Was Epstein ‘Suicide Note’ Locked Away For 7 Years? Judge To Decide On Unsealing

Last Updated:May 05, 2026, 7:48 PM IST

The note, which was reportedly found in 2019 inside a book by Epstein’s cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione, has been kept under seal in a courthouse vault.

Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (Image: Reuters)

A possible suicide note believed to have been written by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegedly discovered by his former cellmate has remained hidden from public view for nearly seven years, according to a report by The New York Times.

The note, which was reportedly found in 2019 inside a book by Epstein’s cellmate Nicholas Tartaglione, has been kept under seal in a courthouse vault since a federal judge ordered it sealed during a legal dispute, the NOW reported.

Epstein, who died in jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, was found injured weeks before his death in New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Centre.

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Tartaglione, a former police officer who is serving four life sentences for an unrelated quadruple murder case, told the outlet that he discovered the note between pages of a graphic novel following Epstein’s apparent suicide attempt. He claimed Epstein had written, “What do you want me to do, bust out crying? Time to say goodbye.”

The note has never been seen by the US Department of Justice, according to the report. A DOJ spokesperson said that despite an “exhaustive effort” to collect Epstein-related records, it had no record of the document. The note was not included in official investigations into Epstein’s death, including a 2023 report by the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General.

The publication also reported that it has petitioned US District Judge Kenneth Karas in White Plains, New York, to unseal the document. Federal prosecutors have now supported that request, according to ABC Newssaying there is no longer a strong legal reason to keep it sealed.

In a letter cited by ABC News on Monday, US Attorney Jay Clayton said public statements already made about the matter weaken the case for continued secrecy, arguing that the information may now be released.

Epstein, a wealthy financier convicted of sex trafficking charges, was found dead in his jail cell on 10 August 2019. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging, a conclusion later supported by the US Justice Department.

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