A recently disclosed Justice Department document references Great St. James, the sprawling 67-hectare (165-acre) Caribbean island tied to Jeffrey Epstein, raising questions about why the FBI reportedly did not investigate the property until after Epstein’s August 2019 death. The island, which has received little media attention until now, was confirmed publicly as Epstein’s in July 2019, following his rearrest, according to an affidavit.
An August 15, 2019 letter from a senior FBI investigator asked whether any of Epstein’s crimes had taken place on Great St. James, suggesting authorities were only then beginning to examine the estate. Epstein had purchased the island in 2016 through Great St. Jim, LLC, a shell company designed to disguise the true owner by making it appear linked to a wealthy Gulf businessman with royal ties.
A 2019 criminal complaint indicated that Epstein bought the island to ensure that participants in his criminal network “could not be observed by outsiders,” implying the property was used to shield illicit activities and visitors from scrutiny.
The House Oversight Committee released a map of the island ahead of December’s file dump, showing Epstein’s extensive construction plans, including multiple homes, a private road, a heliport “heli house,” solar arrays, generators, and other facilities. Reports also describe plans for an underwater office and pool. Epstein and his estate were fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for environmental violations, including damage to local wildlife and the destruction of historical structures built by enslaved people.
In 2023, both Little St. James and Great St. James were purchased by private equity billionaire Stephen Deckoff, who intends to convert the islands into a luxury resort. The FBI’s delayed focus on the property, combined with the secrecy surrounding its ownership and construction, has fueled continued speculation about the scope of Epstein’s activities and how they were shielded from law enforcement scrutiny.
