Few, if any, figures in current historical past have triggered as a lot authorized, political, monetary and reputational upheaval as Jeffrey Epstein. A convicted intercourse offender, Mr. Epstein was related to most of the world’s richest and most influential individuals and establishments. He died in jail in 2019.
The general public fascination with Mr. Epstein intensified after President Trump initially refused to launch federal investigative information after pledging to take action. In late 2025 and early 2026, Congress and the Justice Division did launch hundreds of thousands of pages of paperwork associated to Mr. Epstein which have helped reply questions, although many mysteries stay.
The New York Occasions has been investigating Mr. Epstein’s funds, enablers and doable co-conspirators since his arrest on federal sex-trafficking fees in 2019. Primarily based on our persevering with reporting, here’s what we all know.
What’s the newest?
The newest revelations about Mr. Epstein embody:
How a prestigious arts college and camp is working to shed its connections to Epstein.
The Interlochen Middle for the Arts in northern Michigan is getting ready to demolish a lodge that was as soon as named for Mr. Epstein, a donor who had attended the middle as a youngster. Throughout a few of his return visits to Interlochen, he’s mentioned to have met two of the earliest victims of his grooming and abuse.
Different information
Howard Lutnick, the commerce secretary, made a $5 million donation to Home Republicans after agreeing to an interview with lawmakers about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Additionally, the British government released official records in regards to the appointment of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the previous Prince Andrew, as a British commerce envoy. The police investigation in Britain of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, who’s accused of sharing confidential paperwork with Mr. Epstein whereas an envoy, now includes an assessment of reports {that a} girl had been taken to an tackle in Windsor in 2010 for sexual functions.
What did he do to women and girls?
Mr. Epstein has been accused by prosecutors and victims of raping, abusing and trafficking ladies and younger girls. It was an unlimited, yearslong operation that concerned:
Recruiting ladies who mentioned they have been raped or sexually abused
Within the mid-2000s, federal and state authorities identified more than a dozen such teenage ladies in Florida. In lots of instances, Mr. Epstein’s longtime companion Ghislaine Maxwell recruited them below the pretense that they’d be masseuses for a rich man at his mansion in Palm Seaside.
Trafficking minors in each New York and Florida
Federal prosecutors later accused Mr. Epstein of abusing and trafficking dozens of ladies at his townhouse in Manhattan, in addition to in Palm Seaside, from at the very least 2002 to 2005. He lured some by posing as a talent scout for Victoria’s Secret.
Later shifting his focus to younger girls and aspiring fashions
After he served time in a Florida jail for soliciting prostitution from a minor, Mr. Epstein seems to have shifted focus from underage victims to younger girls. He was often surrounded by aspiring fashions from Russia and Jap Europe, a few of whom later mentioned they felt trapped below his management.
Introducing girls to male pals and enterprise associates
Some have accused a number of of these friends and associates of rape, although the lads deny it.
A whole lot of ladies coming ahead after his demise in 2019
They’ve accused him of raping or abusing them, together with after they have been ladies — allegations that in some instances date to the early Nineteen Nineties. Not less than a kind of girls, Virginia Giuffre, has died by suicide.
How did he get away with it for thus lengthy?
The federal authorities repeatedly missed alternatives to completely examine or cost Mr. Epstein, till 2019. The missteps and misplaced alternatives included:
A tip about nude pictures ignored by the F.B.I.
In 1996, Maria Farmer referred to as the F.B.I. to inform the company that Mr. Epstein had stolen nude pictures of her underage sister. It ignored the tip for roughly a decade.
A sweetheart deal negotiated with federal authorities
In 2005, the dad and mom of a 14-year-old lady advised the Palm Seaside police that she had been paid to provide a sexual therapeutic massage to Mr. Epstein. That set off a state and federal investigation. Whereas the authorities recognized dozens of underage victims, the Justice Division — together with the U.S. legal professional for southern Florida on the time, Alexander Acosta — negotiated a deal: Mr. Epstein pleaded responsible in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from only one minor.
A straightforward jail sentence that allowed him to work from his workplace
The settlement additionally shielded any “potential co-conspirators,” together with his feminine assistants, from prosecution. Although Mr. Epstein served his sentence within the county stockade, he was allowed to spend a lot of his jail time working from his workplace.
A capability to return to society after simply 13 months
After being launched early from his 18-month sentence, Mr. Epstein was welcomed back into elite society, attending events, internet hosting dinners and persevering with to do enterprise with main monetary establishments.
