released batch of documents from the Department of Justice (released January 30) includes emails that connect Jeffrey Epstein and his business network to multiple figures and companies in the advertising and ad‑tech ecosystem. The files show Epstein (via his Southern Trust vehicle) held an equity stake in Ad/Fin and had transactional and correspondence links, often routed through intermediaries such as David Mitchell and accountant Richard Kahn. Other named connections include limited exchanges with ad‑tech veterans tied to Media6Degrees/Dstillery and extensive communications with PR consultant Ian Osborne, who later became a non‑executive director at Havas. The records also reference Ghislaine Maxwell arranging a $1 million payment to Publicis for a Clinton Global Initiative event. Several companies named in the files have told reporters they did not receive direct financing from Epstein.
Epstein's Shadow: Uncovering Ties to EV Startups
TechCrunch reporting based on recently released Justice Department documents reveals extensive connections between Jeffrey Epstein and figures involved in several electric vehicle startups. Reporter Sean O’Kane details how a businessman named David Stern cultivated a relationship with Epstein and repeatedly pitched him investments in EV companies including Faraday Future, Lucid Motors and Canoo. Epstein did not ultimately invest in those firms, but emails show Stern approaching Epstein as early as 2008 and discussing potential deals, fundraising intelligence (including references to Morgan Stanley and Ford) and quick-return strategies. The reporting situates these revelations within broader questions about obscure or opaque investors in Silicon Valley’s EV boom and whether associations with Epstein could prompt reputational fallout for companies and individuals in the industry.
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