Epstein Investigation Timeline

Early allegations of sexual abuse surface against Jeffrey Epstein in Palm Beach, Florida, involving underage girls recruited from local schools and neighborhoods.

Palm Beach Police Department opens investigation into Jeffrey Epstein after a parent reports that her 14-year-old daughter was taken to Epstein's mansion and paid for sexual acts.

The FBI opens a federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein for sex trafficking of minors across state lines after the Palm Beach Police Department refers the case.

U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta signs a controversial non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Epstein, granting him immunity from federal sex trafficking charges and extending immunity to unnamed co-conspirators.

Attorneys Brad Edwards and Paul Cassell file a lawsuit under the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA) on behalf of Epstein's victims, arguing that the NPA violated victims' rights by not consulting them.

Jeffrey Epstein pleads guilty to two state charges of soliciting prostitution, including one involving a minor. Under the plea deal, he receives an 18-month sentence.

Epstein begins serving his 18-month sentence at the Palm Beach County Stockade, where he is granted work release privileges allowing him to leave for up to 12 hours a day, six days a week.

Virginia Roberts (later Giuffre) files a lawsuit against Epstein, describing a pattern of abuse and alleging she was trafficked to prominent individuals while underage.

Jeffrey Epstein is released from the Palm Beach County Stockade after serving 13 months of his 18-month sentence, registering as a sex offender.

Virginia Giuffre files a defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell after Maxwell publicly called Giuffre a liar regarding her allegations of sex trafficking.

Julie K. Brown of the Miami Herald publishes the groundbreaking investigative series "Perversion of Justice," revealing the full scope of Epstein's crimes and the controversial plea deal.

Jeffrey Epstein is arrested at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey by FBI-NYPD Crimes Against Children Task Force on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors in New York and Florida.

The indictment against Epstein is unsealed, charging him with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, alleging a network spanning 2002-2005.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta resigns amid renewed scrutiny of his role in negotiating Epstein's 2007 non-prosecution agreement while serving as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Federal judge Richard Berman denies Jeffrey Epstein's request for bail, ruling that he poses a danger to the community and a flight risk, noting the discovery of a locked safe containing cash, diamonds, and an expired foreign passport.

Jeffrey Epstein is found semi-conscious on the floor of his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center with injuries to his neck. He is placed on suicide watch temporarily.

A federal appeals court orders the release of approximately 2,000 pages of documents from the Giuffre v. Maxwell defamation case, containing depositions and testimony from multiple witnesses.

Jeffrey Epstein is found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. The New York City medical examiner rules the death a suicide by hanging. The death sparks widespread conspiracy theories and investigations into the facility.

Ghislaine Maxwell is arrested by the FBI at her home in Bradford, New Hampshire, on charges of conspiracy to entice minors to engage in sexual acts, sex trafficking of a minor, and perjury.

The federal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell begins in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Prosecutors allege she recruited and groomed underage girls for Epstein.

Ghislaine Maxwell is found guilty on five of six counts, including sex trafficking of a minor. The jury deliberated for five full days before returning the verdict.

French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who was awaiting trial on charges of rape of minors and sexual harassment in connection with the Epstein case, is found dead in his prison cell. His death is ruled a suicide.

Judge Alison Nathan sentences Ghislaine Maxwell to 20 years in federal prison for her role in recruiting and grooming teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse.

Deutsche Bank agrees to pay $75 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of facilitating Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation by providing banking services despite knowledge of his criminal conduct.

JPMorgan Chase agrees to pay $290 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by Epstein's victims who alleged the bank facilitated Epstein's sex trafficking by maintaining his accounts despite red flags.

The U.S. Virgin Islands settles its own separate lawsuit against JPMorgan for $75 million over the bank's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, who owned a private island in the territory.

A federal judge orders the release of court documents from the Giuffre v. Maxwell case, revealing names of associates, victims, and witnesses. The media widely refers to these as the "Epstein List."

The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General releases a report on the 2007 non-prosecution agreement, concluding that while the plea deal was "not typical," it did not find evidence of corruption.

During confirmation hearings, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi pledges to review Jeffrey Epstein's case files and investigate any remaining co-conspirators.

The U.S. Department of Justice releases thousands of pages of records from its Epstein investigation online, making them publicly accessible for the first time.

The FBI releases additional files and records related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation through the FBI Vault, including interview summaries and investigative notes.