Documents from the Jeffrey Epstein archive list Secretary of the Navy John Phelan on a March 3, 2006, London-to-New York flight aboard one of Epstein’s Boeing 727 jets. A friend says Phelan was invited by Bear Stearns CEO Jimmy Cayne and that the trip represented a single, brief encounter with Epstein. The manifest was released by the House Oversight Committee and hosted by the DOJ, which has issued millions more Epstein-related documents. There is no evidence in the records that Phelan knew of any criminal activity by Epstein.
Exclusive: Navy Secretary John Phelan Listed On 2006 Jeffrey Epstein Flight Manifest
Navy Secretary John Phelan speaks to sailors on the USS Somerset in National City, California, on August 26, 2025. - Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune/Getty Images/File
Documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein show Secretary of the Navy John Phelan listed on a flight manifest for a March 3, 2006, London-to-New York trip aboard one of Epstein’s Boeing 727 jets.
What the Manifest Shows
The manifest names Phelan among 13 passengers, including Jeffrey Epstein and an apparent entry for French modeling agent Jean‑Luc Brunel (the manifest appears to spell his name as "Jean Luk Brunnel"). Six entries on the list are redacted. According to the document, the flight departed London on the afternoon of March 3, 2006.
Context And Accounts
Phelan did not comment directly; a Navy spokesperson declined to provide one. A close friend told reporters that Phelan was aboard the flight after being invited by then-Bear Stearns CEO Jimmy Cayne, who died in 2021. The friend said Phelan — then working in the financial sector — did not know they would be boarding Epstein’s plane until arrival and that the encounter with Epstein was brief: Epstein reportedly pitched a tax-related idea to other financiers on board, which Phelan had no interest in, and Phelan did not speak or interact with Epstein again.
Legal And Documentary Background
There is no evidence in the documents that Phelan knew of any criminal activity by Epstein or his associates at the time of the flight. Epstein was first indicted months later, in July 2006, on charges including felony solicitation of prostitution.
The manifest surfaced in a release of documents by the House Oversight Committee; the Justice Department hosts the files and said many redactions are intended to protect victims’ names and other identifying details. The DOJ also issued roughly three million additional Epstein-related documents recently.
Phelan’s Career And Political Ties
Phelan, a businessman with no prior military service, later founded Rugger Management LLC in 2022 and was confirmed as Secretary of the Navy in March 2025. He and his wife are prominent art collectors and were active political fundraisers for former President Donald Trump, reportedly raising millions and hosting a high-dollar fundraising dinner in August 2024.
President Trump on Phelan's nomination (November 2024): "John will be a tremendous force for our Naval servicemembers, and a steadfast leader in advancing my America First vision. He will put the business of the US Navy above all else."
What This Does — And Does Not — Show
The manifest documents place Phelan on Epstein’s jet for a single flight in 2006 and include other passengers with apparent finance ties. They do not provide evidence of wrongdoing by Phelan, nor do they show awareness of Epstein’s later criminal conduct. Reporters and officials have relied on the manifest and interviews with acquaintances to clarify circumstances around the trip.
Bottom line: The flight manifest links Phelan to a single 2006 flight on Epstein’s plane; public records and sources emphasize that there is no documented evidence tying Phelan to Epstein’s criminal activities.
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