The FBI quickly identified 10 people it believed may have helped Jeffrey Epstein after his July 6, 2019 arrest and sought grand‑jury subpoenas. Records show most of the individuals were located and served subpoenas in early July, while a handful remained "out of pocket" and one was described as a businessman in Ohio. Investigators were preparing a large search of Epstein's Little St. James island and a superseding indictment, but those steps were curtailed after Epstein was found dead in his jail cell weeks later. Survivors and advocates continue to demand full release of related files and greater transparency from the Justice Department.
FBI Tracked 10 Alleged Jeffrey Epstein Co‑Conspirators Days After 2019 Arrest, Documents Show
Rick Friedman/Rick Friedman Photography/Corbis via GettyJeffrey Epstein
Federal investigators moved quickly after Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on July 6, 2019, at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, immediately identifying 10 people they believed could have assisted in an alleged sex‑trafficking operation.
Emails and Department of Justice records released in connection with Epstein's case show that, as early as July 9, 2019, members of the FBI's Crimes Against Children Human Trafficking Unit were discussing contacting those 10 alleged co‑conspirators to compel grand‑jury testimony. Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York were preparing a superseding indictment after speaking with witnesses and potential co‑conspirators.
Locations and Subpoenas
Department of JusticeAn FBI email form July 9, 2019
By the time agents compiled their list, the FBI reported having located and served subpoenas on most of the individuals. An internal note said: "3 have been located in FL and served [grand jury] subpoenas; 1 in Boston, 1 in NYC, and 1 in CT were located and served." Four others remained unserved at that stage—three described as "currently out of pocket" and one characterized as "a wealthy businessman in Ohio." An August 7, 2019, update indicated only a single British citizen remained unserved.
Named Individuals
One email sent the day after Epstein's arrest identified a few suspected co‑conspirators by name, including Ghislaine Maxwell and Jean‑Luc Brunel. Maxwell was later convicted in federal court on sex‑trafficking charges; Brunel, who faced allegations of abusing minors, died by apparent suicide in a French prison in 2022.
Department of JusticeAn FBI email days before Epstein's death
Planned Island Search and Halted Proceedings
Investigators were also preparing a large search of Epstein's private island, Little St. James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The operation was planned to involve more than 50 agents and use the FBI's plane. Those investigative steps — including the planned grand‑jury work and island search — were curtailed after Epstein was found dead in his jail cell weeks after his arrest, an event that ended prospects for additional indictments against a living defendant.
Calls for Transparency
Survivors and victims' advocates have pressed the Department of Justice for full disclosure of records related to Epstein and his alleged network. Liz Stein, an Epstein survivor and anti‑trafficking advocate, told PEOPLE that the DOJ's staggered, partial release of documents "largely repeats already public information, lacks context, and extends beyond the statutory deadline," and she warned it risks shielding those who enabled the abuse.
With grand‑jury testimony lined up and search teams organized, investigators lost the opportunity to complete those next steps after Epstein's death — a loss that survivors say underscores the need for complete transparency.
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