Jeffrey Epstein signed his will just two days before what the New York City medical examiner has ruled a suicide by hanging in his New York City prison cell, according to a court filing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The last will and testament was signed by Epstein on Aug. 8. He was found dead in his cell two days later.
Epstein’s will, first obtained by the New York Post on Monday, showed the accused child sex trafficker claimed to be worth $577,672,654 — nearly $20 million more than what he claimed in the Southern District of New York while arguing that he should be allowed out on house arrest in his Manhattan mansion, but far less than the “billionaire” moniker often attached to the jet-setting financier suggested. The document was filed in court on Aug. 15 and included a copy of Epstein’s death certificate.
The over half-billion dollars was directed to be placed in “The 1953 Trust” and each of the executors of his will was to receive $250,000 upon probate of his estate. The name is likely a reference to Epstein’s birth year. The trustees and the beneficiaries of that trust are not known. Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn, two longtime lawyers for Epstein who are also deeply entwined with Epstein’s businesses and charities, were listed as the executors.
Epstein’s will said the sex offender died with $56,547,773 in cash, $14,304,679 in fixed income investments, and $112,679,138 in equities. Epstein’s will also listed $18,551,700 worth of “aviation assets, automobiles, and boats” which were not listed in his financial disclosure with the court back in July.
The will also detailed the value of Epstein’s various properties around the world, which listed as being owned by companies which were themselves owned by Epstein: France-based SCI JEP held the title to his Paris apartment building units worth $8,672,823; U.S. Virgin Islands-based Maple, Inc. held the the title to his $55,931,000 Manhattan mansion; Laurel, Inc. held the title to his $12,380,209 Palm Beach estate; Cypress, Inc. held the title to his New Mexico ranch; Poplar, Inc. held the title to his $22,498,600 Great St. James Island; and Nautilus, Inc. held the title to his $63,874,223 Little St. James Island.
The two witnesses of the signing of Epstein’s will were Gulnora Tali and Mariel Colón Miró, two New York-based defense attorneys. Colón Miró was formerly one of the lawyers for the notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman Loera, known as “El Chapo,” who was also housed at the Manhattan Correctional Center until being moved to the supermax prison in Florence, Colorado in July.
The will itself was filed in the Superior Court of the U.S. Virgins Islands by William Blum of Kellerhals, Ferguson, and Kroblin PLLC, a Virgin Islands-based law firm. Epstein’s brother, Mark Epstein, would’ve been the sole beneficiary of his estate if he hadn’t signed a will.
Jeffrey Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide Friday evening. The autopsy was completed last Sunday, the death after he hanged himself, but the full autopsy report has not been made public. New York City medical examiner Dr. Barbara Sampson said that “after careful review of all investigative information, including complete autopsy findings, the determination on the death of Jeffrey Epstein” was that its “cause” was “hanging” and its “manner” was “suicide.”
Epstein, an already convicted sex offender, was alleged to have “sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls” at his homes in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Florida, among other locations, between 2002 and 2005 and perhaps beyond. Prosecutors claimed Epstein recruited underage girls to have sex with him and built a vast network of victims.
