Background

[2][3] Jeffrey Edward Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender. ​ ​ Epstein began ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ his professional life as a teacher but then switched to the banking and finance sector in various roles, working at Bear Stearns before forming his own firm. He developed an elite social circle and ​ ​ procured many women, including underage girls, who were then sexually abused by Epstein and [3][4][5] some of his contacts. ​ ​ ​ In 2005, police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein after a parent complained that ​ ​ [6] he had sexually abused her 14-year-old daughter. ​ Epstein pleaded guilty and was convicted in ​ 2008 by a Florida state court of procuring an underage girl for prostitution and of soliciting a ​ ​ [7] prostitute. ​ He served almost 13 months in custody, but with extensive work release. He was ​ ​ ​ convicted of only these two crimes as part of a plea deal; federal officials had in fact identified 36 [8][9] girls, some as young as 14 years old, whom Epstein had sexually abused. ​ ​ Epstein was arrested again on July 6, 2019 on federal charges for the sex trafficking of minors in ​ ​ [10][11] [12] Florida and New York. ​ ​ He allegedly died in his jail cell on August 10, 2019. ​ The medical ​ ​ ​ ​ [13] [14][15] examiner ruled the death a suicide, ​ although Epstein's lawyers have disputed the ruling. ​ ​ ​ Because his death eliminates the possibility of pursuing criminal charges, a judge dismissed all [16][17] criminal charges on August 29, 2019. ​ ​

Video Recordings

Epstein installed concealed cameras in numerous places on his properties to allegedly record sexual activity with underage girls by prominent people for criminal purposes, such as blackmail.[76] ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ , Epstein's close companion, told a friend that Epstein's private island in the Virgin ​ Islands was completely wired for video and the friend believed that Maxwell and Epstein were videotaping everyone on the island as an insurance policy.[77] ​ Epstein allegedly "lent" girls to powerful people to ingratiate himself with them and also to gain [79] possible blackmail information. ​ According to the Department of Justice, he kept compact discs ​ locked in his safe in his New York mansion with handwritten labels that included the description: "young [name] + [name]".[80] ​

First Criminal Case

Initial developments (2005–2006)

In March 2005, a woman contacted Florida's Palm Beach Police Department and alleged that her ​ ​ 14-year-old stepdaughter had been taken to Epstein's mansion by an older girl. There she was [83] allegedly paid $300 to strip and massage Epstein. ​ She had allegedly undressed, but left the ​ encounter wearing her underwear.[84] ​ [61][85] Police began a 13-month undercover investigation of Epstein. ​ ​ The Federal Bureau of ​ ​ Investigation (FBI) also became involved. Subsequently, the police alleged that Epstein had paid ​ [79] several girls to perform sexual acts with him. ​ The police search of Epstein's home found two ​ hidden cameras and large numbers of photos of girls throughout the house.[84] ​ Eventually the FBI compiled reports on "34 confirmed minors" whose allegations of sexual abuse by [88] [8][61][89] Epstein included corroborating details. ​ Julie Brown's 2018 exposé ​ ​ ​ in the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ identified about 80 victims.

In May 2006, Palm Beach police filed a probable cause affidavit saying that Epstein should be ​ ​ [84][92] charged with four counts of unlawful sex with minors and one count of sexual abuse. ​ ​ Epstein's defense lawyers included Roy Black, Gerald Lefcourt, Harvard Law School professor Alan ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ [83][93] Dershowitz, and former U. S. Solicitor General . ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ After press reports that Epstein would be charged with one count of aggravated assault with no intent to commit a felony, Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter accused the Palm Beach County ​ ​ ​ ​ state prosecutor, Barry Krischer, of being too lenient and was instrumental in bringing in the FBI.[83] ​ Instead Krischer convened a Palm Beach County grand jury, which was usually only done in capital ​ ​ ​ ​ cases. Presented evidence from only two victims, the grand jury returned a single charge of felony [94] [95] solicitation of prostitution, ​ to which Epstein pleaded not guilty in August 2006. ​ ​ Non-prosecution agreement (NPA) (2006–2008)

