The American flags on convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in the U.S. were lowered to half-staff four days after the millionaire financier was found dead in his jail cell.
The macabre honor was spotted by a boat captain who was driving by Little St. James, also known by its moniker “Pedophile Island.” Flying a flag at half-staff is typically done to respect or mourn a tragic event or death. In this case, it appears someone was trying to honor the legacy of a 66-year-old convicted sex offender accused of trafficking girls as young as 14.
“It was a real moment out there and it just felt so heavy,” Captain Kelly Quinn, owner of Salty Dog Day Sails, told NBC News. “I didn’t feel there was a realness of the end of Jeffrey Epstein until I saw that. That was a lot more literal.”
It is unclear who lowered the flags, which are located on both sides of the sprawling 70-acre island. Another nearby island owned by Epstein, Great St. James, also reportedly had lowered its flag. Quinn said he believed it to have been done by one of the staffers Epstein employed to tend to the grounds of the estate.
“They’re doing this as a remembrance, but the irony is he’ll only be remembered for the deviance,” said Quinn.
Epstein was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges at the time of his death. He was in the special housing unit of the prison after being moved from suicide watch just days before. Epstein was found dead early Saturday morning.
