Jeffrey Epstein was being held at MCC Manhattan, where he had been held pending trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving dozens of underage girls as young as 14. The wealthy financier reportedly died by suicide on Friday night, according to ABC news. The exact timing and circumstances are not immediately clear.
Mr Epstein had been put on suicide watch just a few weeks ago, having been found unresponsive in his cell on July 23.
Piers Morgan has Tweeted in response to the reports of Mr Epstein’s death and asked: “How the hell was he able to do this & escape justice?”
The disgraced billionaire was arrested on July 6 for alleged sex trafficking of underaged girls at his Upper East Side mansion and his home in Palm Beach, Florida.
Some of the charges dated back to the early 2000s.
He pled not guilty to the charges.
Previously Mr Epstein was living under 24-hour guard in his New York home, but last month a judge denied him bail.
The federal judge had told him prosecturos had shown by clear and convincing evidence that he would pose a danger to the community if released pending trial.
Prosecutors also said there was a high risk he would use his wealth to flee.
Yesterday a Manhattan court released 1,200 pages of documents detailing the claims of the alleged abuse carried out by Mr Epstein on teenage girls.
The financier was friends with some of the world’s biggest names, including Prince Andrew, who has been accused of groping a woman’s breast during a visit to Mr Epstein’s apartment in 2001.
Johanna Sjoberg gave a sworn deposition that the Duke of York fondled her breast after she sat on his knee while the billionaire’s “sex slave” Virginia Giuffre sat alongside.
Ms Guiffre has alleged she was forced to have sex with the royal which he has vehemently denied.
Ms Sjoberg claims were made public as a judge yesterday released previously sealed documents as Mr Epstein, 66, awaited trial for underage sex trafficking.
Buckingham Palace said: “This relates to proceedings in the United States to which the Duke of York is not a party. Any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.”
MORE TO FOLLOW…