By Steve Neavling
The Justice Department and FBI under President Donald Trump concluded that Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide and did not operate a blackmail scheme or keep a “client list,” according to a memo obtained by Axios.
The two-page memo also says no additional charges will be filed in the case. Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking and related crimes. The memo marks the first official rejection of longstanding conspiracy theories promoted widely online, including by Trump allies before joining his administration.
Investigators say they reviewed surveillance footage from Epstein’s cell at the Manhattan jail where he died on Aug. 10, 2019. The footage, which covered the area from about 10:40 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., showed no one entering Epstein’s cell block, according to the memo.
“The FBI enhanced the relevant footage by increasing its contrast, balancing the color, and improving its sharpness for greater clarity and viewability,” it states.
The review found “no incriminating ‘client list’,” “no credible evidence … that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals,” and no evidence to support charges against any uncharged third parties.
Trump-appointed FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino were among the figures who promoted Epstein-related conspiracy theories before joining the administration. Both have since said they believe Epstein died by suicide.
“He killed himself,” Bongino said on Fox News in May. “I’ve seen the whole file.”
The memo says no further disclosures are warranted, citing the sensitivity of the material and concerns that releasing certain details could expose victims or innocent people to harm.
“We found no basis to revisit the disclosure of those materials and will not permit the release of child pornography,” it states.
