Richard C. Curtiss
Former MCC inmate who emailed media outlets and authorities in 2021 claiming Jeffrey Epstein's death was a murder, not a suicide.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Richard C. Curtiss |
| Status | Alive (as of March 2026) |
| Current Location | Wayland, New York |
| Category | Whistleblower |
| Connection | Former inmate at Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), New York |
Assessment: AT RISK
Richard C. Curtiss is a former inmate at the MCC who claims firsthand knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's death. He has publicly communicated these claims to media outlets and government officials, making him a potential target if the claims have any validity. He reported receiving direct threats from other inmates warning him he would be killed if he spoke out.
Current Situation
Curtiss was incarcerated at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York City — the same facility where Jeffrey Epstein died on August 10, 2019. After his release, Curtiss began emailing media outlets and government authorities with claims about what he allegedly witnessed or learned while inside MCC.
On May 13, 2021, Curtiss sent a detailed email to Emily Smith, editor at Page Six (New York Post), and to the NY Post tips line. The email, which included over 40 inline image attachments, asked whether the Post was "still going to write a story about Jeffrey Epstein's murder inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center."
Richard C. Curtiss email to NY Post, May 13, 2021
Key Claims
Curtiss's communications to media and authorities reportedly included the following allegations:
- Cameras were disabled: He claimed that surveillance cameras and backup cameras at MCC were "turned off by the guards" prior to Epstein's death.
- "Goon Squad" involvement: He described a group he called the "GOON SQUAD" that allegedly carried camcorders to record killings inside the facility. According to Curtiss: "whenever the cameras are turned off by the 'GOON SQUAD' to kill someone they always carry camcorders to record everything."
- Direct threats received: Curtiss included a quote from what he described as a warning he received while incarcerated: "Richard, these people will kill you, you don't go into the warden's office, these people will kill you. They will come into your room at night when you're sleeping and beat you over the head with a fire extinguisher and kill you and then they will throw the fire extinguisher into one of our rooms and blame one of us for killing you. You don't go into the warden's office."
- He was also inside MDC: Curtiss stated he was incarcerated at both MCC and the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, where Ghislaine Maxwell was later held.
- 24+ fully redacted pages follow his email in DOJ files: In the 2026 DOJ document release under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the pages immediately following Curtiss's email to the NY Post are entirely redacted — 24 or more pages blacked out — sparking speculation about what threats, evidence, or further details they may contain.
Background
Curtiss reportedly stated in his emails that he was incarcerated "for reporting the murder of farmers to the White House, the Congress, the US Department of Justice and the New York Attorney Generals." He also referenced FBI Director James Comey, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and the firing of SDNY US Attorney Geoffrey Berman from the Department of Justice. The specific nature of these "farmer murder" claims and their connection to his incarceration remain unclear, and no independent reporting has verified this account of why he was imprisoned.
Personal and Legal History
Curtiss resides at 8393 Pardee Hollow Road, Wayland, NY 14572, where he maintains a family farm property. He operates a personal website (CurtissWay.com) that documents his family legacy, including claimed connections to the historic Curtiss aviation family (Glenn Hammond Curtiss). The website shows copies of correspondence he sent to numerous federal agencies, including the White House, FBI Buffalo, Department of Defense, DOJ Inspector General, and U.S. Office of Special Counsel, primarily in 2020-2021.
He was reportedly a Republican National Committee "Charter Member" Gold Card recipient in 2010. He allegedly declared a presidential candidacy in 2024, though no major news coverage or official filings have been found to substantiate this.
A Secret Service file on Curtiss (file number 20200877) reportedly exists but is entirely redacted — blacked out in full — raising questions about why the Secret Service maintained a file on him and what it contains.
Court Filings
Federal court records reveal that Curtiss has been a prolific pro se litigant:
- 2007 court appeal: Curtiss reportedly filed an appeal in 2007 claiming unfair arrests and being framed. Courts subsequently blocked his email communications, but he allegedly persisted by creating new email addresses to continue filing.