In July 2006, the FBI began its own investigation of Epstein, nicknamed "Operation Leap Year". It resulted in a 53-page indictment in June 2007 that was never presented to a grand jury.[61] ​ ​ ​ , then the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, agreed to a plea deal, ​ ​ ​ [96] which helped to negotiate, ​ to grant immunity from all federal criminal charges to ​ ​ ​ Epstein, along with four named co-conspirators and any unnamed "potential co-conspirators". ​ According to the Miami Herald, the non-prosecution agreement "essentially shut down an ​ ​ ​ ongoing FBI probe into whether there were more victims and other powerful people who took part in Epstein's sex crimes". At the time, this halted the investigation and sealed the indictment. ​ The Miami Herald said: "Acosta agreed, despite a federal law to the contrary, that the deal would be ​ ​ kept from the victims."[8] ​ Acosta later said he offered a lenient plea deal because he was told that Epstein "belonged to ​ [45] intelligence", was "above his pay grade" and to "leave it alone". ​ Epstein agreed to plead ​ guilty in Florida state court to two felony prostitution charges, register as a sex offender, and pay [8][79] restitution to three dozen victims identified by the FBI. ​ ​ The plea deal was later described as a ​ "sweetheart deal".[97] ​ ​ ​ A federal judge later found that the prosecutors had violated the victims' rights in that they had ​ ​ [98][99] concealed the agreement from the victims. ​ ​

Conviction and sentencing (2008–2011)

Epstein was sentenced to 18 months in prison. While most convicted sex offenders in Florida are sent to state prison, Epstein was instead housed in a private wing of the Palm Beach County 1 Stockade and, according to the sheriff's office, was after 3 ⁄​ 2 months allowed to leave the jail on ​ ​ ​ ​ "work release" for up to 12 hours a day, 6 days a week. He was allowed to come and go outside of specified release hours.[89] ​ Epstein's cell door was left unlocked, and he had access to the attorney room where a television was installed for him. He worked at the office of a foundation he had created shortly before reporting to jail; he dissolved it after he had served his time. The Sheriff's Office received $128,000 from Epstein's non-profit to pay for the costs of extra services being provided during his work release. His office was monitored by "permit deputies" whose overtime was paid by Epstein. They were required to wear suits, and checked in "welcomed guests" at the "front desk". He was allowed to use his own [89][101] driver to drive him between jail and his office and other appointments ​ ​

Epstein served almost 13 months before being released for a year of probation on house arrest until August 2010. While on probation he was allowed numerous trips on his corporate jet to his residences in Manhattan and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ​ ​

After a contested hearing in January 2011, and an appeal, he stayed registered in New York State [102][103] as a "level three" (high risk of repeat offense) sex offender, a lifelong designation. ​ ​ Though ​ ​ ​ Epstein had been a level-three registered sex offender in New York since 2010, the New York Police Department never enforced the 90-day regulation, though non-compliance is a felony.[99] ​

Second criminal case

Trafficking charges

On July 6, 2019, Epstein was arrested at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey on sex trafficking ​ ​ ​ ​ [18][150][151] charges. ​ ​ ​ The search of his townhouse turned up evidence of sex trafficking and also found "hundreds – and perhaps thousands – of sexually suggestive photographs of fully – or partially – nude females". Some of the photos were confirmed as those of underage females. ​ ​ In a locked safe, compact discs were found with handwritten labels including the descriptions: "Young [Name] + [Name]", "Misc nudes 1", and "Girl pics nude".[80] ​ [154] Also found in the safe were $70,000 in cash, 48 diamonds, ​ and a fraudulent passport. ​ The passport had numerous entrance and exit stamps, including entrance stamps that showed the use of the passport to enter France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. The ​ ​ [43][44][155][156][157] passport showed his place of residence as Saudi Arabia. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ On July 8, prosecutors with the Public Corruption Unit of the Southern District of New York charged ​ ​ him with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex. The grand jury indictment alleges that "dozens" of underage girls were brought into Epstein's mansions for sexual [10][11][159] encounters. ​ ​ ​ Epstein's lawyers urged the court to allow Epstein to post bail, offering to post up to a $600 million bond (including $100 million from his brother, Mark) so he could leave jail and submit to house arrest in his New York City mansion. On July 23, Epstein was found injured and semiconscious at 1:30 a.m. on the floor of his cell, with marks around his neck that were suspected to be the result of either a suicide attempt or an [162] assault. ​ His cellmate, former New York City police officer Nicholas Tartaglione, who is charged ​ with four counts of murder, was questioned about Epstein's condition. He denied having any [154][163][164][165] knowledge of what happened. Epstein himself said he recollected nothing. ​ ​ ​ ​ According to NBC News, two sources said that Epstein might have tried to hang himself, a third said ​ ​ the injuries were not serious and could have been staged, and a fourth source said that an assault by his cellmate had not been ruled out.[82] ​

