The Decaying Remains of a Notorious Aircraft
The infamous "Lolita Express," the private Boeing 727 jet once owned by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, now sits abandoned and rotting in a remote aircraft boneyard in Georgia, United States. This decaying aircraft, on which Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, flew multiple times, serves as a stark physical reminder of a scandal that implicated powerful figures across the globe.
Aircraft Grounded Since 2016
With the tail number N908JE—the final letters referencing Epstein's initials—the 133-foot jet has been grounded since July 2016. It rests on a concrete slab, its white fuselage now streaked with grime and dark weather stains, sandwiched between planes formerly owned by actor John Travolta and disgraced fashion mogul Peter Nygard. The aircraft's three engines were removed shortly after its arrival, ensuring it will never fly again.
Prosecutors have stated that this jet was a key component in Epstein's sex-trafficking operation, used to transport young victims internationally. Court-released flight logs reveal that Prince Andrew, formally known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, travelled on the aircraft on several occasions in 1999 and 2000, including trips between Florida, New Jersey, and the Caribbean.
Inside the Rotting Cabin
The once-luxurious interior has fallen into severe disrepair after nearly a decade without electricity. A heavy, damp odour permeates the air, with insects crawling across surfaces and mildew spreading along panels and carpeting. In the bathroom, baby lotion and baby powder were discovered inside cabinets, sitting among mould-covered toiletries, used toothbrushes, and shaving cream cans.
A short distance away lies the aircraft's lone bedroom, where three emergency oxygen masks dangle from the ceiling and a king-sized mattress remains neatly made with a white duvet. Victims have alleged that Epstein committed acts of sexual abuse on board, with testimony claiming that padded flooring and the bed were installed to facilitate sex during flights.
Beyond the bedroom, a sitting room is dominated by red crushed velvet upholstery on the walls, sofa, and armchairs. Further along the cabin, two grey half-moon couches face each other in a second lounge area. The galley and kitchen remain intact, with linen placemats still stacked neatly in a cupboard, and wardrobes, filing cabinets, and drawers crammed with books, flight manuals, and aviation paperwork.
Ownership and Abandonment
According to ownership records, the jet was acquired in January 2001 by JEGE Inc., a company linked in court documents to Epstein and his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Old photographs show the pair aboard the aircraft alongside prominent figures. In December 2018, months before his arrest on federal sex trafficking charges, Epstein sold the jet to a Florida-based aviation company, which changed hands again in July 2024.
Initially scheduled for dismantling and scrapping upon arrival at the Georgia yard, these plans were later shelved. Instead, the jet has remained in storage, accumulating substantial fees year after year. The yard's owner commented, "It's in a significantly degraded condition, it's sat there for 10 years, it has no engines... any airplane in that degraded of a condition would never fly again." He added that restoring it would be a "monumental" and costly undertaking.
For Epstein's victims and the rich and famous who flew on it, this decaying aircraft stands as a grim symbol of a scandal that reached the highest echelons of power, its rotting fuselage belying a dark history that continues to haunt public memory.
