Epstein’s Alleged Activities In The Virgin Islands Are Increasingly Disturbing

ST. THOMAS — The accounts of millionaire Jeffrey Epstein’s exploits in the U.S. Virgin Islands have grown increasingly disturbing since his 2008 mainland conviction on child sex charges, and they have raised troubling new questions about Virgin Islands authorities’ response to what allegedly occurred on “Pedophile Island,” Mr. Epstein’s Little St. James.

Under Saturday’s headline “The Horrors of Jeffrey Epstein’s Private Island,” Vanity Fair magazine chronicled Mr. Epstein’s Virgin Islands arrivals and departures aboard his fleet of Gulfstream jets and black helicopters, always in the company of young women. Very young women.

“Two employees who worked at the local airstrip on St. Thomas tell Vanity Fair that they witnessed Epstein boarding his private plane on multiple occasions in the company of girls who appeared to be under the age of consent,” the magazine reported. According to the employees who spoke to Vanity Fair, the girls arrived on or departed St. Thomas aboard Epstein’s private aircraft. 

“On multiple occasions I saw Epstein exit his helicopter, stand on the tarmac in full view of my tower, and board his private jet with children—female children,” a former air traffic controller at the airstrip recounted to the magazine. “One incident in particular really stands out in my mind, because the girls were just so young. They couldn’t have been over 16.” 

According to Vanity Fair, “The employee adds that he and his co-workers would joke around about what they were seeing … ‘Every time he landed or took off, it was always brought up. We’d always be joking, ‘How many kids are on board this time?’ … But the employee also says he felt “pure disgust,” calling it “absolutely insane” that a convicted sex offender was able to move around so openly …” 

Mr. Epstein was arrested July 6th on two counts of sex trafficking of minors by force, fraud or coercion, and a related count of sex trafficking conspiracy — charges that federal prosecutors say involve dozens of girls in New York and Florida. He entered a plea of not guilty.

Federal Investigators Ashore on Little St. James 

A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert declined to comment to The Consortium last week on the office’s involvement in the Epstein investigation. However, federal investigators appear to have descended on Epstein’s 70-acre lair on Little St. James in the past few days.

Fishermen and charter operators who frequent the waters off the eastern coast of St. Thomas told The Consortium on Sunday that black-clad F.B.I. agents were spotted ashore Little St. James.

Raids of Mr. Epstein properties in New York City and West Palm Beach yielded “devastating evidence” against Mr. Epstein that included notes and messages from that corroborate the claims of women who allege he sexually abused them when they were underage. Federal agents also seized fake travel documents – a foreign passport with Mr. Epstein’s photo but a false name – and stacks of cash and loose diamonds.  

In the territory, newly elected Sen. Oakland Benta, a former chief of police on St. Croix, called for a sweeping investigation into whether Mr. Epstein tried to insulate himself from scrutiny with well-placed political charitable donations designed to sway influential members of the V.I. community.

“He [Mr. Epstein] has people on his payroll,” Mr. Benta alleged in an interview he had with Breitbart News, a right-wing, mainland publication. “He has campaign contributions. He has donated to a lot of agencies and nonprofits. Maybe part of the reason why they’re not vocal is a lot of the nonprofit organizations have been recipients of contributions from Jeffrey Epstein and a lot of surrounding programs with children.”

Mr. Epstein is listed as a Tier 1 offender on the Virgin Islands Sex Offenders Registry maintained by the VI Department of Justice. His 2008 offense was listed as “procuring a person under age of 18 for prostitution.” The Registry listing for Mr. Epstein states that his information was last verified on March 15, 2019. Department of Justice spokeswoman Corliss Smithen said last week that there had been no site inspection of Mr. Epstein – or anyone else on the sex offender’s list – in the past year. 

“He Always Tipped Really Well, So …” 

According to Vanity Fair, the St. Thomas air traffic controller said, “ … The fact that young girls were getting out of his helicopter and getting into his plane, it was like he was flaunting it … But it was said that he always tipped really well, so everyone overlooked it.

“My colleagues and I definitely talked about how we didn’t understand how this guy was still allowed to be around children,” the air traffic controller told Vanity Fair. “We didn’t say anything because we figured law enforcement was doing their job. I have to say that that is regrettable, but we really didn’t even know who to tell, or if anyone really cared.”

In fact, it appears that local authorities did nothing to investigate Mr. Epstein’s repeated trips with young girls. 

According to Ms. Smithen, the Department of Justice has received no complaints, nor official requests to investigate Mr. Epstein as of late last week.