Complete Epstein Investigation Timeline: 2005 to 2026

Complete Epstein Investigation Timeline

The Jeffrey Epstein case spans over two decades of investigations, legal proceedings, institutional failures, and ultimately the largest document disclosure of its kind. This timeline traces the key events from the initial police investigation in 2005 through the DOJ document releases.

You can also explore events chronologically on our interactive Timeline page.

2005: The Investigation Begins

March 2005 — The Palm Beach Police Department receives a complaint from a parent whose 14-year-old daughter reported being sexually abused at Jeffrey Epstein's mansion on El Brillo Way in Palm Beach, Florida.

May-September 2005 — Palm Beach police conduct an undercover investigation, interviewing multiple young women who describe being recruited to provide "massages" at Epstein's residence. The investigation reveals a pattern of abuse involving dozens of minor victims.

October 2005 — Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter refers the case to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, stating that the local investigation had identified numerous victims and that federal resources were needed.

2006: Federal Investigation and Grand Jury

2006 — The FBI opens a federal investigation. Agents conduct extensive interviews with victims and witnesses. A federal grand jury is convened in the Southern District of Florida.

May 2006 — Palm Beach police file a probable cause affidavit seeking Epstein's arrest on multiple charges of unlawful sexual activity with a minor. The state attorney's office initially files only a single charge of solicitation of prostitution, to the frustration of investigators.

2007-2008: The Non-Prosecution Agreement

September 2007 — U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta and Epstein's defense team, led by attorneys including Jay Lefkowitz, Kenneth Starr, Alan Dershowitz, and others, negotiate what would become one of the most controversial plea agreements in federal history.

June 2008 — Epstein pleads guilty to two state charges in Florida: one count of solicitation of prostitution and one count of procurement of minors for prostitution. He is sentenced to 18 months in the Palm Beach County jail.

The Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) grants immunity to Epstein and any unnamed "potential co-conspirators." This agreement is made without notifying the victims, in violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA).

July 2008 — Epstein begins his sentence at the Palm Beach County Stockade. Under a controversial work release program, he is permitted to leave the jail six days a week for up to 16 hours per day to work at an office in downtown West Palm Beach.

2009-2010: Civil Litigation

2008-2009 — Victims, represented by attorneys Brad Edwards and Paul Cassell, file a lawsuit challenging the NPA under the Crime Victims' Rights Act, arguing they were never consulted as required by federal law.

2009 — Alfredo Rodriguez, Epstein's former house manager, is arrested for attempting to sell Epstein's personal address book (the "black book"). He is sentenced to 18 months for obstruction. The black book later becomes a key piece of evidence. Read more about the black book

2011-2014: Civil Cases Continue

2011 — Virginia Roberts Giuffre files a civil lawsuit against Epstein, alleging she was recruited at age 16 to be a sex trafficking victim. Her case draws extensive media attention and names multiple associates.

2014 — Giuffre files a motion in the CVRA case that names additional prominent individuals, sparking widespread media coverage. Court filings in Giuffre v. Maxwell begin to reveal the scope of allegations.

2015: Ghislaine Maxwell Civil Case

September 2015 — Virginia Giuffre files a defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell in the Southern District of New York after Maxwell publicly called her a liar. This case (Giuffre v. Maxwell) generates thousands of pages of depositions, discovery materials, and sealed court documents that would later become part of the public record.

2018: Miami Herald Investigation

November 2018 — The Miami Herald publishes "Perversion of Justice," an investigative series by reporter Julie K. Brown that re-examines the Epstein case, the NPA, and the failures of the justice system. The series triggers renewed public outrage and political scrutiny.

2019: Federal Arrest and Death

February 2019 — A federal judge rules that the NPA violated the Crime Victims' Rights Act by failing to notify victims before the deal was finalized.

July 6, 2019 — Jeffrey Epstein is arrested at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey upon returning from Paris on his private jet. He is charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.

July 8, 2019 — A federal indictment is unsealed. Prosecutors allege Epstein ran a sex trafficking operation from at least 2002 through 2005, abusing dozens of minor girls at his residences in New York and Palm Beach.

July 18, 2019 — Epstein is denied bail after prosecutors argue he is an extreme flight risk, citing his private jets, foreign passport, and vast financial resources.

July 23, 2019 — Epstein is found semi-conscious in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Manhattan with marks on his neck.

August 10, 2019 — Jeffrey Epstein is found dead in his cell at the MCC. The New York City Medical Examiner rules the death a suicide by hanging. His death sparks widespread public skepticism and conspiracy theories, as well as investigations into conditions at the MCC.

August 2019 — U.S. Attorney General William Barr calls Epstein's death a "perfect storm of screw-ups" and announces investigations into the MCC's failures. Two guards are indicted for falsifying records.

2020: Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested

July 2, 2020 — Ghislaine Maxwell is arrested by the FBI at a home in Bradford, New Hampshire. She is charged with conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and perjury.

2021-2022: Maxwell Trial and Conviction

November-December 2021 — The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell takes place in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Four accusers testify about being recruited and abused as minors.

December 29, 2021 — Maxwell is found guilty on five of six counts, including sex trafficking of a minor.

June 28, 2022 — Ghislaine Maxwell is sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

2023-2025: Document Releases

January 2024 — Court-ordered releases of previously sealed documents from the Giuffre v. Maxwell case begin. Hundreds of pages of depositions, emails, and court filings are unsealed, naming numerous individuals.

2024-2025 — The DOJ releases 12 data sets of investigative documents through its official Epstein disclosures page, totaling over 207,000 documents. These include FBI reports, financial records, flight logs, photographs, and correspondence. You can browse all documents and search the full archive on this site.

2025-2026: Ongoing Proceedings

The Epstein case continues to generate legal proceedings, including:

• Ongoing civil lawsuits by victims against Epstein's estate and associated individuals and institutions
• Investigations and lawsuits involving financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, over their relationships with Epstein
• Congressional inquiries into the handling of the original investigation and the NPA
• Continued FOIA requests for additional documents

Explore the Timeline

Visit our interactive Timeline page to explore key events chronologically, or search the documents to find materials related to specific events and dates.