Disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein wrote a note before his death in 2019 while in custody in a federal prison in New York City, according to a new report. The memorandum has not been published and remains sealed by the judge.Epstein, 66, died while in custody in a federal prison in New York City. The note, described by his former cellmate, was not included in documents released by the US Department of Justice and was reportedly not seen by investigators.According to The New York Times, the note was discovered by Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, after Epstein was transferred to another cell in July 2019.Tartaglione said he found the letter tucked inside a graphic novel she left in the cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center.“I opened the book to read and there it was,” he said, describing the moment, referring to a piece of yellow paper torn from a legal notebook.Tartaglione said the handwritten note indicates that Epstein maintained his innocence despite the ongoing investigation.He said the letter indicated that the authorities had been investigating Epstein’s case for months without finding evidence against him. “What do you want me to do, burst into tears?” Read the note.
The note also included the line: “It’s time to say goodbye.”The alleged note is believed to have been written around the time of an incident in July 2019, when Epstein was found with marks on his neck. The New York Times reported that at the time, Tartaglione was accused of attacking him. Tartaglione has consistently denied these allegations. Some reports suggested the marks may have been linked to a possible suicide attempt weeks after Epstein’s arrest.A week after the incident, prison records cited in the report indicate that Epstein told officials that he “had absolutely no problems” with Tartaglione and felt safe sharing a cell with him.Tartaglione said he gave the memo to his lawyer, believing it could support his claim that he did not harm Epstein.“My lawyers at the time wanted to make sure I didn’t write that,” he said in an interview. Tartaglione added that handwriting experts examined the document.According to the report, it was later verified that the note was written by Epstein.The memo was eventually filed in federal court and became part of Tartaglione’s legal case. The judge ordered it sealed and it has remained secret ever since.Court filings indicate that the document became entangled in legal disputes involving Tartaglione’s defense team. The judge later disqualified one of his lawyers because of a separate sealed order.Such sealed records are securely stored in court archives, officials said.Despite its potential importance, the memo was not included in the official investigations into Epstein’s death, including a 2023 review by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General.A department spokesman said authorities made an extensive effort to collect all available records related to Epstein, but had not seen the memo.The New York City Medical Examiner ruled Epstein’s death a suicide. However, reported security failures at the prison have led to ongoing questions and public speculation.
