Jeffrey Epstein’s private island is the subject of much speculation, sitting at the centre of the financier’s crimes. Over the years, its high-profile guest list, which includes princes, presidents and billionaires, has fuelled conspiracy theories and intrigue.
Described in a criminal complaint from the attorney general of the US Virgin Islands as “the perfect hideaway and haven for trafficking young women and underage girls for sexual servitude, child abuse and sexual assault”, the island is now synonymous with abuse. The remoteness of the island allowed the billionaire monster to operate with impunity for years, subjecting scores of young girls to abuse and exploitation. So, what exactly did the 75-acre private paradise in the U.S. Virgin Islands, so pivotal to Epstein’s sick crimes, look like?
Purchased by the United States from Denmark at the height of the First World War, the US Virgin Islands have morphed in the decades since to become a crucial tax haven for the wealthy.
One island within the archipelago, known as Little St James, was bought by Epstein in 1998 for just under $8 million (£6 million) and became the base for his businesses, with the businessman quickly renovating it to suit his desires.
Epstein would often fly his private jet to an airfield on the larger St Thomas Island before taking a short helicopter trip to his private retreat.
Soon after, locals on St Thomas began to express concern over the use of his private jets on the nearby larger island of X, which were often seen ferrying young women to and from the territory.
One airport worker told Vanity Fair: “On multiple occasions, I saw Epstein exit his helicopter, stand on the tarmac in full view of my tower, and board his private jet with children - female children.”
They added: “My colleagues and I definitely talked about how we didn’t understand how this guy was still allowed to be around children.
“We didn’t say anything because we figured law enforcement was doing their job. That is regrettable, but we really didn’t even know who to tell, or if anyone really cared."
On the island, workers were sworn to secrecy and were ordered to ensure that their work was completed out of sight of Epstein.
Miles Alexander, who worked on the island with his wife Cathy until 2007, tells how Epstein was a “kind” man but there were details that leave him searching his conscience now.
He told the Daily Mail: “He was a very kind man and, while I don’t approve of things he’s been accused of, I liked him very much.”
Of the dozens of girls who were a constant presence on the island, his wife added: “They looked like they had stepped out of an underwear catalogue.
"They walked around with very few clothes on or lounged around by the pool with nothing on. It was like that most of the time. I was concerned about their ages. A few of them looked very young and I couldn’t help but wonder if their mothers knew where they were.”
Miles claims that he had to sometimes refuse Epstein’s request to smuggle girls onto the island without informing authorities as he was required to by law.
One building sits at the centre of much of the intrigue and conspiracy theories surrounding the island.
A blue and white striped structure, often referred to as a “temple”, sits atop a knoll surrounded by palm trees.
Theorists have described it as the site of ritual sexual abuse, an entrance to an underground lair and an altar to an Egyptian deity, but an investigation by Business Insider concluded it was most likely to be a private study and music room.
