Federal prosecutors back unsealing Jeffrey Epstein’s mysterious suicide note

Federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York have taken the rare step of supporting a motion to unseal a purported suicide note by Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died in jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The note was allegedly found tucked inside a book by Epstein’s cellmate, convicted murderer Nicholas Tartaglione, following Epstein’s unsuccessful suicide attempt in July 2019.

The New York Times petitioned a judge in White Plains, New York, to make the note public, arguing that Tartaglione’s own public discussions of the note have waived any need for secrecy. Prosecutors agreed, with U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton writing that there is no longer a compelling reason to keep the note sealed. “If Tartaglione has publicly discussed matters occurring in the Curcio proceedings, then his public statements constitute a waiver of the need for continued sealing,” Clayton stated.

The note itself reportedly includes chilling lines such as “FBI, you know, looked into me for months and found nothing,” followed by “What do you want me to do? Cry about it?” and “time to say goodbye,” accompanied by a smiley face. Tartaglione first revealed the note’s existence on a podcast last year, but federal prosecutors had not been aware of it until recently. A two-page chart in Justice Department files references the note, confirming it was found between July 23 and 27, 2019, and that Tartaglione’s lawyer authenticated it in early 2020.

Epstein’s July 2019 suicide attempt and subsequent death have long been shrouded in mystery and suspicion. According to a Bureau of Prisons incident report, Epstein was found “lying in the fetal position on the floor of his cell” with a homemade noose around his neck. Initially, Epstein accused Tartaglione of trying to kill him, though he later retracted the claim and said he could not recall what happened. Tartaglione has denied any involvement.

Jeffrey Epstein was facing serious charges for allegedly running a vast network of underage sex trafficking, exploiting dozens of minor girls at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach. His death, ruled a suicide by hanging by the New York Medical Examiner’s Office and the Justice Department, cut short a trial that promised to expose powerful enablers and enmeshments.

The decision to potentially unseal this note comes amid ongoing calls for transparency and accountability around Epstein’s death and the broader failures of the justice system to hold elites accountable for their crimes. The note could offer new insight into Epstein’s state of mind and the conditions of his incarceration in the days before his death.

Nicholas Tartaglione, who was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to multiple life terms for murder, currently has an appeal pending. His role in the Epstein saga remains a curious and troubling detail.

As this story develops, the unsealing of Epstein’s suicide note could be another step toward unraveling the tangled web of corruption and cover-ups that have protected the powerful for too long. We will keep tracking the fallout and what it means for justice and survivors.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available 24/7 at the national lifeline: call or text 988.