US EditionVirgin Islands Governor Intervened for Jeffrey Epstein in 2019 Permit Dispute
Text messages reveal Governor Albert Bryan Jr. sought to delay enforcement and influence permit decisions to protect Epstein's development amid potential fines and media scrutiny.
- Leaked 2019 texts show Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. asked DPNR commissioner Jean‑Pierre Oriol to pause enforcement and to recuse himself on permit requests during the timeframe of January through May 2019.
- Facing stop‑work orders over alleged unauthorized construction on Little St. James and Great St. James, Epstein warned enforcement could jeopardize federal opportunity zones investment worth billions.
- Email records show meetings and contacts were coordinated with Epstein's attorney, Bryan's campaign manager John Engerman, and Epstein's Southern Trust Company offices at American Yacht Harbor, Red Hook.
- The US Virgin Islands filed a civil lawsuit against Epstein's estate, which later settled with island sales and tens of millions of dollars, while Bryan was questioned under oath in 2023 about his contacts and denied providing special treatment.
- Released records suggest Epstein's influence persisted in the USVI after acquiring Great St. James in 2016, with direct access to the territory's highest official, raising governance and investor confidence questions.
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Before his arrest in 2019, Jeffrey Epstein approached Virgin Islands governor for help - Here’s what texts show
New documents show Jeffrey Epstein sought help from US Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. before his 2019 arrest, requesting intervention over construction violations and warning that enforcement could deter investors.
We got you: Texts reveal US Governor's help offer to Epstein before 2019 arrest
Months before Jeffrey Epstein’s 2019 arrest, newly surfaced texts show him appealing to the Virgin Islands Governor for help as authorities investigated alleged illegal construction on his private Caribbean islands. Epstein and the Governor also arranged a private meeting as the conflict escalated.
‘For U Absolutely’: Text Messages Show Democrat Governor Was Helping Jeffrey Epstein Months Before His 2019 Arrest
Just months before his 2019 arrest for child sex crimes, Jeffrey Epstein was being helped by U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. (D) with a conflict.
Months before Epstein’s arrest, Virgin Islands governor offered him help in island dispute, texts show
Months before his July 2019 arrest, Jeffrey Epstein had an urgent problem he wanted resolved. Officials in the US Virgin Islands investigating unauthorized construction on his private islands had issued a stop-work order and were weighing potential fines.
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