Jeffrey Epstein’s death was officially ruled a suicide by hanging in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City on August 10, 2019, while he was awaiting trial on federal sex‑trafficking charges. He was found unresponsive in the early morning, with a ligature made from bedding material, and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Official findings

The New York City Chief Medical Examiner concluded that Epstein died by suicide through hanging, and federal investigations by the FBI and the Department of Justice’s inspector general later affirmed this conclusion. A subsequent Justice Department review again stated that the evidence supported suicide and did not substantiate claims of homicide.

Circumstances and controversy

Epstein’s death occurred in a federal facility that was understaffed, with officers failing to carry out required checks and with problems in camera coverage and record‑keeping, which authorities have described as serious negligence. These failures, combined with Epstein’s prior apparent suicide attempt and his connections to powerful people, fueled widespread public suspicion and conspiracy theories, even though official reviews have not found evidence of foul play.