Gislaine Maxwell

Epstein met Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of disgraced media baron , by ​ ​ [142][169][170] 1991. ​ ​ ​ (Robert Maxwell: The British Foreign Office suspected that Maxwell was a secret ​ ​ ​ agent of a foreign government, possibly a double agent or a triple agent, and "a thoroughly bad ​ ​ character and almost certainly financed by Russia." // Shortly before Maxwell's death, a former employee of Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate, approached a number of news organisations in ​ ​ Britain and the US with the allegation that Maxwell was a long-time agent for Mossad.) ​ ​

Epstein had Gislaine Maxwell come to the United States in 1991 to recover from her grief following [171] the death of her father. ​ Maxwell was implicated by several of Epstein's accusers as procuring or ​ ​ ​ [140][142][170] recruiting underage girls in addition to once being Epstein's girlfriend. ​ ​ ​ In a 2009 deposition, several of Epstein's household employees testified that Maxwell had a central role in both his public and private life, referring to her as his "main girlfriend" who also handled the hiring, supervising, and firing of staff starting around 1992.

On August 15th, 5 days after the death of Epstein Gislaine Maxwell was photographed at a LA In and Out Burger reading “The Book of Honor: The Secret Lives and Deaths of CIA ​ Operatives,” a nonfiction best-seller by journalist Ted Gup.” ​

Since the infamous photo, which has been claimed to have been both staged by her lawyer, and/or also photoshopped, Maxwell has remained at-large, unquestioned by police or FBI.

On November 24th, 2019 Maxwell agreed to cooperate with the FBI.

Recently a twitter account @McCannCaseTweets // A twitter account connected to the prominent case involving the disappearance of British child Madeleine McCann tweeted a picture of a sketch of a woman alleged to be involved. The sketch of the woman looks striking similar to Gislaine Maxwell. // Also, I should note that during the PizzaGate madness, 2 other sketches from the McCann case came out that looked incredibly similar to Democratic Strategists and Clinton advisors; Tony & John Podesta.

Prince Andrew

In January 2015, there was renewed pressure for Buckingham Palace to explain the Duke's connection with Epstein.[49] ​ The same month, Virginia Roberts Giuffre made allegations of sexual impropriety against the Duke in court papers related to a civil action in Florida ​ Roberts claimed that the Duke was among men, including "a former prime minister" and Alan ​ Dershowitz, who had sex with her while she was a teenager.[51] ​ ​ Flight logs show the Duke and Virginia Roberts were in the places she alleges the sex happened.[55] ​

The Duke and Roberts were also photographed together with the Duke's arm round her waist,[56] ​ In November 2019, the BBC's recorded an interview between Prince Andrew and Emily ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Maitlis in which he recounted his friendship with Epstein for the first time. The interview was ​ [73] recorded in Buckingham Palace on 14 November and was broadcast on 16 November. ​ In the ​ interview, Prince Andrew says he met Epstein in 1999 through British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell

Prince Andrew also added that her claims about dancing with him at a club in London while he was sweaty were false due to him temporarily losing the ability to sweat after an "adrenaline overdose" ​ ​ during the Falklands War.[81] ​

