ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — Newly released documents connected to the Jeffrey Epstein files show previously undisclosed discussions about media acquisitions in the U.S. Virgin Islands, including references to Times-Shamrock Communications, a Scranton-based media company.
The records include a series of emails and a confidential business memorandum sent by James P. McGee, a consultant with the Newgrange Consulting Group, to Epstein in 2013. In the correspondence, McGee discussed the possible sale of the Virgin Islands Daily News, which was owned at the time by Times-Shamrock Communications.
According to the emails, McGee reported that the newspaper’s parent company was seeking between $6 million and $7 million for the Daily News, a figure described as negotiable. McGee noted that the sale was being handled by Cribb, Greene & Associates, a mergers and acquisitions firm specializing in media properties. He also raised the possibility of using “back channels” to Times-Shamrock to gather additional details about the sale and assess whether it was worth pursuing.
In the messages, McGee suggested further discussions by phone or Skype to determine next steps, while also referencing his involvement in political work tied to the Boston mayoral race at the time.
The documents also include a lengthy “Business Development Memorandum” outlining a proposal for Epstein to help finance and participate in the creation of a large-scale media enterprise in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The plan called for acquiring the Virgin Islands Daily News, purchasing a local radio station, and developing a broadband internet and television service using the territory’s government-owned fiber network.
McGee described the proposal as a rare opportunity to build a profitable multimedia operation across the Virgin Islands and potentially expand throughout the Caribbean. The memo emphasized the need for initial financing, operational leadership, and community engagement, while outlining estimated costs that ranged into the tens of millions of dollars.
There is no indication in the documents that Epstein ultimately invested in or acquired the Daily News, nor is there any suggestion of wrongdoing by Times-Shamrock Communications. The materials reflect exploratory business discussions that were taking place at the time.
Times-Shamrock Communications is a long-established media company based in Scranton, Pennsylvania, with holdings that have included newspapers, radio stations, and outdoor media properties across multiple states.
Shamrock Communications, Inc. maintains ownership of WEJL Sports Radio, WEZX/WPZX/WFUZ/WLGD – ROCK107, FUZZ 96.1, and 92 Mix FM, WQFM/WQFN.
Shamrock also owns a station in Baltimore,
The newspaper division and its assets were sold in August 2023 to MediaNews Group.
The documents are part of a broader release of Epstein-related records that continue to shed light on his business dealings and professional relationships in the years before his criminal cases became public.