Newly released documents from the Department of Justice reveal troubling details about the final hours before the death of Jeffrey Epstein, including internet searches and unexplained bank deposits tied to one of the correctional officers on duty the night the disgraced financier was found dead in his cell by suicide.
According to federal records, correctional officer Tova Noel searched online for information about Epstein shortly before his body was discovered in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 10, 2019.
FBI data included in a Department of Justice forensic report shows Noel searched for updates about Epstein at 5:42 a.m. and again about 10 minutes later. Roughly 40 minutes after those searches, fellow correctional officer Michael Thomas discovered Epstein unresponsive in his cell at about 6:30 a.m. Epstein, who had been awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, was later ruled to have died by suicide.
The searches were highlighted in the FBI’s review of prison computer activity that night. During a sworn interview with investigators in 2021, Noel said she did not recall making those searches and questioned the accuracy of the digital records.
The documents also describe activity during the guards’ shift that raised concerns among investigators. Prosecutors previously said the officers failed to conduct the required checks on Epstein every 30 minutes and instead falsified records to indicate officers had completed the rounds. Noel was reportedly browsing furniture online during part of the shift, while Thomas looked at motorcycles.
Although both guards were charged with falsifying records in connection with Epstein’s death, those criminal charges were later dropped.
Financial records referenced in the newly released documents also flagged unusual activity in Noel’s bank account. A report from Chase Bank submitted to federal authorities identified a series of cash deposits made over time, including one for $5,000 just days before Epstein’s death.
The report indicated multiple deposits dating back to 2018, though investigators did not question Noel about the transactions during her Justice Department interview.
Another detail from the FBI files relates to surveillance footage captured the night Epstein died. Investigators believe Noel may have been the person seen carrying linens or clothing near the housing unit where Epstein was being held around 10:40 p.m., the last time an officer was recorded approaching the area.
During her sworn statement, Noel said she did not remember providing linens to Epstein and insisted she had no involvement in his death.