A newly revealed note allegedly linked to Jeffrey Epstein has surfaced years after his death, raising fresh questions about the circumstances surrounding his first suspected suicide attempt and the authenticity of the handwritten message.
Washington:A previously undisclosed note allegedly linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has now been made public, years after his death inside a Manhattan federal jail. The note, described as unverified and undated, reportedly surfaced in court documents connected to Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione.
According to reports, the handwritten message appeared to suggest that investigators had failed to uncover evidence against Epstein despite months of investigation. The note allegedly stated, "They investigated for month -- found nothing!!!"
Another line in the note reportedly read, "So 16-year-old charge results!" It also included the phrase, "It is a treat to be able to choose one's time to say goodbye."
One of the most widely discussed lines from the note stated, "Watcha want me to do -- bust out crying!! NO FUN -- not worth it!!"
The note remained unknown to the public until last year, when Tartaglione mentioned it during an appearance on writer Jessica Reed Kraus’ podcast. Reports later revealed that the document had remained sealed from public view for nearly seven years.
Tartaglione claimed he discovered the note hidden inside a book after Epstein was found injured in their jail cell on July 23, 2019. At the time, Epstein had a strip of bedsheet around his neck in what authorities considered a suspected suicide attempt.
Roughly three weeks later, Epstein was found dead in his prison cell. Officials officially ruled the death as suicide.
US District Judge Kenneth Karas later ordered the release of the document after requests were made to unseal records related to Tartaglione’s legal case. The US Justice Department reportedly did not oppose the request but also clarified that it could not confirm whether the note was authentic.
Federal authorities admitted they could not verify the origin or legitimacy of the alleged note. It was reportedly absent from previous government investigations examining Epstein’s death and did not appear in the Justice Department’s recently released Epstein-related files.
In court filings, the Justice Department stated, "There appears to be a strong public interest in the circumstances surrounding Epstein's death as described in the unsealing motion."
However, officials also noted that the government had “no knowledge” regarding the factual accuracy of the narrative connected to the note.
Judge Karas stated in his written ruling that privacy concerns surrounding Epstein carried less legal weight following his death, allowing the document to be released publicly.
Jail records showed that Epstein suffered marks and irritation around his neck after the July 23 incident. Officers reportedly found him conscious and breathing heavily.
One correctional officer claimed Epstein suggested that Tartaglione may have attacked him. However, later interviews painted a different picture.
According to jail documents, Epstein later denied being threatened by Tartaglione and reportedly told investigators he did not want to “make up something that isn't there.”
Tartaglione also denied conflict with Epstein and said they barely interacted during their time together. He reportedly believed Epstein was suffering a heart attack because his eyes were open and he appeared to be snoring.
After the incident, Epstein was initially placed on suicide watch before being shifted to psychiatric observation. Jail records stated that Epstein denied attempting self-harm and told a psychologist that suicide was against his Jewish faith. He also reportedly described himself as a “coward” who disliked pain.
Epstein and Tartaglione reportedly shared a prison cell for around two weeks following Epstein’s arrest in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges.
Tartaglione, a former police officer, was facing charges linked to the killing of four men in 2016. He was later convicted in 2023 and is currently serving a life sentence in a federal prison in California.
Epstein was later found dead on August 10, 2019, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. Investigations into the incident cited multiple failures by jail staff, including guards allegedly sleeping and browsing the internet instead of monitoring inmates.
Authorities also stated that another handwritten document was found in Epstein’s cell after his death. Officials said that document did not appear to be a suicide note but rather a list of complaints about prison conditions, including food, showers, and insects inside the facility.
Source : NDTV
