A federal judge has released what is purported to be a suicide note written by Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose death in federal custody five years ago continues to generate scrutiny and controversy.
Judge Kenneth M. Karas of Federal District Court in White Plains, New York, unsealed the document on Wednesday after it had remained under seal for years. The note allegedly came into existence weeks before Epstein was found dead at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan in August 2019.
The document’s authenticity has not been independently verified, though it contains phrases and expressions that appear consistent with Epstein’s documented communication patterns. The note begins with a declaration suggesting innocence without explicitly proclaiming it: “They investigated me for month — FOUND NOTHING!!!” The message references charges dating back fifteen years.
In subsequent passages, the note takes a defiant tone. “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye,” it reads, followed by “Watcha want me to do — Bust out cryin!! NO FUN.” The message concludes with the words “NOT WORTH IT!!!” which appear underlined in the original document.
According to court records, Nicholas Tartaglione, who served as Epstein’s cellmate at the time, discovered the note following an earlier incident in which Epstein was found unresponsive with a strip of cloth wrapped around his neck. That incident, which Epstein survived, occurred weeks before his eventual death.
The note was found concealed within a graphic novel after Epstein had been removed from the cell he shared with Tartaglione. The former cellmate came forward with information about the document, prompting legal proceedings that ultimately led to its release.
Judge Karas made his decision to unseal the note following a petition filed last week. The document was subsequently placed on the court docket Wednesday evening.
Linguistic analysis of the note reveals phrases that match Epstein’s documented writing style. The expression “bust out cryin” appears in emails previously attributed to Epstein. Similarly, the phrase “No fun” was found both in his email correspondence and in a separate note discovered in his jail cell at the time of his death.
This development comes amid a broader release of documentation related to the Epstein case. The Justice Department has made public millions of pages of materials connected to the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide, though the circumstances surrounding it have remained a subject of public debate and investigation. The release of this note adds another dimension to the historical record, though questions about its authenticity and significance remain.
The document’s emergence after years under seal provides additional insight into Epstein’s state of mind during his final weeks in federal custody, even as fundamental questions about the case continue to persist.
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