PANews reported on February 2nd that Blockstream CEO Adam Back tweeted that Blockstream has no direct or indirect financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein and his estate. "During Blockstream's seed funding roadshow in 2014, the company met Joi Ito, then director of the MIT Media Lab. Subsequently, Blockstream met with Epstein, who was described at the time as a limited partner in the Joi Ito Fund. This fund later invested in a minority stake in Blockstream. Several months later, due to potential conflicts of interest and other concerns, the Joi Ito Fund sold its Blockstream shares. Blockstream has no direct or indirect financial ties to Jeffrey Epstein and his estate."