Prince Andrew also admitted to staying in Epstein's mansion for three days in 2010, after Epstein's conviction for sex offences against a minor, describing the location as "a convenient place to stay". However, he said "I kick myself on a daily basis" for the decision "because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family", adding that he "let the side down".[75] ​

[86] One of the Duke's official advisors resigned just prior to the interview being aired. ​ Although the ​ Duke was pleased with the outcome of the interview – reportedly giving Maitlis and the Newsnight ​ [87] team a tour of Buckingham Palace ​ – it received negative reactions from both the media and the ​ public, both in and outside of the UK. It was described as a "car crash" and "nuclear explosion level [88][89] bad" ​ ​ and the worst public relations crisis for the royal family since the death of Diana, Princess ​ ​ ​ ​ of Wales. Experts and those with ties to Buckingham Palace said that the interview, its fallout and ​ the abrupt suspension of the Duke's royal duties were unprecedented.[90] ​

On 20 November 2019, a statement from Buckingham Palace announced that the Duke was suspending his public duties "for the foreseeable future".

Other Known Associates

Epstein attended parties with many prominent people, including Bill Clinton, George ​ ​ ​ [173] [174] [175] Stephanopoulos, , ​ Katie Couric, Woody Allen, ​ and Harvey Weinstein. ​ His ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ contacts included Rupert Murdoch, Michael Bloomberg, Richard Branson, Michael Jackson, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ [176] Kennedys, Rockefellers and Rothschilds. ​ His contacts also included Israeli prime minister Ehud ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Barak, British prime minister Tony Blair, and Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin ​ ​ ​ ​ [177][178][179] Salman. ​ ​ .​ ​ ​ Epstein owned a private Boeing 727 jet, nicknamed the "Lolita Express", and logged "600 flying ​ ​ ​ ​ [182][183] hours a year ... usually with guests on board". ​ ​ One of Epstein's victims, Virginia Roberts Guiffre claimed that in 2001, Epstein flew from Carmel, ​ ​ California to Los Angeles with Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, and that she was asked ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ to give Groening a foot massage.[184] ​ In September 2002, Epstein flew Clinton, Kevin Spacey, and Chris Tucker to Africa in this ​ ​ ​ ​ [26][183][189][190] jet. ​ ​ ​ ​ [191] Flight records show Bill Clinton flew 27 times to at least a dozen international locations. ​ Flight ​ ​ ​ logs did not list any Secret Service detail for at least five flights, all in Asia,[191] ​ ​ ​ [206] Bill Clinton lauded Epstein as "a committed philanthropist" with "insights and generosity". ​ At the ​ time Epstein was on the board of Rockefeller University, a member of the Trilateral Commission (The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Trilateral Commission is a non-governmental, nonpartisan discussion group founded by David Rockefeller in July ​ ​ ​ [26] 1973) and the Council on Foreign Relations, and was a major donor to Harvard University. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Donald Trump once remarked, "I've known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be ​ with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it – Jeffrey enjoys his social life."[194] ​ In July 2019, Trump said "I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him," stating four times he had not been "a fan" of Epstein and that he had not spoken to him in about fifteen years.

(Other names include well known performers, including Ralph Fiennes, Alec Baldwin, David ​ Blaine, Jimmy Buffett and Courtney Love; media figures including Charlie Rose, Mike Wallace and Barbara Walters; former British prime minister Tony Blair, industrialist David Koch and ​ ​ many more.

