A federal judge in the United States has released a document described as a suicide note purportedly written by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, more than six years after his death in a Manhattan jail cell.
The handwritten note, which includes phrases such as “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye” and “NO FUN. NOT WORTH IT!!”, was made public by Judge Kenneth M Karas after a request from The New York Times. The document had remained sealed for years as part of the criminal proceedings involving Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione.
Epstein, who was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, was found dead in August 2019 at the Metropolitan Correctional Centre in New York. His death was officially ruled a suicide by the city’s medical examiner, though it has continued to fuel public debate and speculation due to reported security failures at the facility.
The note, which has not been independently authenticated, was allegedly discovered by Tartaglione in July 2019 after Epstein had previously survived an apparent self-harm incident. Tartaglione, a former police officer convicted of multiple murders, said he found the note written on yellow paper inside a book in their shared cell.
Court filings indicate that Tartaglione’s legal team later came into possession of the document, including a photograph and the original paper, which was submitted to the court in 2021. Prosecutors in Manhattan did not oppose its release, stating that the sealing had been intended for the defendant’s benefit rather than to protect state interests, and acknowledging a strong public interest in matters relating to Epstein’s death.
The released note contains fragmented and informal language, including references to being investigated without findings and expressions of frustration. Some phrases mirror language previously used by Epstein in private emails and other writings, according to court documents cited in the case.
The US Justice Department said it had not previously seen the document, which was not included among millions of pages released under recent disclosure requirements related to the Epstein case.
Judge Karas ruled that the note qualified as a judicial document because it formed part of the evidentiary record in Tartaglione’s criminal proceedings, and therefore was subject to public access. He sought submissions from the parties before ordering their release, all of whom did not object.
The publication of the note adds another layer to the enduring scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s final days and the circumstances of his death, which continues to draw significant public and legal attention in the United States.