- Curtiss v. N.Y. State Department of Parole et al (6:2009cv06171) — Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, suggesting he was at some point under state parole supervision.
- Curtiss v. Federal, State, County, City Governments-USA, Their Employees, Their Unions, Others (6:2011cv06006) — A sweeping civil complaint filed in the Western District of New York that was dismissed with prejudice by Judge Michael A. Telesca on March 2, 2011.
- Curtiss v. U.S. Department of Agriculture et al (6:16-mc-06001) — Filed March 1, 2016 in the Western District of New York before Judge David G. Larimer. His motion for permission to file a new action was denied with prejudice on June 22, 2017. His subsequent appeal and request to proceed in forma pauperis were both denied.
The pattern of filings — including a case against the NY State Department of Parole and a broad lawsuit against multiple levels of government — is consistent with someone who has been through the criminal justice system and believes government entities wronged him. However, the specific crime for which Curtiss was originally convicted has not been identified through available public records.
Current Status
As of March 2026, Curtiss appears to still be alive and residing in Wayland, New York. His website remains active, and his contact information is publicly listed. No reports of his death, disappearance, or further incarceration have been found. Discussions on X treat him as alive or recently active through at least 2025, though some users have characterized him as an "attention-seeking" individual with a history of eccentric legal filings.
Why This Person Matters
- Firsthand witness claims: Curtiss was allegedly inside MCC and claims direct knowledge of how killings were carried out in the facility.
- Corroborates known failures: His claims about disabled cameras align with the documented camera failures on the night of Epstein's death, which the DOJ Inspector General confirmed.
- Describes a mechanism: The "goon squad" allegation, if true, would describe an organized system for carrying out murders inside federal facilities — a claim that goes beyond Epstein's individual case.
- Threatened for speaking out: The threats he described follow a pattern seen with other whistleblowers connected to the Epstein case.
- Contacted multiple outlets and agencies: The breadth of his communications — to media, the White House, Congress, DOJ, and state attorneys general — suggests either genuine concern or persistent advocacy, not a one-off claim.
Corroboration and Credibility Assessment
What Aligns with Documented Evidence
Several of Curtiss's claims are consistent with facts established by official investigations:
- Camera failures confirmed: The DOJ OIG report confirmed that nearly all cameras in and around the SHU where Epstein was housed stopped recording in late July 2019 and remained non-functional through the date of Epstein's death. This directly aligns with Curtiss's claim that cameras were "turned off."
- Guard misconduct confirmed: Two guards — Tova Noel and Michael Thomas — were charged with falsifying records to conceal that they were sleeping and browsing the internet instead of checking on inmates. The charges were later dropped but both were fired.
- Other inmates reported similar concerns: A separate MCC inmate told the FBI he heard guards say "Dudes, you killed that dude" around 6:30 a.m. on August 10, 2019, and heard a female guard (identified as Tova Noel) say "If he is dead, we're going to cover it up, and he's going to have an alibi — my officers."
- Organized violence at MCC documented: MCC New York had a documented history of guard-on-inmate violence, sexual assault by correctional officers, and smuggling rings involving staff and inmates.
- Threats against witnesses corroborated: Ghislaine Maxwell, held at the nearby Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Brooklyn, reportedly faced "numerous and numerous threats against her life" according to Deputy AG Todd Blanche, including an inmate who threatened to kill her for money. Maxwell herself emailed the BOP Inspector General saying she feared staff members were threatening her safety.
What Has Not Been Verified
- Curtiss's specific claim of a "goon squad" carrying camcorders to record killings has not been independently confirmed.
- His assertion that he was personally inside the SHU near Epstein's cell has not been verified through independent records.
- His claim about being incarcerated "for reporting the murder of farmers" has no corroboration in public records.
- The 40+ image attachments he sent to the NY Post have not been publicly analyzed or discussed by any news outlet.
- The New York Times reportedly responded to his outreach but ultimately published no story.