(Plane Antarctica Anomaly) ​

Death

On July 23, 2019, three weeks prior to his death, Epstein was found unconscious in his jail cell with [162][165] injuries to his neck. ​ ​ Epstein believed that he was attacked by his cellmate, who was awaiting trial for four counts of [82][245] murder, while the correctional staff suspected attempted suicide. ​ ​ [162][246] After that incident, he was placed on suicide watch. ​ ​ Six days later, on July 29, 2019, Epstein ​ ​ ​ [162] was taken off suicide watch and placed in a special housing unit with another inmate. ​ Epstein's ​ close associates said he was in "good spirits".[12] ​ When Epstein was placed in the special housing unit, the jail informed the Justice Department that he would have a cellmate, and that a guard would look into the cell every 30 minutes. These ​ [247][162][248] procedures were not followed on the night of his death. ​ ​ ​ On August 9, 2019, Epstein's cellmate was transferred out, and no new replacement cellmate was brought in.[249] ​ Later in the evening, in violation of the jail's normal procedure, Epstein was not checked every 30 [247][162][248] minutes. ​ ​ ​ The two guards who were assigned to check his jail unit that night fell asleep ​ ​ [162][250] and did not check on him for about three hours; the guards falsified related records. ​ ​ Two cameras in front of Epstein's cell also malfunctioned that night.[15] ​ Epstein was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York City ​ ​ [251][252] at 6:30 a.m. EDT on August 10, 2019. ​ ​ ​ ​ Emergency responders were called and he was taken to a hospital. On August 10, 2019, the Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Attorney General William Barr called the ​ ​ ​ ​ [12] death an apparent suicide, although no final determination had been made. ​ The circumstances ​ [253][254] leading up to his death are being investigated by the Justice Department. ​ ​ ​ ​ (Note: Williams Barr’s Father; Donald Barr was instrumental in getting Epstein his first Teaching Job, and was also an author of sci-fi books depicting... Autopsy

[255] On August 11, 2019, an autopsy was performed. ​ The preliminary result of the autopsy found that ​ Epstein sustained multiple breaks in his neck bones. Among the bones broken in Epstein's neck was the hyoid bone. Such breaks of the hyoid bone can occur from those who hang themselves, but they ​ ​ are more common in victims of homicide by strangulation. ​ ​ A larger study conducted from 2010 to 2016 found hyoid damage in just 16 of 264 cases, or six percent of cases of hangings. On August 16, 2019, Barbara Sampson, the New York City medical examiner, ruled Epstein's death ​ ​ ​ ​ a suicide by hanging.[258] ​ ​ ​ Epstein's lawyers said that the evidence concerning Epstein's death was "far more consistent" with murder than suicide.[14] ​ Michael Baden, an independent pathologist hired by the Epstein estate, observed the autopsy. In ​ October 2019, Dr. Baden said that Mr. Epstein, experienced a number of injuries – among them a broken bone in his neck – that "are extremely unusual in suicidal hangings and could occur much more commonly in homicidal strangulation...I think that the evidence points to homicide rather than [260] suicide." .​ ​ Will and cameras

On August 18, 2019, it was reported that had signed his last will and testament on ​ ​ [261][82] August 8, 2019, two weeks after being found injured in his cell and two days before his death. ​ ​ Until this time, Epstein had been depositing money in other inmates' commissary accounts to avoid being attacked.[162] ​ The signing of the will was witnessed by two attorneys that knew him. The will named two longtime employees as executors, and immediately gifted all of his assets, and any assets remaining in his estate, to a trust.[261] ​ Two cameras that malfunctioned in front of Epstein's cell were sent to an FBI crime lab for ​ ​ [15] examination. ​ Federal prosecutors subpoenaed up to 20 correctional officers concerning the ​ cause of Epstein's death.[262] ​ Investigations

Attorney General Barr ordered an investigation by the Department of Justice Inspector General in ​ ​ addition to the investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, saying that he was "appalled" by ​ ​ [12][263] Epstein's death in federal custody. ​ ​ Two days later Barr said there had been "serious irregularities" in the prison's handling of ​ ​ Epstein, promising "We will get to the bottom of what happened, and there will be accountability."[264] ​ On August 14, 2019, Manhattan federal court Judge Richard M. Berman inquired as to whether an ​ ​ investigation into the millionaire's apparent suicide would include a probe into his prior (July 23) injuries. Judge Berman wrote that to his knowledge it has never been definitely explained what they concluded about the incident.[265] ​ The national president of the Council of Prison, stated that prisons "can't ever stop anyone who is [266] persistent on killing themselves". ​ Between 2010 and 2016, around 124 inmates killed ​ themselves while in federal custody, or around 20 prisoners per year, out of an inmate population of [267][268] 180,000. ​ ​ The previous reported inmate suicide in the MCC facility in Manhattan was in ​ 1998.[269] ​ President Serene Gregg, of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3148, said ​ ​ MCC is functioning with fewer than 70 percent of the needed correctional officers, forcing many to [266][270] work mandatory overtime and 60 to 70-hour workweeks. ​ ​ Epstein's attorneys asked Judge Berman to probe their client's death, alleging they could provide evidence that the incident resulting his death was "far more consistent with assault" than suicide.[14] ​ On November 19, 2019, federal prosecutors in New York charged Metropolitan Correctional Center ​ guards Michael Thomas and Tova Noel with creating false records, and with conspiracy, after video ​ ​ ​ footage obtained by prosecutors revealed that Epstein had, against regulation, been in his cell [271][272][273] unchecked for eight hours prior to being found dead. ​ ​ ​

