FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino reaffirmed on Sunday that Jeffrey Epstein’s death was a suicide, pushing back against years of speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding the disgraced financier’s demise, as per Fox News.
In an exclusive interview on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, both officials addressed the controversy that has lingered since Epstein was found dead in his jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York in August 2019. At the time, he was awaiting trial on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors.
Patel, a former public defender and federal prosecutor, stated unequivocally that there was no evidence Epstein had been murdered.
“As someone who’s worked in the prison system and in segregated housing, you know a suicide when you see one—and that’s what that was,” he said. “People have a right to their opinion, but the facts are clear.”
Bongino, echoing Patel’s assessment, added:
“I’ve seen the whole file. He killed himself.”
Despite the official ruling by New York City’s chief medical examiner—suicide by hanging—Epstein’s death has fueled widespread skepticism, due to his connections to powerful individuals, including former President Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and former MIT professor Noam Chomsky.
The phrase “Epstein didn’t kill himself” became a viral meme in 2019, symbolizing deep public distrust in government transparency surrounding the case.
Earlier this year, the Justice Department under the Trump administration released a set of Epstein-related documents that critics described as underwhelming. The materials largely consisted of contact lists and personal records, falling short of expectations for a so-called “client list” or major revelations.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) expressed frustration in February, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“This is not what we or the American people asked for and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!”
In response to the backlash, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Sean Hannity in March that the Justice Department had received a “truckload of evidence” from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, following a formal demand for additional records. Bondi said a comprehensive FBI report was forthcoming, but as of mid-May, no such report has been released.
The controversy surrounding Epstein’s case deepened further in April with the reported suicide of Virginia Giuffre, 41, one of the most prominent survivors to accuse Epstein and Prince Andrew. Giuffre sued Prince Andrew in 2021, alleging she was trafficked by Epstein and forced to have sex with the royal multiple times between 1999 and 2002.
