Last month, financier Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on sex-trafficking charges. That arrest followed a number of earlier encounters with the law, and his acceptance of a plea deal in 2008 — one which has been criticized for being far too lenient given the severity of the charges against him.
This morning, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell. According to The New York Times, “Mr. Epstein hanged himself and his body was found at roughly 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.” Reports indicate he had been on suicide watch at the time of his death.
Earlier this week, a large number of documents related to the case against Epstein were made public. This included numerous details of sex trafficking, including the recruitment of teenage girls in Florida. Questions have also been raised as to how Epstein made his substantial fortune — which included an isolated island residence.
Epstein was arrested on July 3 at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The charges that he faced, to which he had pled not guilty, offered a maximum sentence of 45 years.
Given Epstein’s connections to numerous wealthy and powerful figures around the world, his death will likely not be the end of this investigation. Analysis from Daily Intelligencer notes that civil cases against his estate may reveal even more information about Epstein’s actions over the last few decades. Epstein himself is dead, but the repercussions of his actions will likely be felt for years to come.
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