Murder Allegations

Due to violations of standard prison procedures, and Epstein's knowledge of compromising [75] information about famous individuals, his death by "apparent suicide" ​ spawned skepticism, as ​ well as multiple conspiracy theories. ​ ​ A Rasmussen poll conducted in August 2019 found that only 29% of U.S. adults believe Epstein ​ ​ actually committed suicide, while 42% think he was murdered to prevent him from testifying against powerful people with whom he associated, and 29% of people were undecided.[76] ​ By November 2019, a Business Insider poll found that those who believed Epstein outnumbered ​ ​ suicide proponents three to one.[77] ​ When attorneys met with their client shortly before his death, "we did not see a despairing, despondent, suicidal person".[78] ​ Before Epstein's death, several people publicly predicted an untimely death for Epstein in prison. In [79] a July 27 interview, Bob Fitrakis—a longtime investigator into Epstein —stated​ that he thought it ​ ​ ​ [80][81] was "likely" that Epstein would be "killed in prison". ​ ​ Spencer Kuvin, a lawyer who represented three alleged victims of Epstein, stated in a July 2019 interview following Epstein's first apparent suicide attempt, that he believed it was an attack on his [82][83] life, and stated there was a high probability that he would be murdered in prison. ​ ​ Because of his connections to many wealthy and powerful people, there was speculation that some co-conspirator or participant in his sex crimes might have arranged for him to be silenced.[82] ​ In the hours after the death, the hashtags #ClintonBodyCount and #TrumpBodyCount were trending ​ ​ on Twitter as users accused Bill and Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump of being involved in Epstein's [84][85] death. ​ ​ Several hours after Epstein was found dead, Trump retweeted a conspiracy theory suggesting that ​ ​ there was a connection between the Clintons and Epstein's death—furthering a perennial conspiracy ​ theory dating to the early 1990s that the Clintons have had numerous people killed to silence ​ [86][87] them. ​ ​ New York City mayor Bill DiBlasio and podcast host Joe Rogan expressed doubts that Epstein's ​ ​ ​ ​ death was due to suicide.[84] ​ Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has asserted that "American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein was killed ​ ​ several weeks ago, they said he had committed suicide in jail. However, he was killed because he knew a lot of vital secrets connected with very important people in the British and American regimes, and possibly in other countries as well."[93] ​

MEMES

In November 2019, Epstein's death and the possibility of murder became a popular internet meme, ​ ​ particularly in the form of the phrase "Epstein didn't kill himself". The meme also appeared at ​ ​ [94][95][96] multiple televised sports games in the form of signs and painted bodies. ​ ​ ​ Several people ​ [97][98] randomly interjected the phrase at the end of interviews. ​ ​ Arizona Representative Paul Gosar ​ ​ tweeted the phrase in an acrostic form over multiple tweets about the impeachment inquiry against ​ ​ ​ Donald Trump.[99] ​ ​

At the end of an interview with Jesse Watters on Fox News, former Navy SEAL and founder of the ​ ​ ​ ​ Warrior Dog Foundation Mike Ritland asked if he could give a "PSA". After being told that he could, ​ ​ ​ he stated, "If you see the coverage [about combat dogs] and you decide I want one of these dogs, either buy a fully trained and finished dog from a professional or just don't get one at all, and Epstein [19][20] didn't kill himself." ​ ​

Writer James Poulos cited the advancement of social media and growing populist sentiments for the [1] meme. ​ Commentators also suggest that growing distrust of government and the elite played a ​ ​ ​ [8][23][24] large factor in its popularity as well. ​ ​ ​

We got in on the action with our very own #epsteinsdidntkillhimself T-shirts and they are available on our teerepublic store right now! (Link in the show notes)

Interview with Epstein Bodyguard Zinoviev

(Shamelessly ripping this off from Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know’s 3 Part Series on Epstein, which I highly recommend.)

