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Caribbean (U.S. Virgin Islands & Puerto Rico)

The operational heart of Epstein's trafficking empire — where two private islands served as the base for decades of alleged abuse, and where the territorial government actively protected him.

FieldDetails
RegionU.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, Little St. James, Great St. James), Puerto Rico (San Juan)
Deaths1 (Mushegian in Puerto Rico)
Key PropertiesLittle St. James Island, Great St. James Island
Key OrganizationsUSVI Government, Jeffrey Epstein Network

Why the Caribbean Matters​

Little St. James, Epstein's 72-acre private island in the USVI, was the center of his trafficking operation from 1998 to 2019. Known colloquially as "Pedophile Island," it featured a main house, guest houses, a temple-like structure, and infrastructure that gave Epstein total control over who came and went. He used helicopters to shuttle victims between St. Thomas and the island.

The most striking aspect of the Caribbean connection: no confirmed suspicious deaths occurred in the USVI. Instead, the pattern was institutional cover-up — two governors protected Epstein, the former first lady was on his payroll, and the Attorney General who pursued the case was fired within days.

Deaths​

Puerto Rico​

  • Nikolai Mushegian (2022, age 29) — SUSPICIOUS. MakerDAO co-founder and crypto pioneer. Tweeted about a "CIA and Mossad sex trafficking blackmail ring" operating out of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean islands — the same region as Epstein's network — four hours before being found drowned at Condado Beach, San Juan. Found fully clothed with wallet. Had predicted his own death in the tweet.

USVI — No Deaths, But Systematic Protection​

  • Governor Albert Bryan Jr. texted Epstein "We got u" and pressured AG Denise George to grant sex offender waivers
  • Denise George (AG, fired December 2022) — Fired four days after suing JPMorgan for facilitating Epstein's crimes. Told the FBI she felt threatened.
  • Cecile de Jongh (Former First Lady) — On Epstein's payroll at $200,000/year. JPMorgan called her Epstein's "primary conduit for spreading money and influence throughout the USVI government."
  • The USVI settled with Epstein's estate for over $105 million; approximately 150 survivors received compensation through a fund totaling nearly $125 million.

Key Properties​

PropertyLocationSignificance
Little St. James IslandUSVI (near St. Thomas)72-acre private island; "Pedophile Island"; primary trafficking base
Great St. James IslandUSVI (near St. Thomas)Second private island; purchased 2016
Condado BeachSan Juan, Puerto RicoWhere Nikolai Mushegian was found drowned

Surprising Details​

  • Temple concealed underground tunnels: The blue-and-white striped "temple" on Little St. James was permitted as a 3,500-square-foot music pavilion for a grand piano, but the actual structure bears little resemblance to the submitted plans. Email records reference a team that "added tunnels and an office below the main house." In 2012, Epstein wrote about wanting "the floor done in the wood tunnel." In 2015, an aide emailed: "Tunnel floor completed." An urban explorer who visited the island reported seeing "the staircase descending downwards" inside the temple.
  • Governor Bryan pressured AG on sex offender waiver: Governor Albert Bryan personally asked AG Denise George to grant Epstein a waiver from the law requiring sex offenders to appear in person 21 days before international travel. George stated to investigators that she believed Bryan "acted improperly" by getting personally involved in a law enforcement matter "on behalf of a convicted sex offender...a child predator."
  • "We got u": Governor Bryan texted Epstein "We got u" — and had previously signed off on lucrative tax breaks for Epstein's companies while serving as EDC chairman. In 2018, Bryan facilitated donations by Epstein to USVI schools and little leagues.
  • AG fired 4 days after suing JPMorgan: George was fired in December 2022, just days after filing a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase for facilitating Epstein's crimes. She told the FBI she felt threatened. The governor reportedly told her: "I can't get you to let this go?" and accused her of "going after people who are members of our team." He instructed her to settle the estate litigation for $80M — the eventual settlement was $105M+.
  • Former First Lady on Epstein's payroll: Cecile de Jongh, wife of former Governor John de Jongh Jr., was on Epstein's payroll at $200,000/year. JPMorgan called her Epstein's "primary conduit for spreading money and influence throughout the USVI government."
  • Great St. James purchased for $22.5M in 2016: Epstein bought his second island just three years before his death, suggesting expansion plans for the operation.

Sources​

This information was built by Grok and Claude AI research.

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