Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier and registered sex offender who was arrested in early July on new sex trafficking charges, may be in danger of being murdered in the time leading up to his trial, a lawyer who represented Epstein’s victims has claimed, according to a report.
In an exclusive interview with U.K. tabloid The Sun, Spencer Kuvin, who represented three Epstein accusers in a 2008 case, speculated that the 66-year-old may be targeted by his rich and powerful connections who may not want him to reveal details about them to the authorities.
In particular, Kuvin said that Epstein’s life is “definitely in jeopardy” if he intends to “implicate anyone in power that has the ability to reach in and somehow get to him.”
He added, “It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Mr. Epstein attempts again to get out on bail and if he does, whether he survives between now and the date of his trial.”
High-Profile Ties
Epstein was arrested on July 6 and at the time was expected to be charged with sex trafficking minors and molesting dozens of underage girls.
Right after his arrest, Christine Pelosi—daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—warned on Twitter that it was “quite likely” that high-profile figures in U.S. politics could be implicated in the Epstein case.
“This Epstein case is horrific and the young women deserve justice. It is quite likely that some of our faves are implicated but we must follow the facts and let the chips fall where they may—whether on Republicans or Democrats.”
This Epstein case is horrific and the young women deserve justice. It is quite likely that some of our faves are implicated but we must follow the facts and let the chips fall where they may – whether on Republicans or Democrats. #WeSaidEnough #MeToo https://t.co/2mvskwQwW1
— Christine Pelosi (@sfpelosi) July 7, 2019
While it remains unclear who exactly Pelosi is referring to, Epstein is known to have ties to many high profile figures, including the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew and former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
Epstein was charged on July 8 of having sexually abused and exploited dozens of girls, some as young as 14, in New York and Florida from around 2002 to 2005. He pleaded not guilty.
A judge ordered on July 18 that Epstein be held without bail while he awaits trial. Prior to the decision, Epstein had asked to be kept under house arrest under electronic monitoring and round-the-clock surveillance. On July 22, Epstein appealed the judge’s decision.
On late July 24, Epstein was found semi-conscious, lying on the floor in his jail cell in a fetal position, injured and bearing marks on his neck, NBC New York reported, citing sources close to the situation. On the same day, Epstein was returned to his jail cell at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) and placed on suicide watch after he underwent a medical evaluation.
It is still unclear whether he was attacked or had attempted suicide, and an investigation into the incident continues.
Lawyer’s Speculations
Kuvin told The Sun: “I question whether or not it was a true suicide attempt that Mr. Epstein was involved in jail or whether or not there may be some powerful people who just don’t want him to talk.”
“If he goes on trial, everyone he’s been in contact with will ultimately be fair game,” Kuvin told the tabloid. “There’s no doubt in my mind that no jail will protect you when there’s powerful people that want to reach you—wherever you are.
“I do question whether it was a true suicide attempt. I mean, how do you choke yourself? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Two sources told NBC New York on July 24 that Epstein may have tried to hang himself but another source speculated that he may have been trying to transfer out of the prison, adding that his injuries were not serious.
A different source told the news station that Epstein may have been assaulted, noting that another man who had been held in the same area was questioned about the incident.
Accused Killer Ex-Cop Held in the Same Cell
The man, Nicholas Tartaglione, is a former disgraced policeman and accused killer. According to court records, he was arrested for allegedly killing four men in a possible cocaine distribution conspiracy.
But Tartaglione’s attorney said he didn’t attack Epstein, and when Tartaglione was questioned by investigators, NBC New York reported: “the former cop claimed not to have seen anything and insisted he did not touch Epstein, sources said.”
In another report by the New York Daily News, a law enforcement source said that Tartaglione claimed he’d saved Epstein from hanging himself.
Bloomberg reported that following his arrest on July 6, Epstein was briefly held with the general population in Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center but had to be moved to the high-security 10 South wing of the prison after inmates harassed him.
Later, leading up to July 24 when he was found injured, Epstein was moved again, this time to an area called 9 South, where he was held in the same cell as Tartaglione, the paper reported, citing unidentified sources.
Kuvin told The Sun that Epstein would need to be in a very secure area but even then, he still faces a risk to his life.
“If Epstein is in general population or anywhere available to the general population, I believe his life is in jeopardy,” Kuvin said, according to The Sun. “They will have to seal him down in the jail. But even there, there are still people who can get to him, ultimately.”
In drawing such speculations, Kuvin related Epstein’s situation to that of the “Profumo affair” involving British politician John Profumo and then 19-year-old Christine Keeler.
In the 1963 scandal, Stephen Ward, a friend who had introduced Keeler to Profumo, was put on trial for immorality offenses and was granted bail. But he was later reported to have committed suicide under suspicious circumstances before his verdict was announced.
“The rich and powerful think they are beyond the law and they end up doing things that are beyond the law. You can see it with the Profumo affair and you can see it here,” Kuvin said.
Zachary Stieber and Justin Morgan contributed to this report.
