Jeffrey Epstein Dies by Suicide in Manhattan Jail at 66

Jeffrey Epstein, financier and convicted sex offender, has reportedly died by suicide at the age of 66 in a Manhattan jail Saturday morning as reported by ABC News. Officials report that Epstein hung himself in his jail cell, with his body found Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. local time. He was found unresponsive in what appeared to be a possible suicide attempt.

According to ABC, first responders answered a 911 call around 6:40 a.m. at the Metropolitan Correction Center, where Epstein was held without bail and awaiting trail for charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy. While the billionaire had pleaded not guilty to the charges, a judge decided he would not face trial until next June.

With charges that carry the potential for 45 years in prison, Epstein was denied bail as U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman called him a “danger to the community” and a “flight risk,” with prosecutors concerned he would try to sway a growing number of witnesses in support of the charges.

The suicide comes just days after Epstein was reportedly found injured in his NYC jail cell, nearly three weeks after his initial arrest for allegedly sex trafficking girls. The financier was discovered lying in a fetal position with marks on his neck at the time of discovery, NBC 4 reported. A source from the correctional center told ABC at the time that the marks on his neck appeared to be “self-inflicted.” After an evaluation, Epstein was returned to his cell, where he was held without bail and put on suicide watch.

Epstein, who had previously worked as a teacher before moving into finance, was arrested July 6 in Teterboro, New Jersey as he returned from a trip to Paris on his private jet.

Charged with one count of sex trafficking conspiracy and one count of sex trafficking, the indictment on his case details how the billionaire sought out minors, some as young as 14 from the years 2002 to 2005, paying hundreds of them for sex at his Manhattan townhouse or estate in Palm Beach, Florida as per documents uncovered by Federal Prosecutors last month. Additionally, they discovered he used employees, associates and an ex-girlfriend to lure the young girls to his residences and recruit other girls for him to abuse as per CNN.

Best known for his wealth that reports state vary as his Virgin Islands-based firm generates no public records and high-profile connections, Epstein has been seen socializing with the rich and powerful over the years, including President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).