In our conversation in 2015, you described his relationship with teenage girlfriends: “So many time I tried to stop him. I try to tell tell him my opinion about that. He don’t listen to me. That’s the reason why I’m not working for him no more. I make him do that — to let me go.” Do you remember saying that?

It’s not the teenage girls. I never see the teenage girls. I tell you I never see teenage girls.

Plenty of times when I work for him I never see anything unproper or teenage girls around him.

That’s what I say.

It was four years ago. You may not remember what you told me. I kept very good notes of what you and I said. It must come across as very harsh. But it’s the truth. I’m happy to understand a little better. He’s not alive. You don’t have anything to be afraid of anymore.

I’m not afraid. Beyond that just he is dead. I don’t want anything to be uncorrect. There’s too much shit in here, you know, already. He’s dead and just like, freaking people, just leave him alone.

Hold on. When did you find out he died?

Saturday or Sunday or whenever.

What did you think when you found that out?

What did I think?

Yeah.

Are you sure you want to hear what I am going to think?

Yeah.

Somebody helped him to do that.

You think somebody helped him kill himself?

Yeah.

Okay. Why?

Listen, you know, that’s going a little too deep.

I mean, I’m just trying to understand that maybe you’d be happy he was dead or you would be upset. I don’t know. Are you even feeling anything?

I’m not sad. I mean, I didn’t have anything against him, like a bad thing, you know? I don’t care about his life completely. I don’t give a, let’s say, like, crap about how he die, how he live, or how he’s managed.

How many years did you live at his house? Five or six years. In Palm Beach.

That’s a long time.

Yeah.

You don’t have any emotion after learning he’s dead?

No.

Did you think that would happen to him?

It’s unexpectable. Well —

One thing you told me, for instance — okay, one thing you told me is he got a heads up when the authorities were going to come to his house the night before.

Listen, what you say is between you and me —

You told me he would get phone calls the night before and eight o’clock the police are going to come. He would get a heads up from local police.

[Silence.] ​ ​

You told me that, Igor. Want me to read the quote?

Well, you can read whatever you want right now. Don’t just — you can put yourself in big trouble.

You said: “He always do something wrong. There was some nights in question. There was at home arrest and police, before they come to the house, they call him and tell him they coming in at eight o’clock in the morning. It’s all corruption you know. It’s all bullshit.” Listen, don’t put yourself in trouble. Seriously.

We talked about this.

I understand we got this.

I’m telling you to give you a chance to remember because we talked about this stuff. I know it’s hard. I don’t know what you mean about “put myself in trouble.”

Let that go. Seriously. Let that go.

Why is it so important? Are you worried about the local cops?

Listen, you’re really smart and I’m not going to offer that over the phone right now, okay? You’re really smart. You have no idea. Please!

What do you mean by that?

I can’t explain you. I can’t explain you over the phone any of this.

You said that last time. And we didn’t talk for years. You can tell the world who this guy was. You were with him for a long time. You know what I mean?

[Silence.] ​ ​

I totally understand that you think he could have had help committing suicide.

First of all, I have to go right now. I have another client.

Still training people?

Yes. But just be careful. I’m not kidding. What’s your email so I can send you —

Don’t do any kind of that stuff. Just don’t play it. Seriously.

Can you tell me why?

I can’t. I can’t.

May I ask you one more question?

Go ahead.

Have you been talking to anyone in the government, the FBI? Have they come to you?

[Long pause] Um. Great talking to you. Seriously. We talk later. ​ ​

Really?

Bye.

All right.

Bye.