- No major media outlet has published a full story based on his claims.
Official Conclusions vs. Emerging Evidence
The DOJ OIG stated that "none of the inmates who were interviewed had any credible information suggesting Epstein's cause of death was something other than suicide." However, the investigation also acknowledged "numerous and serious failures" by MCC staff.
Context: Official Findings and 2026 Developments
The official ruling on Jeffrey Epstein's death was suicide by hanging. However, significant irregularities were documented:
- Both cameras outside Epstein's cell malfunctioned that night
- Two guards were sleeping and falsified records
- Epstein's cellmate had been transferred out the day before, leaving him alone
- Epstein's brother Mark hired forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, who concluded the injuries were "far more consistent" with homicidal strangulation than suicide
- The DOJ Office of Inspector General released an 800+ page report detailing "serious failures" at MCC
2026 Developments
In January 2026, the DOJ released over 3 million pages of Epstein-related documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act (signed into law November 19, 2025). The Curtiss email to the NY Post was reportedly among the documents included in this release.
Additionally, newly released surveillance video observation logs revealed an unidentified "orange-colored figure" moving up a staircase toward Epstein's locked housing tier at approximately 10:39 p.m. on August 9, 2019 — the night before his body was found — and descending at approximately 10:41 p.m. An internal FBI memorandum described the figure as "possibly an inmate," while the OIG suggested it may have been a corrections officer carrying orange linen. CBS News consulted independent video analysts who said the movement was more consistent with a person wearing an orange prison uniform. This finding appears to contradict former AG Bill Barr's earlier public statements that surveillance footage showed no one accessing the tier before Epstein was found dead.
See Also
- Jeffrey Epstein — Died at MCC under disputed circumstances
- Ghislaine Maxwell — Held at MDC Brooklyn, where Curtiss also claimed to have been incarcerated
- Emily Smith — Page Six editor who received this email; 24 redacted pages follow it in the Epstein Files
- Efrain "Stone" Reyes — Epstein's cellmate at MCC who died after talking to investigators
Other Shocking Stories
- Carolyn Andriano: Testified against Ghislaine Maxwell. Died of an overdose in a Palm Beach hotel.
- Chris Cornell: Funding a child trafficking documentary. Found hanged in his hotel room. Wife says it was not suicide.
- Steve Bing: Clinton mega-donor named in the Epstein files. Fell from the 27th floor of his Los Angeles apartment building.
- Jenny Moore: Journalist investigating child trafficking. Filed an FBI report. Found dead in a DC hotel weeks later.
Sources
- Mario Nawfal on X — Former MCC Inmate Emailed NY Post About Epstein's "Murder" and a "Goon Squad"
- DOJ OIG Report on BOP's Custody, Care, and Supervision of Jeffrey Epstein at MCC
- Epstein's Cell — OIG Report (PDF)
- Death of Jeffrey Epstein — Wikipedia
- Donald Trump's DOJ Email Calling Jeffrey Epstein's Death 'Murder' Surfaces — The Daily Beast
- Prison Guards Discussed Cover-Up of Epstein's Death, Inmate Tells FBI — Detroit News
- Epstein Inmate Told FBI He Heard Guard Say "We Killed That Dude" — La Voce di New York
- Epstein Death: Cellmate Claims Guards Discussed Cover-Up — LA Magazine
- Who Entered Epstein's Jail Tier the Night of His Death? — CBS News
- Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred Due to "Numerous Threats Against Her Life" — Fortune
- DOJ Releases 3.5 Million Pages Under Epstein Files Transparency Act — DOJ
- Epstein Files Transparency Act — Wikipedia
- Curtiss v. U.S. Department of Agriculture et al (6:16-mc-06001) — PacerMonitor
- CurtissWay.com — Richard C. Curtiss Farm
- Inside MCC New York: The Prison Where Jeffrey Epstein Died — Ryan J. Hite
This information was built by Grok and Claude AI research.