He never met Epstein, and he didn't recall how his staff originally contacted him maybe through another client, or maybe through the online directory. WebIo Dodds writes. The interior had two levels, with the first four to six feet at ground level and the rest on a slightly raised platform accessed by a single step. Baron recounted his experience visiting Little St. James over several interviews with Insider. The Best Street Style From Paris Fashion Week. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Rudkowski then explores a few of the islands underground rooms and Epsteins gold-tipped temple, where young girls were said to have been abused. New look at Jeffrey Epstein's private island. Verdict: This is easily the most plausible and supported theory, but the available evidence is inconsistent. As for the statue, or statues, of Horus: The available evidence is inconclusive. On top of being partners [sic] they are also best of friends, it said. The first two numbers appear to have been disconnected, while the third, for Monique, went to a voicemail greeting for Southern Trust, a company that belonged to Epstein. Explosive end to case thats rocked America, insight into the lifestyle of the perverted billionaire, claims under-age girls were used as sex slaves, being raped multiple times on Little St James. as well as other partner offers and accept our. After all, if Epstein did indeed keep a piano in the blue-and-white building, there was a decent chance he needed someone to occasionally tune it. When I emailed Baron several photographs of the building, taken from different angles and elevations, he called me a few minutes later: "That is definitely the building. At the start of her trial two weeks ago, her lawyers argued that she was a scapegoat who wasnt indicted until nearly a year after Epstein died in a federal jail while awaiting his own sex-trafficking trial. July 20, 2019 Ever since billionaire Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on July 6 on charges of sex trafficking, the media have been scrambling to make sense of what The proceeds from the sale are expected to be used for the estates regular administration, including its payment as necessary of taxes, creditors and claimants, Daniel H. Weiner, who represents Epsteins estate, told The Post. A Woman Has Been Charged for Allegedly Taking Abortion Pills. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This password will be used to sign into all, Photo: Gianfranco Gaglione/AP/Shutterstock, What We Know About Jeffrey Epsteins Pedophile Island, 39 Pairs of Sneakers to Upgrade Your Wardrobe, Im On the Hunt for the Best Sunscreens Without a White Cast, I Inherited Millions From My Mother, and Everyone Knows, Are There Any Healthier Alternatives to Gel Manicures?, 6 Stand-ups Analyze ChatGPTs Attempts to Steal Their Jobs, Julia Fox, Paris Hilton, and More of the Bestest Party Pics This Week. (In a statement, a spokesperson for his former employer called this claim demonstrably false and defamatory.). A woman who admitted having sex with a 13-year-old boy and becoming pregnant with his baby has avoided jail time. The building, shaped like a giant box and initially topped with a gold dome, has fueled rampant speculation and online conspiracy theories. Berwick and Rudkowski conceded their actions likely broke the law, but that they tried to "make sure we weren't doing too many illegal things all at once. But seriously, what's up with this weird temple thing on Jeffrey Epstein's private island? Meanwhile, Givenchy and Chlo fell short. This is a tricky theory to parse. Now the spotlight is on three other deaths that are linked to the case. You\'ll receive the next newsletter in your inbox. (For pianos in regular use, the recommended frequency is twice a year.). My own theory is that journalism is about solving mysteries identifying the unknown and finding a way to know it. (He claims, however, that the gym allegedly features an especially large framed photo of a topless woman.). This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. took girls and young women to Little St. James and forced them into sexual servitude and forced labor. Epstein purchased Little St. James, which spans over 70 acres, in 1998 for only $7.95 million at the time. says the topless young man standing inside a bare electrical shed on Jeffrey Epsteins private island, more than a year after the disgraced billionaire There is also a grass airstrip and hangar for when Epstein would fly in on his private plane. The probe came after Epstein who was awaiting trial on child sex abuse charges died in his New York City jail cell. Most notably, the men arrived at Epstein's temple, the purpose for which remains unclear, but has sparked a number of conspiracy theories. Footage showed a large group of FBI officers arriving at the pier of Little St James and accessing the disgraced financiers property with golf buggies. "Even in the condition that I described it in it was sort of a temple," he said. Security guards lined the beaches. USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment. A shocking video filmed on Jeffrey Epsteins infamous Paedo Island reveals secret underground lairs and a bizarre sex temple with fake doors. Altogether, he sought to expand his residence by nearly 20,000 square feet a transformation that turned his main house into a mansion. Its been reported Epstein hid young girls he allegedly enslaved in underground rooms below the temple and other parts of the island. The site further says the foundation gave $35 million to Harvard, kick-starting the university's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. According