Hacking conference Def Con bans three people linked to Epstein

Def Con, one of the most prominent hacking conventions globally, has made headlines with its recent decision to bar three individuals associated with Jeffrey Epstein from attending its events. The conference revealed on Wednesday that Pablos Holman, Vincenzo Iozzo, and Joichi Ito have been added to its public list of banned attendees due to their connection to Epstein, as noted in the latest Department of Justice files related to the infamous financier and convicted sex offender. This ban follows a report from Politico, which highlighted emails exchanged between the three and Epstein. Iozzo's spokesperson, Joan Vollero, criticized the decision, calling it a performative act since Iozzo has rarely participated in the conference over the past two decades. Vollero emphasized that the ban was a hasty judgment lacking any substantial investigation into Iozzo's conduct. The decision to exclude these individuals comes in the wake of similar actions taken by cybersecurity conferences Black Hat and Code Blue, which removed Iozzo from their official boards amid ongoing revelations about his ties to Epstein. Iozzo is well-known within the cybersecurity sector and currently leads the identity startup SlashID, having previously held a director position at CrowdStrike after his startup IperLane was acquired. Notably, Iozzo's interactions with Epstein spanned from 2014 to 2018, occurring after serious allegations against Epstein emerged. Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting sex from minors, faced further accusations of trafficking and exploitation before his death in prison. Iozzo has maintained that his dealings with Epstein were limited to business discussions and insisted that he never witnessed or participated in any illegal activities. His past affiliations include a role at MIT Media Lab, where Joichi Ito served as director until 2019. Ito resigned amid scrutiny over his knowledge of Epstein’s criminal history and their intertwined financial dealings. Holman, another individual banned by Def Con, has had a long-standing relationship with Epstein, dating back to 2010. He reportedly attempted to assist Epstein in managing negative press and was even set to stay in one of Epstein's New York apartments. In 2013, an email indicated that there were plans for Epstein to attend Def Con alongside Holman, though it remains unclear if they actually participated. Def Con founder Jeff Moss stated that to his knowledge, Epstein never attended the conference.