These newly revealed Epstein photos show off his island. Here's what we know about it
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A "no trespassing" sign on the beach of Little Saint James. Photo: House Oversight Committee Democrats
New photos and videos released in the Epstein probe on Wednesday spotlight what has become a cornerstone of the investigation into the convicted sex offender — Epstein's island.
The big picture: The island, Little St. James, was the notorious home to Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019. Over the years, there have been many allegations about what happened on the island.
Driving the news: "These new images are a disturbing look into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and his island," Oversight Committee ranking member Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) told Axios in a statement.
- "We are releasing these photos and videos to ensure public transparency in our investigation and to help piece together the full picture of Epstein's horrific crimes," Garcia added.
- The photos show a room with what resembles a dental chair and a room with a chalkboard, chairs and a desk, among other items.
Here's what we know about Epstein island.
What is Epstein island exactly?
Formally named Little St. James, Epstein's island measures roughly 72 acres and sits roughly two miles off the coast of St. Thomas, which is a part of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- It included multiple villas, statues, a pool and other buildings.
- The island has received multiple nicknames, including: "Isle of Babes," "Island of Sin" and "Epstein Island."
Who owns Epstein island now?
Little St. James was previously owned by venture capitalist Arch Cummin.
- In 1998, the company L.S.J. LLC — whose sole member was Epstein — bought the island for $7.95 million, AP reports. He also later bought the nearby Great St. James Island.
- By 2019, the island was valued for more than $63 million.
- In 2023, the pair of islands belonging to Epstein were sold to a buyer, Stephen Deckoff, who hoped to turn them into a luxury resort, per Bloomberg.
What happened on Epstein's island?
Multiple attorneys, court filings and accusers allege that Little St. James was where Epstein trafficked underage girls.
- Virginia Giuffre — the late accuser of Epstein — alleged in court documents filed in 2022 that she was abused by Prince Andrew on the island.
- Locals told news outlets that Epstein brought underage girls to the island.
- In a 2020 lawsuit against Epstein's estate, U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George said Epstein would use helicopters "to transport young women and underage girls between St. Thomas and Little St. James."
- In a settlement, the Epstein estate agreed to pay at least $105 million to the Virgin Islands, along with a portion of the island's sale.
What the new photos of Epstein island show
The new photos offer a glance at the inside of Epstein's villas, but reveal very little new information. The photos specifically show:
- A "no trespassing" sign on the beach.
- A room with what resembles a dental chair with what appears to be masks on the wall.
- A room with a chalkboard and chairs.
- Multiple bedrooms, a bathroom and a phone with what appears to be redacted names.
The videos included in the Democrats' release chronicle an outdoor space by palm trees and a pool. There's also an entire video dedicated to what appears to be a bedroom and another that shows off a bathroom.
Who went to Epstein island?
Many public figures were reportedly invited to the island over the years, which is why there's been an emphasis on uncovering flight logs to and from his estate. But any discussion of who might have attended has mostly been alleged through unsubstantiated claims.
- In July, President Trump, facing scrutiny from the press over his administration's handling of the Epstein case, said he never visited the island.
- "In one of my very good moments, I turned it down," the president said. "I didn't want to go to his island."
Multiple batches of documents related to Epstein were turned over to Democrats after they subpoenaed the Epstein Estate in August.
- Documents were purported to show some of Epstein's phone and flight logs, as well as some daily schedules and financial ledgers.
- The following month, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and Steve Bannon were all named in copies of Epstein's daily schedules released by Democrats. (The documents did not, however, link the men to any criminal activity or misconduct.)
- The schedules appeared to mention Musk possibly flying to an "island" in 2014, as Axios previously reported.
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