EPSTEIN MADE DIRECT PLEA TO U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS GOVERNOR AMID ISLAND DISPUTE BEFORE 2019 ARREST

EPSTEIN MADE DIRECT PLEA TO U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS GOVERNOR AMID ISLAND DISPUTE BEFORE 2019 ARREST
Text messages show former financier sought political help over unauthorized construction
Virgin Islands / U.S. 26 Feb 2026 Newly unearthed text messages from 2019 reveal that Jeffrey Epstein the disgraced financier later arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges directly contacted U.S. Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. (D) asking for political intervention in a local legal dispute months before his July 2019 arrest, according to documents reviewed
Epstein owned two private islands in the territory Little St. James and Great St. James where regulators discovered extensive construction work. Local authorities had issued a stop-work order and were considering fines because much of the building activity was allegedly unauthorized and lacking proper permits.
Texts exchanged in early-to-mid 2019 show Epstein seeking assistance from Governor Bryan, whom he addressed informally.
In one exchange, after complaining about negative press and possible penalties, Epstein was reassured when Bryan wrote
The messages suggest Bryan told Epstein he had spoken with top territorial environmental officials and asked them to pause enforcement of orders until the dispute was discussed.
When Epstein asked for a private meeting “Can you spare 15 minutes Bryan responded: “For u absolutely.”
According to messages, Bryan told Epstein he asked the commissioner overseeing the case to recuse himself and to “concede on all previous permit requests,” a move that could soften enforcement efforts. The correspondence spanned from January to May 2019, ending just months before Epstein’s federal arrest for sex-trafficking charges in July 2019. He died in custody in August 2019. The disclosures come from government files released in connection with ongoing civil litigation and investigations into Epstein’s activities and influence.
Questions have intensified about whether Epstein’s wealth and connections enabled him to gain preferential treatment from officials before his arrest. In previous legal testimony, Bryan denied giving special treatment to Epstein, though the newly released messages indicate direct intervention efforts.
Epstein’s ownership of the islands and his dealings with officials have long been controversial. The territory’s government later filed a sweeping lawsuit against his estate alleging the islands were used as bases for trafficking operations and other crimes.
The new messages provide rare insight into how Epstein navigated political channels to address regulatory and reputational threats during a period when he was again facing intense scrutiny from federal authorities.
Text messages between Jeffrey Epstein and Governor Albert Bryan Jr. show that in early 2019, well before his federal arrest, the convicted sex offender personally sought and received assurances of assistance from the Virgin Islands’ highest elected official to try to resolve a legal battle over unauthorized construction on his private Caribbean islands raising fresh questions about influence, politics, and accountability.