Pictures of the private island once owned by Jeffrey Epstein have been released, offering a glimpse into the epicentre of the world where the disgraced financier is accused of sexually assaulting a number of young women.
Epstein owned Little St James and Great St James in the US Virgin Islands, buying the former in 1998 for US$7.95 million ($12.05 million) and the latter in 2016 for US$22.5 million ($34.1 million).
Warning: This story contains details and content that some readers may find distressing.
The new pictures, released by the Democrats on the powerful US House Oversight Committee that recently released a tranche of emails from Epstein that contained mentions of President Donald Trump, show parts of Epstein’s private resort on Little St James.
New images of “Epstein Island”, the private resort of Jeffrey Epstein on Little St James in the US Virgin Islands, have been released. (via CNN)
Epstein died in jail in 2019. (New York State Sex Offender Registry/AP)
The island has also been nicknamed “Little Jeff’s” and “Epstein Island”.
The newly-released images show, among other things, a room with a dentist’s chair and human masks on the walls.
There is also a shot of a blackboard with words written on it including “decption” (sic), “power”, “plots”, and “music”.
One image shows a dentist chair surrounded by human masks. (via CNN)
A landline phone with numerous people on speed dial. (via CNN)
Other words on the board have been redacted and blacked out before the photo was released.
A wider shot of the same room shows four armchairs in a tight circle and bookshelves against the walls.
In another image, a landline phone shows speed dial buttons for “Larry”, “Mike”, “Rich”, “Patrick”, and “Darren”.
The photos were released by Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee. (via CNN)
Epstein purchased Little St James in 1998. (via CNN)
Again, several of the other names on speed dial have been blacked out prior to release.
There are also shots of bedrooms, bathrooms, and a “No Trespassing” sign propped up against a rock.
“These new images are a disturbing look into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and his island,” Democrat Representative and committee member Robert Garcia said in a statement.
“Epstein Island” is believed to be the heart of Epstein’s sex trafficking operation. (via CNN)
Democrats say the photos have been released in aid of “transparency”. (via CNN)
“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.”
One of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, Virgina Giuffre, claimed she had been trafficked on the islands as an 18-year-old.
In her posthumous memoir Nobody’s Girl, released last month, she described her rape at the hands of a man she referred to as “the Prime Minister”, who she claimed choked her repeatedly and who laughed when she “begged” him to stop.
A “No Trespassing” sign on Esptein’s island. (via CNN)
Epstein and his high-level connections in the US and around the world have become a political flashpoint in the US in recent years for both Democracts and Republicans.
He has since reversed position again and publicly backed a Republican vote to release the documents, though reports emerged of phone calls and meetings in which Trump allegedly urged individual Republican loyalists to vote against the measure.
Virginia Giuffre alleged she had been raped on the island. (via CNN)
Both islands have since passed to a new owner. (via CNN)
After the vote passed the House and the Senate, Trump signed the bill into law.
He also recently announced investigations into former president Bill Clinton and other Democrat-aligned former associates of Epstein.
Trump and Epstein were friends at one stage, but the president has declared they parted ways before Epstein’s crimes came to light and that he knew nothing of them.
Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
According to CNN, his islands were purchased in 2023 by billionaire investor Stephen Deckoff.
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).