Jeffrey Epstein’s former attorney, Alan Dershowitz, says he believes the disgraced financier may have had help dying by suicide in jail—but insists Epstein was ultimately responsible for his own death.
“It is clear from the evidence that Epstein committed suicide,” Dershowitz wrote in a new Wall Street Journal op-ed. “What isn’t clear is whether he was assisted by jail personnel. That seems likely to me, based on the evidence of allegedly broken cameras, transfer of his cellmate and the absence of guards during relevant time periods.”
Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death triggered a wave of conspiracy theories. His brother and critics pointed to issues like missing security footage and a pending bail motion to argue he may have been murdered.
Earlier this month, the FBI and Justice Department issued a joint memo confirming their review of Epstein’s case files. Authorities concluded there was no “client list,” no more records to release, and no foul play—just suicide, consistent with prior investigations.
Dershowitz backed the government’s claim that Epstein didn’t leave behind a so-called “client list.” But he noted that accusers interviewed by the FBI did name individuals they claimed were “clients.” Those names remain redacted and sealed in court records.
“I know who they are,” Dershowitz said. “They don’t include any current officeholders. We don’t know whether the accusations are true. The courts have also sealed negative information about some of the accusers to protect them.”
He argued federal judges—not prosecutors or private attorneys—have the power to release those names. “The media can and should petition the courts for the release of all names and information, so the public can draw its own conclusions,” he wrote.
The only person convicted in the case so far is Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein’s former girlfriend is currently serving a 20-year federal sentence in Tallahassee and is appealing her conviction.