to Insider, which investigated the structure, it previously featured a gold dome that flew off in 2017 when the hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the region. as well as other partner offers and accept our, 10 of the most bizarre details people have reported finding in Jeffrey Epstein's NYC mansion, from a painting of Bill Clinton in a dress to prosthetic breasts mounted on a bathroom wall. become of Epsteins sprawling properties. In August 2019, Epstein died of an apparent suicide in a Manhattan jail cell, where he was being held on charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. But he did remember who greeted him on Little St. James. I would never sign any lease agreements or contracts with such individuals as Jeffery Epstein or any of his co-conspirators.. ", Source: Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Read more:10 of the most bizarre details people have reported finding in Jeffrey Epstein's NYC mansion, from a painting of Bill Clinton in a dress to prosthetic breasts mounted on a bathroom wall, Source: The New York Times, New York Magazine, Curbed, Read more:A wild drone video shows FBI agents raiding Jeffrey Epstein's private island home and offers a peek into his mysterious temple. The men noted that the island likely wasn't empty the grass and pool looked cared for even though the FBI raided the island in August. He didn't recall seeing any blue and white stripes on the exterior. In 2021, Gates said in an interview that it was a "huge mistake" to spend time with Epstein and indicated he had only met with him in an attempt to raise money for global health issues. The assumption that Epstein acted according to a certain logic, and that that logic could be ascertained through research and reporting, seemed less and less certain. Epsteins New York townhouse where the late pedophile once kept nude photos of girls, creepy taxidermy and a bizarre painting of Bill Clinton in a blue dress was sold for a little under $50 million in March. Read more: A look inside Jeffrey Epstein's real-estate portfolio, from the Florida and NYC mansions where sex trafficking reportedly took place to the private island in the Caribbean that was raided by the FBI. "Every single one was on Epstein's flight logs," reads the on-screen text in the video. The video follows the pair as they probe the $28.2 million islands secrets giving an insight into the lifestyle of the perverted billionaire. She filed the lawsuit with the superior court in the US Virgin Islands. They conceded their actions likely broke the law, but that they tried to "make sure we weren't doing too many illegal things all at once.". The Wall Street Journal first reported the sale, citing the islands' listing agents. During Hurricanes Irma and Maria, its golden dome blew off and was never replaced. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. In September, one of Epsteins victims told how she tried to swim across shark-infested waters to escape his hideaway. Fact check: Gates is on Epstein's flight logs, nobody else in video, Thailand's 'most beautiful transgender woman' and husband wear $580K in attire at extravagant wedding, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; 'We are coming,' sheriff says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's new mugshot revealed after double life sentence, Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking a bathroom selfie, The ex-ballerina exposing a world of shame, abuse and sexual assault, Bill Gates says some people provoke AI and make it look stupid but it poses no threat, Elon Musk says A.I. Epstein also had an interest in pirate treasure, one of his former employees told Bloomberg. Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission. I only got involved in the sale of Jeffrey Epsteins residence to ensure it would be wiped off the map of Palm Beach, Lawrence Moens, who represented the listing, told the Palm Beach Daily News at the time. When federal authorities raided the home, they found creepy artwork in the lair, including a painting that depicted Clinton wearing a blue dress and high heels while kicking his feet up in a chair. According to the reporter Rich Schapiro, an unnamed architectural firm submitted blueprints for a domed, single-story building on Epstein's behalf to the Department of Public Works of the US Virgin Islands. Once on the island, the underage girls and women say they were coerced into sexual encounters and, in some cases, even held hostage. A death notice for Epstein's father, Seymour, appeared in The Palm Beach Post on December 16, 1991; a notice for his mother, Pauline (under her nickname, Paula), appeared on April 23, 2004. Privacy Policy and Plants were cleared. The piano tuner's denial is one reason to question this account. Those 2010 plans, which were part of a permit application that raised concerns inside the agency, included drawings of a building that looks almost nothing like the structure that was built. Only Owens has the power to demolish our notions of dress. I found myself ashamed to discuss my progress with my editor and colleagues, as each additional clue turned out to be a false start. "Mr. Epstein did in fact have grand piano in that 'temple,' but the roof leaked because the AC units are on top, and the roof is flat. Behind the desk were several columns of floor-to-ceiling bookcases. A wealthy lawyer who killed his wife and son at close range has been sentenced in one of the most troubling cases the judge said he had seen. Ms Ransome told how she jumped on a quad bike to get away and planned to drive to a beach to swim to the safety of nearby St Thomas. As bits