Jeffrey Epstein's purported suicide note unsealed years after jail death

A handwritten note, purportedly a suicide note, allegedly written by late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has been made public by a federal court in New York, years after his death inside a Manhattan jail cell sparked global scrutiny and conspiracy theories.

The note was unsealed by US District Judge Kenneth Karas after The New York Times sought its release. According to court filings, the document was allegedly discovered in 2019 by Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione — a former police officer and convicted murderer now serving multiple life sentences. Tartaglione and Epstein briefly shared a jail cell weeks before Epstein’s death.

The handwritten message contains several emotional and defiant remarks. “They investigated me for months — FOUND NOTHING!!!” the note begins, before referring to charges dating back years. “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye,” it continues. “Watcha want me to do — Bust out cryin!!” the note adds, before ending with “NO FUN" and underlined words "NOT WORTH IT!!”

The judge clarified that releasing the document did not amount to verifying whether the note was authentic or confirming how it was handled after being found. Instead, the court ruled that the document had become part of judicial proceedings and therefore fell under public access rules.

The note reportedly surfaced after an earlier jail incident in July 2019, when Epstein was found injured in his cell with marks on his neck in what authorities later described as an apparent suicide attempt. He died weeks later, on August 10, 2019, in a separate incident officially ruled a suicide.

Epstein had been awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls at the time of his death. His arrest in 2019 revived scrutiny over his links to powerful political, business and celebrity figures.

The document had remained out of public view even as the US Justice Department released millions of pages related to Epstein investigations in recent years.

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