Epstein Files Reveal Prisoner Access Before Death, Contradicting Official Account
Newly released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein case have revealed that investigators believe a prisoner appeared to access the area where the notorious paedophile was held on the night of his death. Hidden among files released last Friday by the US Department of Justice, the report directly contradicts the official narrative of what transpired in Epstein's final hours.
Contradictions in the Official Timeline
Officially, Jeffrey Epstein was reported to have died by suicide sometime after 6:30 am on August 10, 2019, when a corrections officer found him unresponsive while delivering breakfast at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in New York. Coroners ruled that Epstein had hanged himself, yet to this day, no official time of death has been determined. This uncertainty stems from two cameras outside his cell malfunctioning, which were subsequently investigated by the FBI.
Government investigators reviewing footage from inside the prison noticed an orange shape moving up a staircase toward his cell on the night of his death. The report from the DOJ's Office of the Inspector General noted that at 10:39 pm on August 9, 2019, FBI agents observed 'a flash of orange looks to be going up the L Tier stairs - could possibly be an inmate escorted up to that Tier.'
Divergent Interpretations of Evidence
The inspector general drew a different conclusion, suggesting the orange flash might have been someone carrying inmate linen or bedding, as inmates were on lockdown at the time. This analysis contradicts public statements made by top US officials. Former Attorney General Bill Barr claimed in a 2019 interview that he had personally reviewed security footage confirming no one entered Epstein's area that night.
Similarly, former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino told Fox News in May last year that video evidence clearly showed Epstein was the only person in and out of the cell. Bongino promised to release an enhanced version of the footage, but the Trump administration faced criticism for allegedly doctoring the supposedly raw video using Adobe Premiere Pro, with nearly three minutes cut from one clip.
Scrutiny of Surveillance Footage
The nearly 11 hours of video from outside Epstein's cell underwent heavy scrutiny. Forensic experts, including retired NYPD sergeant Conor McCourt, suggested the orange blob was likely a person in an orange uniform. The timing of the cut in the footage at 11:58:58 pm, just before a one-minute gap, raised suspicions, though Attorney General Pam Bondi attributed it to a nightly system reset.
Metadata showed the file was modified multiple times on May 23, 2025, over more than three hours, undermining claims it was unedited raw footage. When pressed for comment, the DOJ referred inquiries to the FBI, which declined to respond.
Disturbing Allegations in Released Emails
The release also included an email from November 21, 2019, sent to Eddy Aragon and forwarded to the FBI, alleging Epstein ordered the burial of two foreign girls near his Zorro Ranch in New Mexico after they died by strangulation during rough, fetish sex. The sender, a self-claimed former staff member, included links to videos purportedly showing Epstein with underage girls and demanded payment of one Bitcoin for the information.
This email adds to the mounting evidence and speculation surrounding Epstein's activities and death, highlighting ongoing discrepancies and unanswered questions in the investigation.
