Federal probes into the death of disgraced financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein continue, and there is yet another bizarre twist. After reports that Epstein was removed from suicide watch prior to his death, had his cellmate transferred, and guards did not follow proper protocol by checking on him every 30 minutes, there is a new report that will continue to feed into the narrative of conspiracy theorists.
According to a report from the Washington Post, the FBI and the Justice Department’s inspector general said that one of the cameras in the hallway outside of Epstein’s cell is unusable. The footage is reportedly too flawed to review, though there is no reason why.
It is believed, however, that other cameras in the area of the Metropolitan Correctional Center were properly functioning.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson, FBI spokespeople, the Justice Department and the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan declined to comment, according to the New York Post.
The death of Epstein has also led to the resurfacing of the longtime “Clinton Body Count” conspiracy theory that circulates on far-right websites and message boards. Investigations into his death have since been opened by the Department of Justice, according to Attorney General William Barr.
Jeffrey Epstein had been behind bars since his arrest on July 6. Authorities were waiting for Epstein to return to New Jersey from Paris and arrested him upon his arrival. The charges against Epstein claim that “dozens” of victims between 2002 to 2005 were are involved in the case which included Epstein allegedly paying minors for sex acts after grooming them. Some of the victims were as young as 14 years old.
Epstein was charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors. If he would have been convicted of the charges, Epstein would have faced up to 45 years in prison.
The 66-year-old financier was a registered sex offender in Florida.