Democratic Senate Candidate Graham Platner Faces Scrutiny Over Epstein-Linked Foundation Ties as Election Looms

Late-breaking update: Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, who has made a name for himself by condemning the so-called "Epstein class," has faced a sudden reckoning as records reveal his financial ties to a foundation linked to a key associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Platner, running in Maine's primary against Governor Janet Mills, has positioned himself as a fierce critic of GOP incumbent Susan Collins, accusing her of shielding pedophiles and abusers while questioning her loyalties. Now, the same candidate who railed against Epstein's inner circle is under scrutiny for accepting thousands in funding from a family foundation tied to one of Epstein's most prominent associates.

The revelation comes as Platner's campaign enters its final stretch ahead of the November general election. His primary challenge against Mills has already drawn national attention, but the new disclosures threaten to overshadow his message. According to documents obtained by The Daily Mail, Platner received a $20,000 grant in 2021 from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation—a Greek-based entity established after the death of shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos I in 1996. The foundation's current board includes Spyros Niarchos, the magnate's son, who has been described by Greek media as a member of Epstein's "inner circle."

Epstein's ties to the Niarchos family have long been a subject of investigation. Internal emails released by the Department of Justice in recent months reveal exchanges between Epstein and Spyros Niarchos that suggest a troubling relationship. In one January 2018 message, Epstein inquires about a "new boy" and is told that the individual in question is Spyros Niarchos. The conversation continues with Epstein referring to him as "very interesting" and mentioning a shared connection from the 1980s. Additional emails from April 2018 show Epstein requesting help for an event, with a redacted correspondent mentioning their presence with Spyros Niarchos in Saint Moritz at the time.

The foundation's involvement in Platner's oyster farm—a business he took over in 2018—adds another layer to the controversy. Platner, a decorated veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, returned to Maine to work on the farm, which he later expanded with the grant. The timing of the funding, coupled with the foundation's ties to Epstein's network, has sparked questions about whether Platner's campaign rhetoric aligns with his financial backers.

Compounding the issue is a separate scandal involving Platner's personal history. Last year, a video surfaced showing him shirtless and inebriated at a wedding, his chest adorned with a "Totenkopf" tattoo—a symbol of the Nazi SS. Platner later claimed the tattoo had been covered up, but the image resurfaced during an interview, drawing immediate backlash. The tattoo controversy has already damaged his reputation, and now the Epstein connection threatens to further erode public trust in his campaign.

The Niarchos family's ties to Epstein extend beyond Spyros. Stavros Niarchos III, grandson of the shipping magnate, co-hosted a 2013 Halloween party attended by Epstein. The family's connections to high-profile figures, including Paris Hilton and Dasha Zhukova, have long been a subject of speculation. With the foundation's grant now exposed as part of Platner's financial history, the candidate faces mounting pressure to explain his ties to a network that has become synonymous with abuse and corruption.

The Daily Mail has reached out to both the Platner campaign and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for comment. As the primary election nears, the revelations have forced Platner to confront a stark contradiction: a candidate who claims to oppose Epstein's legacy is now entangled in the very systems he has condemned. Whether this will derail his bid for Senate remains to be seen, but the timing of the disclosures suggests a growing appetite for accountability in Washington.

Last fall, Democratic candidate for Maine's U.S. Senate, Seth Platner, addressed a controversial revelation from his past. During a 2007 trip to Split, Croatia, with fellow Marine Corps buddies, Platner drunkenly visited a tattoo parlor and got an inked symbol that he later discovered resembled the SS emblem. "I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that – and to insinuate that I did is disgusting," he said in a statement. "I already had the tattoo covered with a new design." The new tattoo, revealed in a video on X, features a Celtic knot intertwined with imagery of dogs, a nod to his wife, Amy. "My wife Amy and I love dogs," Platner explained, his voice tinged with a mix of defensiveness and pride.

The controversy erupted days before Platner officially entered the race, sparking accusations of a coordinated effort to derail his campaign. "These stories dropped within days of DC's chosen candidate getting into this race," Platner told local station WGME. He claimed the narrative was part of an "establishment plot" to undermine his candidacy. His assertions, however, faced skepticism from critics who pointed to the timing and lack of evidence supporting his claims. Meanwhile, Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had previously avoided publicly endorsing a candidate for the seat, shifted his support to Maine Governor Janet Mills. "She's the best candidate to retire Susan Collins," Schumer declared, signaling a strategic pivot as the race heated up.

Platner's past also resurfaced in a less conventional form: his Reddit history. In 2013, he posted a question that read, "Why don't black people tip?" and later suggested that women in the Army who are raped should "be careful about how much they have to drink." When confronted about these remarks, Platner told WGME, "I made that comment in 2013. I had just come out of the infantry, which was, at the time, all male. I rarely interacted professionally with women in the service." His explanations did little to quell the backlash, with many calling the comments offensive and out of step with modern Democratic values.

Despite the controversy, Platner had previously been hailed as a rising star in the party's blue-collar wing. His campaign surged with massive crowds at town halls—500 in Ellsworth, 200 in Caribou—and a viral social media presence that turned him into a folk hero for rural Democrats. "He's fighting oligarchy and corporate greed," one supporter said, echoing Platner's stump speech. His military service, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, added a layer of credibility to his image as a working-class advocate. Yet the tattoo scandal and Reddit history cast a long shadow over his campaign, forcing him to confront questions about consistency and judgment.

Bernie Sanders, a prominent figure in the party, endorsed Platner, urging him to "fight oligarchy" and continue his grassroots outreach. "He's the kind of candidate who can bridge divides," Sanders said. But with the race tightening and scrutiny intensifying, Platner's ability to maintain his appeal remains uncertain. For now, the tattoo controversy and his past remarks linger as defining moments in a campaign that once seemed unstoppable.