and pieces of her past life are laid bare for the public, Maxwell continued to maintain her innocence and pleaded not guilty. These transformations, according to the Associated Press, happened when the island was bought by accused child-sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead by apparent suicide in his prison cell on August 10. Though not many details have been reported about the interior of the main residence, a former employee said that Epstein had two offices, which no one but the maid was allowed to enter, where he kept security boxes. The file was created on a desktop by someone logged in as the user GMax on Oct. 14, 2002. A document discovered by the feds on a hard drive in Epsteins townhouse detailed his intimate relationship with Maxwell, FBI digital forensic examiner Stephen Flatley testified in Manhattan federal court last Tuesday. But he denied tuning pianos outside of Florida and South Carolina, or ever visiting the US Virgin Islands. The reader supplied their friend's name, and I confirmed that a person by that name has worked as a professional piano tuner in South Carolina and Florida. There were photos of topless women everywhere, contractor Steve Scully told ABC News. Epstein's victims were young women and girls. After buying the 72-acre Terms of Service apply. To support his account, Baron provided three phone numbers, one for Karen and two for Monique, that he used to call them in 2012. The general public has no idea what really went on at Little St. James, let alone what the inside of any of the buildings looks like. While the purpose of the temple is unknown, one possibility is that it had served as a place for the classically trained Epstein to practice piano workers described it as a music room with acoustic walls and a grand piano inside, as the AP reports. However, the pair claimed they were forced to flee the secluded setting when they were chased away by staff, who they discovered are still working on the island after just 30 minutes. NOW WATCH: 8 creepy artworks that will haunt you. But even if the building's motif alludes to the sexual culture of a society that ended more than 1,400 years ago, Greek pederasty was a male phenomenon. A Feb. 21 Instagram video ( direct link, archive link) shows a series of clips of former Using the directory, I looked up piano technicians in the Virgin Islands. It was Baron, and yes, he had tuned Epstein's piano. A medieval-style lock on the front became a curious point of conversation for those working there, who suggested it could have been used to lock people inside with no escape. What makes it peculiar is that if you wanted to keep people out, the bar would be placed inside the building, [but the] locking bar appears to be placed on the outside as if it were intended to lock people in, he said. Remember, the building was erected between 2009 and 2013. We are officially canceling the leases with Zorro Ranch and Cypress Inc., state Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard told local KRQE station at the time. Epstein associates, including Prince Andrew, argue that the confidential settlement blocks Giuffre from taking legal action against them. At Paris Fashion Week, Different Takes on Glamour. In other words, it seems as if Baron encountered the building before Epstein applied its distinctive striped exterior, including the realistic mural of a large wooden door. The New York City Medical Examiners Office ruled the death a suicide. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. They are, contrary to what people think, rarely apart, I almost always see them together., The duo was described as thick as thieves, with the file noting, they compliment each other really well.. In December 2021, a venture capitalist bought the vacant lot for $25.845 million, a source close to the deal told The Wall Street Journal. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, the discovery of a strange blue-and-white structure. girls and young women to be forced into sexual servitude on Epstein's islands, Two private islands owned by the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been listed for $125 million, The Wall Street Journal first. He didn't recognize the name of the reader who referred me to him. Jeffrey Epstein's private island in the Caribbean now dubbed "Pedophile Island" and "Orgy Island" by locals, according to the Los Angeles Times has gained worldwide media attention for its troubling ties to the sexual-abuse allegations against him. The GOP has introduced more than 20 bills targeting drag shows this year alone. The woman had a stillbirth in 2021 in South Carolina, which explicitly criminalizes self-managed abortion. It suddenly occurred to me that he could have tuned a piano in one of the other buildings on Little St. James. Jeffrey Epstein's Island Temple Had a Piano and a Picture of the The Post has obtained current aerial images of the vast properties where Epstein and Maxwell lived large, in addition to haunting interior photographs that were recently revealed in court. The same photo compared the building's exterior to the striped flag of Greece and noted that "sex between adults and minors was common in ancient Greece.". Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Luke Rudkowski of We Are Change and Jeff Berwick sneaked onto Epsteins private island, Little St James, three months after FBI agents raided the luxury Caribbean hideaway. Everything We Know About the University of Idaho Murders. Bridgitt Arnold, a spokesperson for Gates, told the New York Times that Gates was unaware that it was Epstein's plane. They also got footage of a number of parked tractors and an ambulance, though it's unclear what they were being used for. The building was supposed to be a music pavilion. Verdict: Plausible, but the supporting testimony is inconsistent with the chronology of the building's construction. But he is the only visitor to offer a plausible and chronologically sound account of the building's interior. Little St. James was purchased by Epstein in 1998 and was raided by the FBI in 2019 while building a case against him in relation to alleged sex trafficking of minors. The compound was to feature an amphitheater, an underwater office, and pool, according to the Virgin Islands Daily News. Some of these similarities are debatable, and some are absurd, but it is difficult to ignore the sense that the building resembles something. But based on historical satellite imagery from Google Maps, the blue-and-white building appeared on the island sometime between 2009 and 2013. Soon after Epstein's arrest, a YouTube user going by the name Rusty Shackleford began posting a series of remarkable videos captured by an aerial drone flown repeatedly over and around Little St. James. Have You Tried Eating an Orange in the Shower? Shortly after my original post about the building was published, a reader in St. John emailed: "I have it on good authority his parents are buried there. Modlin Group and Bespoke Real Estate declined Insider's requests for comment. The purchase consisted of private and leased federal lands. The available photos of the statues, by contrast, show distinctly avian heads. Scully told the network that he worked for Epstein for six years, from 1999 to 2005. Jeffrey Epstein: Explorers sneak onto private island in 2020, The explorers managed to film some of the island's main landmarks, The US Virgin Island was where Epstein carried out many of his sick crimes, Epstein's island became known as 'paedo' or 'orgy' island, The island has been dormant since Epstein's death in 2019. I wasn't able to reach Scully either. Baron is almost certainly not the only person who stepped inside the blue-and-white building. A defiant gesture, like a raised middle finger, toward the rest of the world. But Vox reported in 2020 that a source close to the contribution said the donation sum was actually much smaller $6.5 million. Epstein usually boarded his private plane to fly to St. Thomas international airport, where he would then board a helicopter that whisked him to his private islands. After heightened allegations resurfaced against Epstein in 2019 concerning his involvement with underage girls, the state land commissioner ended the grazing deal with him. I know there were many issues with roof leaking and had to go there and move piano and cover it because they were putting up scaffolding to repair the roof that was leaking on piano. In a 2015 defamation lawsuit filed against Maxwell, the house manager for one of Maxwells close friends testified that a distraught15-year-old Swedish girl told him that Maxwell had taken away her passport and tried to force her to have sex with Epstein while she was on the island. I am uncomfortable having received money from someone who has been accused of these egregious actions multiple times, Plaskett said. WebDid Jeffrey Epstein Kill Himself? Still, no theory has convincingly explained why Epstein erected the building or what may have happened inside. In 1998, for $7.95 million, Epstein purchased Little St. James Island, which is situated between the larger St. Thomas and St. John islands. A second reason for doubt is yet another comment left by the same user: "I didn't have any idea what was happening there at the time, it was early 2000s, so I really didn't pay attention to little details. ". On July 9, U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett said she would be matching the donations she had received from Epstein over the years to give to organizations in her district that focus on women and children. Bill Gates is the only person in the video whose name appears on Jeffrey Epstein's flight logs, which show he flew once in 2013 with the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. The pedophile allegedly molested and sexually assaulted dozens of women and girls at the estate after luring them into the house by asking for massages. Before his death behind bars in August, Epstein was accused of forcing young women, including some who were underage, into participating in sex orgies at the US Virgin Islands property. Not a lot in there except an absolutely huge 1960s Baldwin Model D concert grand piano and some furniture.". Reportedly, Epstein would pay staffers anywhere between $100 and $1,000 if they discovered and gave to him old rum bottles, plates, and other dishware. "The other thing I remember," the reader later added, "was the Golden Owl on the roof pointed in a certain direction and that had [some kind of] meaning. Nor is he the only person who has publicly claimed to have done so. Tennessee Bans Drag Shows in Public Places. Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks. Up until his arrest in July 2019, the private island was considered his primary residence. Indeed, someone had left several comments about entering the temple, using the piano tuner's name. ", "I went in there knowing absolutely nothing about [Epstein], except that he was wealthy," he said. It had previously been sold to a developer who had chose to demolish the existing house. But the actual structure bears little resemblance to the plans that were submitted to agency officials. The reality is, in life, you will be both victim and villain. In March 2011, a top official sent a letter to Epstein's attorney expressing concern over development on the island. But along the way, I found the closest thing yet to the truth: an eyewitness account of the temple's interior, from someone who stepped inside long before it became a symbol of its owner's dark secrets. Most had no basis in fact or reason. Made up of 7,600 acres, the compound is located south of Sante Fe. According to court filings, Epstein, a convicted sex offender, was accused of trafficking underage girls to the island for sex. Over the years, Epstein built Little St. James, which he referred to as Little St. Jeffs, to include a villa with a library, a Japanese bathhouse, and a movie theater. The two sides did get together after the letter was sent, according to an agency official. A former IT contractor who worked for Epstein from 1999 through 2005 also shed light on what was to be found inside Epsteins residence: countless photos of nude women. According to Fox News, Epstein had a dedicated team of workers on the island who trafficked girls as young as 12 to his clients. Friends and former co-workers have described Epstein, a wealthy financier now accused of trafficking and sexually abusing young girls, as a talented pianist. Additionally, the former prime minister of Israel Ehud Barak told the Daily Beast that he had visited the island, though he explicitly said that he did not meet Epstein in the company of women or young girls.. Footage appears to show the them at the huge sundial, as well as the blue and white 'temple' that sits atop a hill. "When you say 'study' or 'retreat,' there is a different connotation. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. I felt no closer to understanding the history of the building or the local lore around it. Couple discovers seven-foot bees nest behind bathroom show J. Insider's J.K. Trotter, who spoke to a piano tuner who actually entered the temple, reported last month that the building was most likely used as a music room for Epstein to play piano, read books, or work. The documents clearly show a building designed to show off a grand piano. Indeed, all the temple's external archways were illusions, painted on the building's featureless, flat surface as a trompe l'oeil: In a second video, Shackleford's drone captured a portion of the building's interior, seen through one of the side windows. Another comment read (minor typos have been corrected): "Every time I was there it seemed some kind of repair was being done to structure. According to permit records obtained by NBC News, while Epsteins legal team was busy negotiating a notoriously lenient plea deal for their client in the fall of 2007, Epstein was preoccupied with orchestrating major renovations on the island. It is surrounded by palm trees and a terrace with a labyrinth motif. A shocking video filmed on Jeffrey Epsteins infamous Paedo Island reveals secret underground lairs and a bizarre sex temple with fake doors. The video then reveals that two doors on the temple were actually fake and painted on, and that Epstein has his initials daubed on the structure. And what was the significance of the mattresses? Built in 1953, Epsteins estate spanned over 14,200 square feet and was made up of six bedrooms, with a staff house and pool house on the Intracoastal Waterway. One of those features is a door that appears to be designed to keep people inside. Epstein died by suicide in August, not long after being arrested and charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy. Epstein's Palm Beach estate, which he purchased in 1990, was estimated to be worth over $12 million in 2019. Insider explored the most prominent and tantalizing theories about the building, including that it is a monument to an evil Canaanite god and that it is a crypt. We've received your submission. Fact check: No link between Bill Gates and chicken and egg shortage, experts say. Modlin Group, Bespoke Real Estate, and Christie's International Real Estate The Saints are collectively marketing the islands. To get there, Epstein would fly the underage girls into St. Thomas, and then he would ferry them over to his private island via a boat named Lady Ghislaine, one former employee toldBloomberg. Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider (Baron wasn't certain which specific pope, but when I showed him photos of the most recent three, he said his best guess was John Paul II.). The statues in front of and on top of the building, including Poseidon and the birdlike ones on the roof, appear to have vanished around the same time.). The blue-striped structure sits on a lookout point on the southeastern edge of Little St. James island, which Epstein purchased in 1998 for $7.95 million. The ranch includes a three-story, four-bedroom main house, a nearby caretakers residence, horse stables, a firehouse and a yurt. The island has been abandoned since Epstein's death in 2019. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. Epstein reportedly had plans to turn the compound into a baby-making factory where he would inseminate victims. WebEpstein's seven-story mansion in Manhattan also hit the market in July for $88 million, according to the Journal. pic.twitter.com/njxfg2HahN. The general public has no idea what really went on at Jeffrey Epstein's island. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. "Our files do not reflect any other permit request since that 2011 time frame.". A small structure downhill from the building has led some to believe it serves as a second entrance and suggest that the space extends into an underground lair. Plans for Jeffrey Epstein's private island, Little St. James. I didnt even think about it it was just, get me away..