The disgraced financier and pedophile never ended up owning the Virgin Islands Daily News. However, DOJ records show he considered it

SCRANTON, Pa. — Disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein explored in 2013 becoming a Caribbean media mogul by, in part, purchasing a daily newspaper in that region then owned by Scranton-based Times-Shamrock Communications.

Epstein did not end up owning the Virgin Islands Daily News. Times-Shamrock sold that paper in 2014 to California businessman Archie Nahigian, who remains its owner and publisher.

However, documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice show that Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, gave at least passing consideration to founding “a true media enterprise” in the Virgin Islands years after child sex abuse allegations first surfaced against the now infamous pedophile. 

Details of Epstein’s prospective media plan were outlined in emails and a memorandum drafted in late 2013 by James P. McGee, of Newgrange Consulting Group. 

“There is currently a very rare and unique opportunity to develop a true media enterprise in the Virgin Islands at a very reasonable cost which would have the ability to become a very successful and profitable multimedia business operation in the Virgin Islands territory and eventually throughout the entire Caribbean region,” McGee wrote.

In October that year, McGee was trying to gather information for Epstein on Times-Shamrock’s sales of some of its holdings, which included the Virgin Islands Daily News, and raised pursuing “back channels” contact with the Scranton media corporation to find out more.

It’s unclear if McGee spoke with Times-Shamrock. However, roughly one month later McGee had information for Epstein that Times-Shamrock wanted to sell the paper for approximately $6 million to $7 million, according to an email. 

Times-Shamrock did not immediately return a request for comment.  Efforts to reach McGee were unsuccessful.

Eunice Bedminster, the Virgin Islands Daily News’ executive editor, declined to comment but reiterated that Epstein’s inquiries would have predated the paper’s current management and ownership.

A memorandum drafted in December 2013 shows that ownership of the Virgin Islands Daily News would have been one part of a larger media enterprise.

Other pieces of the proposed media company included acquiring a radio station and the creation and development of a local internet service provider.

The idea, however, seemed to die on the vine. The DOJ’s trove of documents does not appear to have any discussion of the proposed media company after the end of December 2013.

Times-Shamrock, once Northeast Pennsylvania’s main print media presence, sold its remaining newspapers in 2023, including The Times-Tribune, The Citizens’ Voice and the Standard Speaker. It now focuses mainly on local radio, like Rock 107, and outdoor advertising.