US Judge Orders Release of Purported Jeffrey Epstein Suicide Note

A US judge has ordered the release of a document believed to be a suicide note written by Jeffrey Epstein before his 2019 death in prison. The note was unsealed after court approval, though authorities have not confirmed its authenticity. Epstein’s death, officially ruled a suicide, remains the subject of public speculation and controversy.

A US federal judge has ordered the release of a document purported to be a suicide note written by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein shortly before his death in prison in 2019, reigniting public interest and speculation surrounding one of the most controversial high-profile deaths in recent American history.
The handwritten note was unsealed on Wednesday following a court ruling in New York. According to the contents of the document, the writer claimed that months of investigations had “found nothing” and reflected on the ability to choose the right moment to say goodbye. The short message also contained several emotional and defiant remarks, including references to old criminal allegations and frustration with the situation surrounding his imprisonment.
The authenticity of the note has not been independently verified by the BBC, and US authorities have not officially confirmed that Epstein authored it. Despite this, the release of the document has attracted renewed attention because of the continuing controversy surrounding Epstein’s death and the widespread conspiracy theories that emerged afterward.
The note was reportedly discovered by Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione, after Epstein allegedly attempted suicide in July 2019 while detained at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. Epstein was found dead in his cell one month later, in August 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges involving underage girls.
US authorities officially ruled Epstein’s death a suicide by hanging, but the case has remained heavily scrutinized due to prison security failures and Epstein’s extensive connections to wealthy and influential individuals around the world.
The document remained sealed for years because it was connected to separate criminal proceedings involving Tartaglione, a former police officer who was later convicted of four murders. At one point, Epstein accused Tartaglione of assaulting him in prison, allegations Tartaglione denied.
Tartaglione first publicly discussed the existence of the note during a podcast interview last year, which contributed to growing legal pressure for the document to be made public.
Court records released this week include a scanned image of the handwritten note. The brief text reportedly states: “They investigated me for month – FOUND NOTHING!!!” and also includes the line: “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.” Another section reads: “Watcha want me to do – Bust out cryin!! NO FUN – NOT WORTH IT.”
The note consists of only seven lines, leaving uncertainty about its exact meaning and whether it was intended as a final message or simply a personal reflection written during detention.
The release followed a petition by The New York Times requesting that the court unseal the document. The newspaper argued there was no compelling reason for the note to remain confidential. Federal prosecutors also supported making the note public, saying there was no longer sufficient legal justification to keep it sealed, particularly after Tartaglione had repeatedly spoken about it publicly.
In his ruling, Judge Kenneth M. Karas stated that the document should be accessible to the public because transparency helps promote accountability and public confidence in the justice system. The judge also concluded that Tartaglione’s public discussions about the note effectively waived attorney-client privilege protections related to the document.
The US Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the newly released note. However, a department spokesperson had previously stated that officials were unaware of the document before it surfaced publicly. The DOJ also pointed to what it described as extensive efforts to release millions of pages of Epstein-related records in recent years.
Epstein’s death has remained the subject of intense public debate since 2019, particularly after investigations uncovered major security lapses at the prison where he was being held. Reports revealed that surveillance cameras malfunctioned, guards failed to perform required checks, and staffing shortages existed on the night of his death.
Because of these failures, combined with Epstein’s ties to powerful political, financial, and celebrity figures, numerous conspiracy theories emerged questioning the official ruling that he died by suicide.
The newly unsealed document is likely to add further fuel to ongoing public interest in the Epstein case, which continues to draw attention years after his death because of the unresolved questions surrounding his activities, associates, and final days in custody.