A number of secret federal investigations that bore no outcomes
Within the 2010s, plenty of federal companies, together with the Drug Enforcement Administration, investigated Mr. Epstein, however he wasn’t charged.
A choice to not examine sex-trafficking allegations made by a few of his victims
In 2016, attorneys for a few of Mr. Epstein’s victims urged federal prosecutors in New York to research him for intercourse trafficking. The prosecutors chose not to.
Opening an investigation that resulted in new fees solely after the Miami Herald revealed articles in regards to the 2008 deal
It wasn’t till 2018, after the newspaper wrote a series in regards to the 2008 deal in Florida, that federal prosecutors in New York opened a felony investigation. It culminated in Mr. Epstein’s being charged with intercourse trafficking in July 2019.
The place did all his cash come from?
Mr. Epstein amassed a nine-figure fortune via scams, fraud and the cautious cultivation of billionaires and banks. His monetary success concerned:
Making key connections within the Nineteen Seventies at a distinguished funding financial institution
Mr. Epstein’s first large break was touchdown a job at Bear Stearns in 1976. He finally resigned after being caught improperly lending cash to a consumer and violating guidelines round inventory choices, however he used the connections he solid there to jump-start his profession as a monetary trickster.
Duping the rich into giving him massive sums for investments that by no means appeared to materialize
Within the Nineteen Eighties, Mr. Epstein, claiming to be a monetary savant, engaged in a collection of escalating scams.
Nurturing a profitable relationship with the billionaire behind Victoria’s Secret and The Restricted
Within the late Nineteen Eighties, a mutual acquaintance launched him to Leslie Wexner, who ran the 2 retail corporations. Mr. Wexner entrusted Mr. Epstein with full management over his funds earlier than chopping ties with him round 2007. Mr. Wexner later said Mr. Epstein stole greater than $100 million from him.
Receiving $170 million from one other billionaire consumer
In 2012, Mr. Epstein started working for his longtime pal Leon Black, the co-founder of the personal fairness agency Apollo World Administration who mentioned the cash was for tax and property planning work. Mr. Epstein also introduced Mr. Black to younger girls.
Acquiring cash and companies from JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest financial institution
From the late Nineteen Nineties via 2013, JPMorgan Chase, arguably the world’s most prestigious financial institution, serviced Mr. Epstein, regardless of workers’ considerations about his potential cash laundering. In 2013, he switched to Deutsche Financial institution, which additionally ignored repeated pink flags.
How did he construct his community?
The mixture of nice wealth and a repute for seeming to know everybody enabled Mr. Epstein to insinuate himself into the lives of vital individuals in politics, enterprise, the humanities and academia. His technique entailed:
Doling out hundreds of thousands of {dollars} to entice individuals into his orbit
As his fortune grew, Mr. Epstein made large donations to prestigious universities like Harvard and to particular person scientists. The cash led Nobel laureates and different main mental figures to commonly socialize with and search favor from him, and their presence helped grow his circle of affect.
Buying and selling favors with distinguished medical doctors, financiers and teachers
Some of the doctors and others bent or broke the moral guidelines of their career, which allowed Mr. Epstein to supply perks to different acquaintances, like entry to premier medical care, funding alternatives with hedge funds or a potential edge in class admissions.
Flaunting his connections to a who’s who of the worldwide energy elite
Mr. Epstein’s huge Manhattan townhouse grew to become the venue for normal dinner salons for an eclectic mixture of artists, scientists, intellectuals, attorneys and businessmen. Guests have been greeted with photo arrays exhibiting Mr. Epstein’s ties to the ruling class.
Utilizing his ties to Invoice Clinton to cement his repute
Considered one of his Most worthy connections was to the former president. The connection helped catapult Mr. Epstein into the general public highlight and safe his picture as a whisperer to the wealthy and highly effective.
Cultivating relationships with Wall Avenue gamers and international dignitaries
Mr. Epstein additionally boasted in depth Wall Avenue connections to C.E.O.s (like James Cayne and Jes Staley); funding tycoons (like Glenn Dubin and Mr. Black); and highly effective attorneys (like Brad Karp and Kathy Ruemmler; a secretive regulation agency that will later attempt, and fail, to fix Ms. Ruemmler’s image). And he collected high-profile pals and associates overseas, together with Prince Andrew, the previous Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and high Norwegian politicians.
What have been his relationships with Trump and Clinton?
