Kamal Ghorui
Disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein wrote a note before his death in 2019 while in custody at a federal jail in New York City, according to a new report. The note has not been made public and remains sealed by a judge.Epstein, 66, died in custody at a federal jail in New York City. The note, described by his former cellmate, has not been included in documents released by the US Department of Justice and has reportedly not been seen by investigators.According to The New York Times, the note was discovered by Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, after Epstein was moved to another cell in July 2019.Tartaglione said he found the note tucked inside a graphic novel left behind in the cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.Describing the moment, he said: “I opened the book to read and there it was,” referring to a piece of yellow paper torn from a legal pad.Tartaglione said that the handwritten note suggested Epstein maintained his innocence despite ongoing investigations.He said the message indicated that authorities had been looking into Epstein for months without finding evidence against him. “What do you want me to do, bust out crying?” the note read.The note also included the line: “Time to say goodbye.”The alleged note is believed to have been written around the time of an incident in July 2019, when Epstein was found with marks on his neck. At the time, he accused Tartaglione of attacking him, New York Times reported. Tartaglione has consistently denied those claims. Some reports have suggested the marks may have been linked to a possible suicide attempt weeks after Epstein’s arrest.A week after the incident, prison records cited in the report indicate Epstein told officials he had ‘never had any issues’ with Tartaglione and felt safe sharing a cell with him.Tartaglione said he gave the note to his lawyers, believing it could support his claim that he did not harm Epstein.“My lawyers at the time wanted to make sure, you know, I didn’t write it,” he said in an interview. Tartaglione added that handwriting experts examined the document.According to the report, the note was later verified as having been written by Epstein.The note was eventually submitted to a federal court and became part of Tartaglione’s legal case. A judge ordered it sealed and it has remained confidential since then.Court filings suggest the document became entangled in legal disputes involving Tartaglione’s defence team. The judge later disqualified one of his lawyers in connection with a separate sealed order.Officials said such sealed records are typically stored securely in court archives.Despite its potential relevance, the note was not included in official investigations into Epstein’s death, including a 2023 review by the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General.A spokesperson for the department said authorities had carried out an extensive effort to gather all available records related to Epstein but had not seen the note.Epstein’s death was ruled a suicide by the New York City medical examiner. However, reported security failures at the jail have led to ongoing questions and public speculation.
