A suicide note said to have been written by Jeffrey Epstein is sealed in the case file of his former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, who told The New York Times the paper was on yellow legal-pad paper and tucked inside a book. Tartaglione, a convicted quadruple murderer, says he discovered the note in late July 2019 after an earlier, unsuccessful apparent suicide attempt by Epstein roughly two weeks before Epstein died in his Manhattan jail cell.
A Bureau of Prisons incident report describes the July 23, 2019 episode: Epstein was found with a makeshift noose around his neck, lying in the fetal position wearing a T-shirt and boxers. The report said he was breathing heavily and snoring, his neck was red without abrasions, and there was a circular area of redness and friction marks at the base of his neck.
Immediately after that incident, Epstein at first accused his cellmate of trying to kill him, but later said he could not recall the events. Tartaglione has denied any attempt to harm Epstein.
Tartaglione publicly discussed the alleged note on a podcast last year, describing some of its wording and tone. He said the note mentioned the FBI had looked into Epstein and found nothing, included a dismissive line about what Epstein should do about it, featured a smiley face, and concluded with a farewell. Tartaglione said the note is now part of his sealed criminal file.
The New York Times has petitioned a federal judge to unseal the note, arguing Tartaglione has already discussed it publicly and that the document is referenced in Justice Department materials produced in the Epstein investigation. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas ordered parties to respond to the Times’ unsealing request by May 4.
ABC News sources said prosecutors in the Southern District of New York were unaware of a suicide note, although a two-page chart included in Justice Department Epstein files mentions the note. That chart reportedly states that between July 23 and July 27, Tartaglione found the note and that Tartaglione’s lawyer, Bruce Barket, authenticated it in January 2020; the chart did not detail how authentication occurred. Barket declined to comment, citing the sealed status of the matter.
After the July 23 incident, Epstein completed a jail suicide-risk assessment in which he denied any past or present suicidal ideation or plans and denied prior attempts. He reportedly told evaluators he intended to fight his criminal case and continue his life, saying he had no interest in killing himself. Epstein was removed from suicide watch on July 24 but remained under psychological evaluation; a staff psychologist recorded that Epstein said it would be “crazy” to take his own life given his legal situation.
Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier who owned property including private islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands, had long been under investigation for allegations that he lured underage girls to his Palm Beach, Florida home and otherwise sexually exploited minors. He served 13 months of an 18-month sentence after a controversial 2007 non-prosecution agreement in Miami. In 2019, Epstein was federally indicted on charges alleging he sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls at properties in Manhattan and Palm Beach and used payments to recruit a network of underage victims.
Epstein died in custody on August 10, 2019; the New York City medical examiner ruled his death a suicide by hanging, a finding the Justice Department has accepted.
Nicholas Tartaglione was convicted in 2023 and, in 2024, was sentenced to four consecutive life terms. He is currently appealing his convictions to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.