Mr. Epstein was pals with Mr. Trump lengthy earlier than he grew to become president, and he developed a relationship with Mr. Clinton throughout his time within the White Home. These relationships concerned:
Bonding with Trump over their pursuit of younger girls
The 2 males became good friends within the late Nineteen Eighties, hanging out collectively at casinos, Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property and different venues. A be aware and sexually suggestive drawing containing what gave the impression to be Mr. Trump’s signature was included in a 2003 book for Mr. Epstein’s birthday. Mr. Trump has denied writing the be aware.
Recruiting victims from Mar-a-Lago
A few of Mr. Epstein’s victims, together with Ms. Giuffre, have been recruited by Ms. Maxwell from Mr. Trump’s Florida membership and residence, the place Ms. Giuffre labored as a spa attendant. Mr. Trump mentioned final 12 months that he reduce ties with Mr. Epstein within the early 2000s as a result of he “stole” his feminine workers, though the connection additionally deteriorated when the lads fought over a chunk of Florida actual property.
Visiting the White Home throughout the Clinton presidency
Shortly after Mr. Clinton was sworn in as president, Mr. Epstein made his first go to. Customer logs present that he got here again numerous times throughout Mr. Clinton’s first time period, although it’s unclear how usually he met the president. In 1995, Mr. Clinton wrote a get-well-soon be aware to Mr. Epstein’s mom on a Publish-it.
Drawing the highlight by flying Clinton to Africa on a non-public aircraft
In 2002, after Mr. Clinton left the White Home, Mr. Epstein flew him and others to a number of African international locations. The journey was one of many first instances that Mr. Epstein attracted vital media consideration.
Flaunting his relationships with each males
Mr. Epstein’s New York mansion showcased pictures of him with every of them. When Mr. Trump grew to become president, Mr. Epstein at instances presented himself as somebody who had inside information in regards to the administration, although it was most probably an act. Each Mr. Trump and Mr. Clinton have mentioned they knew nothing about Mr. Epstein’s felony exercise.
Why weren’t extra individuals charged?
Mr. Epstein’s interior circle and the financiers and banks that enabled him confronted allegations of wrongdoing. However U.S. prosecutors charged just one individual apart from Mr. Epstein. The authorized path included:
The conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell for conspiring to sexually abuse ladies
She is the one individual apart from Mr. Epstein to face felony fees in america. In 2021, she was sentenced to 20 years in jail. Some Republicans have expressed assist for the concept President Trump would pardon her.
The choice to not cost at the very least one former private assistant
Within the months after Mr. Epstein’s demise, federal authorities investigated plenty of Mr. Epstein’s former private assistants, who have been accused by some victims of taking part in his sex-trafficking operation. Prosecutors considered charging at the very least one, however they finally opted to not, maybe as a result of she mentioned she was additionally one in every of Mr. Epstein’s victims.
A free cross from federal prosecutors for some people who have been closest to Mr. Epstein
Federal prosecutors apparently didn’t interview or subpoena Mr. Wexner, Mr. Black and Mr. Epstein’s longtime accountant Richard Kahn and lawyer Darren Indyke. A federal doc described Mr. Wexner as a co-conspirator, although his spokesman denied that the federal government ever thought-about him one.
No fees by native prosecutors in Manhattan in opposition to two males accused of sexual misconduct
Federal authorities interviewed girls who accused Mr. Black and Mr. Staley, a former high JPMorgan govt, of sexual misconduct — allegations that each males deny. Prosecutors relayed those accusations to officers within the Manhattan district legal professional’s workplace, which didn’t deliver fees.
Subpoenas however no fees of wrongdoing in opposition to JPMorgan and Deutsche Financial institution
As a part of their investigations into Mr. Epstein, federal prosecutors subpoenaed the 2 banks that supplied him with the best monetary assist, JPMorgan and Deutsche Financial institution. The prosecutors appeared to have shortly decided against charging both establishment with wrongdoing.
Arrests however no felony fees in Britain in opposition to two distinguished males related to Mr. Epstein
Police departments and prosecutors in another international locations lately have taken a extra aggressive strategy. In Britain, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the previous prince, and Peter Mandelson, a former high authorities official, have been arrested in reference to Epstein investigations. Neither has been charged.
Different penalties for high-profile individuals for his or her associations with Mr. Epstein
We’re tracking that fallout here.
How did he die?
