This archive report was first published on 11 August 2019.
August 11, 2019, marked a day of shock and outrage as news broke of the death of US financier Jeffrey Epstein in a New York prison cell. Epstein, 66, was awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
According to reports, Epstein's body was discovered early on Saturday at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, considered one of the most secure in the country. His death came a day after hundreds of pages of court documents were released, revealing new allegations against him and some of his high-profile associates.
Epstein's death has sparked a formal investigation by the FBI, with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio expressing his concerns about the circumstances surrounding the death. "It's way too convenient that he can no longer incriminate others," de Blasio said, adding that "what did he know?" and "how many other millionaires and billionaires were part of the illegal activities that he was engaged in?"
Conspiracy theories have already begun to emerge, with many questioning how Epstein was able to kill himself in a secure facility. The New York Times reported that Epstein had been under observation after a previous suicide attempt, but was taken off the watch more than a week before his death.
Attorney General William Barr has also spoken out, saying there are "serious questions that must be answered" and that the justice department has opened its own investigation. Republican Senator Ben Sasse has called for "heads to roll," stating that the Department of Justice failed and that Epstein's co-conspirators may have gotten a "sweetheart deal".
