A Closer Look at Epstein and the “Files”

By: Matthieu McCarty, Staff Writer

The name Jeffrey Epstein has long lingered in the American public's consciousness for more than two decades now. Despite his death in 2019, newly released documents and ongoing investigations have continued to keep his case in the national focus. 

Jeffrey Epstein was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Jan. 20, 1953, and grew up in a middle-class family in Coney Island. He had a brother, Mark Epstein, who is still alive today. Epstein graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn. For college, he attended New York University’s Courant Institute but did not complete a degree.

In the mid-1970s, he was hired to teach both mathematics and science at The Dalton School, a well-known Manhattan academy. According to an interview with one of his former students, Eve Scheuer Lubin via NPR, "If you had had him [as a teacher] then, you would've liked him, too."

Eventually, Epstein would leave education and join the former investment bank Bear Stearns, where, from company records, he quickly rose through the ranks. During his time at Stearns, he gained connections with several wealthy and influential clients. 

In 1981, Epstein departed Bear Stearns and founded his own investment firm, J. Epstein & Co. One of his most powerful financial relationships was with a client by the name of Leslie Wexner, the founder of Bath & Body Works, along with several other successful companies, who had given him almost complete control over his assets, according to a CNN report titled; “Leslie Wexner is ‘embarrassed’ by his ties to ‘depraved’ Jeffrey Epstein”, Wexner states, “It did happen a long time ago, and my distraction of that happened a long time ago.” He says he was never aware of any illegal activity at the time, and has since disregarded all ties with him. 

With the support of his Wall Street connections, Epstein built a substantial real estate portfolio, acquiring multiple properties, including “Little Saint James,” a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Federal court documents and travel logs reveal Epstein, his staff, and associates frequently visited the island.

By 2005, Epstein was attracting the attention of local authorities. Palm Beach police opened an investigation after receiving several complaints about young people (mainly girls) being recruited to give paid massages at his home. As stated by an interview with ex-Florida police chief (Michael Reiter) via NBC News, “The story begins in March 2005 when the Palm Beach police department received a call from the distraught mother of a 14-year-old girl. The woman, Reiter recalled, said her underage daughter was involved in inappropriate conduct with an adult who lives in a mansion in Palm Beach.”  The findings from the police led to federal involvement, but the case concluded in 2008 with a non-prosecution agreement negotiated by U.S. prosecutors in Florida.  This deal allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state charges and serve 13 months in a county facility, while remaining on work release outside the facility. Legal analysts later scrutinized this practice. 

Little Saint James (purchased in 1998) would soon become a focal point of the broader investigation. Former employees of the island have reported strict rules, limited staff access, and a guest schedule controlled entirely by Epstein and trusted associates. Several popular figures listed in the travel records have denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged in connection with the island or Epstein. 

Federal prosecutors in New York reopened the case in July 2019 (charging him with sex trafficking and conspiracy). "The alleged behavior shocks the conscience. ... The victims... are no less entitled to their day in court. My Office is proud to stand up for these victims by bringing this indictment", a statement by the U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman at the time. According to the Justice Department (DOJ), agents seized computers, documents, and hard drives from Epstein’s Palm Beach estate.

Epstein was later found dead in his holding cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC)  on Aug. 10, 2019. The former New York City medical examiner (Barbara Sampson) ruled his death a suicide. However, the DOJ reported “multiple procedural failures,” including broken cameras and missed security checks. The situation has often been described as a “series of unacceptable lapses,” among other titles, sparking widespread speculation and online commentary. 

Ghislaine Maxwell was a longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Despite popular belief, they were not married, and prosecutors allege that she initially assisted in hiring the underage girls to give massages. Former Epstein household manager (Juan Alessi), describing via an interview with The Guardian, “Ms Maxwell was the girlfriend of Mr Epstein; I understand she was the lady of the house. “From the day she came to the house, she right away took over, and she mentioned to me she was going to be the lady of the house. Maxwell has denied knowingly participating in any criminal activity, telling the court that she was “sorry for the pain” the victims experienced, and “it is the greatest regret of my life that I ever met Jeffrey Epstein.”  

In the past two years, the case has resurfaced, with thousands of pages of documents and emails released to the public through U.S. Virgin Islands lawsuits and federal requirements. The released materials include internal messages, travel records, and financial records related to J. Epstein & Co. 

Several have contained unverified statements written by Epstein, stating “Trump knew about the girls” and calling him “the dog that has not barked”. President Donald Trump has denied any wrongdoing, saying he had “a falling out” with Epstein and was unaware of any illegal activity. Former President Bill Clinton is also mentioned in travel logs and has similarly denied any knowledge of Epstein’s alleged activities. 

Political attention has also grown this year after Congress passed “The Epstein Files Transparency Act” on Nov. 19, 2025, giving the DOJ 30 days to release all former classified documents.  Questions about what may be redacted remain as the American public awaits the release of the complete documents.