By A handwritten note purportedly authored by Jeffrey Epstein before his death has remained under seal in a New York courthouse for years, according to a report published Friday.
The note was reportedly discovered by Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, in the weeks leading up to the financier’s death in July 2019, according to The Daily Caller. At the time, Epstein had been found injured and unresponsive in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. The document, which a federal judge ordered sealed in connection with Tartaglione’s separate criminal case, reportedly reads: “What do you want me to do, bust out crying? Time to say goodbye.”
Despite ongoing public demands for greater transparency surrounding Epstein-related records, the note has never been made public. President Donald Trump signed legislation directing the Department of Justice to release all unredacted Epstein files, resulting in the disclosure of approximately 3.5 million pages of documents.
According to the report, Epstein had previously told prison staff that Tartaglione assaulted him, leaving red marks on his neck. However, Bureau of Prisons records indicate that about a week later, Epstein told officials he had “never had any issues” with Tartaglione and felt safe sharing a cell with him.
Tartaglione claimed he found the note tucked inside a graphic novel and turned it over to his attorneys as potential evidence in case Epstein continued making accusations against him. His legal team reportedly authenticated the document, though details of the authentication process were not specified. The note was not referenced in any official investigations into Epstein’s death.
The sequence of events unfolded after Epstein’s apparent suicide attempt in July 2019, which led to him being placed under psychological observation. On August 10, 2019, correctional officers Tova Noel and Michael Thomas failed to conduct required inmate checks at 12 a.m., 3 a.m., and 5 a.m., yet submitted forms falsely indicating the counts had been completed. At around 6:33 a.m., the officers discovered Epstein unresponsive in his cell with a noose around his neck. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Forensic pathologist Michael Baden, retained by Epstein’s brother, publicly stated in October 2019 that the autopsy findings—including fractures on both sides of the larynx and on the left hyoid bone—were more consistent with homicidal strangulation than suicidal hanging.
In November 2019, the Department of Justice charged Noel and Thomas with conspiring to defraud the United States by falsifying records and obstructing the functions of the correctional facility. Those charges were later dropped after the officers fulfilled the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement, which included admitting to the falsification, performing community service, and cooperating with a DOJ Inspector General review.
A subsequent Inspector General report identified significant lapses at the facility, including a malfunction that left recorded footage available from only about half of the prison’s cameras.
The existence of the alleged note adds another element to the unresolved questions surrounding the circumstances of Epstein’s death, even as large volumes of related documents have been released to the public.
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