Mr. Epstein spent 36 days on the now-shuttered Metropolitan Correctional Middle in New York Metropolis earlier than he was discovered lifeless in his cell on Aug. 10, 2019. The medical expert dominated his demise a suicide. The circumstances round his demise embody:
He might have tried to kill himself weeks earlier
Mr. Epstein was discovered unresponsive with a cloth tied around his neck in his cell two and a half weeks earlier than his demise. He denied making an attempt to take his personal life, however he was psychologically evaluated and positioned on suicide look ahead to barely a day.
His cellmate mentioned he discovered a suicide be aware after that incident however didn’t share it with the authorities
The cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, mentioned the note was written by Mr. Epstein. It was sealed by a federal court docket for years. The Times successfully petitioned the court docket to unseal the be aware in Could 2026. It has not been authenticated however bears similarities to identified writings by Mr. Epstein.
Mr. Epstein was left alone in his cell the night earlier than he was discovered lifeless
As one of many highest-profile federal inmates, Mr. Epstein was presupposed to be below shut supervision and to have a cellmate. However he was left alone in a cell on the night of Aug. 9, 2019. Different inmates reported to jail authorities that he was despondent.
Two guards faked information stating that they had checked on Mr. Epstein and different inmates
Guards have been presupposed to make common rounds to verify on prisoners. However on Mr. Epstein’s final night time, the 2 guards on obligation in his space stayed by their desks. The guards have been criminally charged, however the fees have been withdrawn as a part of a deferred prosecution agreement.
Members of the jail employees tried and did not resuscitate him after he was discovered hanging
Mr. Epstein was found unconscious early on the morning of Aug. 10 with a strip of orange bedding cinched round his neck. He was quickly pronounced lifeless, in what was later ruled a suicide.
Mr. Epstein’s brother and others have prompt he was murdered
From just about the second his demise was introduced, there have been doubts and unfounded hypothesis in regards to the circumstances. His brother, Mark Epstein, is amongst those that don’t believe he killed himself. The Division of Justice re-examined the demise in 2023 and located no proof of a conspiracy or criminality.
What are the Epstein information?
The phrase normally refers back to the hundreds of thousands of Epstein investigation paperwork that Congress directed the Justice Division to launch. However there have been extra. Through the years, all three branches of the U.S. authorities have launched information, and media retailers, together with The Occasions, have obtained paperwork via leaks or public information requests. The supplies embody:
Unsealed court docket information from a defamation lawsuit
In August 2019, a federal appeals court docket unsealed one of the first main caches of Epstein-related information, a part of a defamation lawsuit introduced in opposition to Ms. Maxwell by Ms. Giuffre, one in every of Mr. Epstein’s most outspoken victims. The information included depositions, pictures, flight logs and different supplies that gave the general public a strong glimpse into Mr. Epstein’s crimes and community. The morning after the information have been unsealed, he was discovered lifeless in his jail cell.
Financial institution information from lawsuits in opposition to JPMorgan, which had a 15-year relationship with Mr. Epstein
The trove of paperwork dribbled into public view in 2023 throughout a court docket struggle between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the financial institution. These information confirmed the chummy relationships between Mr. Epstein and senior financial institution executives.
Photographs and paperwork obtained by The Occasions
In 2025, The Occasions obtained hundreds of Mr. Epstein’s pictures and paperwork, which confirmed the inside of his Upper East Side mansion — together with surveillance cameras in his bed room space — and some of his correspondence with males like Woody Allen and Mr. Black.
1000’s of leaked emails from Mr. Epstein’s Yahoo account
Bloomberg Information revealed several articles based mostly on thousands of emails from Mr. Epstein’s Yahoo account. These emails and others have been later posted for public perusal on a web site referred to as Jmail.
Hundreds of thousands of pages of information launched below the Epstein Information Transparency Act
After taking workplace in 2025, Mr. Trump backtracked on his earlier pledges to launch the federal government’s information on Mr. Epstein. That led to a political uproar. Congress then passed the Epstein Information Transparency Act, which required the administration to launch its information. In December and January, the Justice Division launched hundreds of thousands of pages of information.
Omissions associated to persevering with investigations and different lacking information
The Justice Division mentioned it determined to not launch many different information, as a result of they’d determine victims or might jeopardize ongoing federal investigations. Other documents appeared to easily be lacking. That has stoked hypothesis a few doable coverup.
Many paperwork with improper redactions
The Justice Division blacked out the names of some authorities attorneys or potential co-conspirators. It failed to guard victims’ names and included nude pictures of potential victims. The Justice Division’s inside watchdog is now investigating whether or not the division’s disclosures adopted the regulation.
