The Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee have released previously unseen images and video footage of Jeffrey Epstein's property on Little St James island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The release was stated to be for public transparency regarding investigations into Epstein's activities.
Image and Video Details
The released materials, reportedly from 2020, include photographs and video that depict:
- Several bedrooms within the residence.
- A room featuring multiple masks displayed on a wall.
- A telephone with names written on speed-dial buttons.
- A dental chair.
- A room containing a black chalkboard with words such as "truth," "deception," and "power" scrawled on it; some words were redacted.
- Personal items, including a selection of toiletries and various art pieces like statues and paintings.
- An image of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell with Pope John Paul II.
- A video walkthrough of the property, showing a palm tree-lined swimming pool with an archer statue and a path leading to the ocean.
Metadata indicates the photos were taken in 2020, after Epstein's death in 2019, suggesting the property was in a state of being packed away with furniture stacked and artwork potentially removed.
Context of the Release
This release follows a request made by the House Oversight Committee's Democrats on November 18 to the Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands for information pertaining to investigations into Epstein and his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
The images surface in the broader context of a bill signed by President Donald Trump on November 19, which mandated the release of government files concerning Epstein.
Island History and Allegations
Little St James, acquired by Epstein in 1998, is one of two islands he owned in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Multiple individuals have alleged they were trafficked to and subjected to abuse on the island. In 2022, the U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General secured a settlement exceeding $105 million in response to allegations that numerous young women and children were trafficked, raped, and assaulted on Epstein's properties.
Ongoing Investigations and Future Disclosures
Robert Garcia, the Democratic leader on the House Oversight Committee, indicated that the committee has also obtained records from JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank, which are slated for future release. Garcia has also called for President Trump to release all government files related to Epstein without delay.
The bill signed by Trump provides the Justice Department with a 30-day period, until December 19, to make the documents available in a searchable and downloadable format. However, the legislation permits the withholding or redaction of documents that could jeopardize active federal investigations, ongoing prosecutions, or contain sensitive personal information such as victims' names and medical files. This provision could lead to delays in the full public disclosure of all documents.