General Discussion

On July 8, prosecutors with the Public Corruption Unit of the Southern District of New York under Geoffrey Berman charged him with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex. The grand jury indictment alleges that "dozens" of underage girls were brought into Epstein's mansions for sexual encounters. Judge Kenneth Marra was to decide whether the non-prosecution agreement that protected Epstein from the more serious charges should still stand.

Epstein requested to be released on bond, offering to post $100 million with the condition that he would also submit to house arrest in his New York City mansion. U.S. district judge Richard M. Berman denied the request on July 18, saying that Epstein posed a danger to the public and a serious flight risk to avoid prosecution. On August 29, 2019, 19 days after Epstein was found dead in his jail cell, the case against Epstein was closed by Judge Berman. Prosecutors stated they would continue an investigation for potential co-conspirators.

Investigators seized Epstein's devices at his homes in New York, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They found CDs, photographs and a videotape containing nude images of females, some who "seemed as if they might be minors".

According to a memo published 4 days after his arrest, the search of his New York townhouse turned up evidence of sex trafficking and "hundreds—and perhaps thousands—of sexually suggestive photographs of fully—or partially—nude females." In a locked safe, discs were found with labels: "Young [Name] + [Name]", "Misc nudes 1", and "Girl pics nude". USA Today noted that although investigators were still reviewing the material, one attorney said that his client was underage when some photos were taken.

FBI investigators later determined that one device contained between 15 and 20 images depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), but that the material had been downloaded from the internet, and not produced by Epstein himself. According to a memo later sent to the FBI by U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, "No videos or photos showed Epstein victims being sexually abused, none showed any males with any of the nude females, and none contained evidence implicating anyone other than Epstein and Maxwell". Comey stated they “would have pursued any leads" generated but “we did not, however, locate any such videos".

Also found in the safe were $70,000 in cash, 48 diamonds, and a fraudulent Austrian passport, which expired in 1987, that had Epstein's photo but another name. The passport had numerous entrance and exit stamps, including entrance stamps that showed the use of the passport to enter France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. The passport showed his place of residence as Saudi Arabia. According to his attorneys, Epstein had been advised to acquire the passport because "as an affluent member of the Jewish faith", he was in danger of being kidnapped while traveling abroad.