A handwritten note allegedly connected to convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein has surfaced publicly years after it was sealed inside a federal courthouse vault, adding another layer of intrigue to the events surrounding Epstein’s death in custody.
According to reporting by the Associated Press, the document was released Wednesday after a federal judge approved a request by The New York Times to unseal materials tied to a separate legal matter involving Epstein’s former cellmate, Nicholas Tartaglione.
The note reportedly emerged from a legal dispute connected to Tartaglione, a former police officer now serving a life sentence for the killings of four men. Public attention intensified after Tartaglione referenced the existence of the note during a 2025 podcast interview with writer Jessica Reed Kraus.
Tartaglione claimed he discovered the handwritten message hidden inside a book shortly after Epstein was found injured inside their shared jail cell on July 23, 2019, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan. At the time, Epstein was discovered with a strip of bedsheet around his neck in what authorities described as a suspected suicide attempt — just weeks before his death on Aug. 10, 2019.
Portions of the note are difficult to read, but several statements stand out. The message reportedly included phrases such as, “They investigated me for month — found nothing!!!” and “It is a treat to be able to choose the time to say goodbye.” Another line read, “Watcha want me to do — Bust out cryin!!” before concluding with the underlined words: “NO FUN” and “NOT WORTH IT!!”
Authorities have never publicly confirmed who authored the note, and it was not referenced in earlier government reviews examining the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death. It also did not appear in the Justice Department’s recent release of records related to the financier.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas said he considered the privacy concerns involving third parties before authorizing the release. However, the judge noted that legal precedent generally recognizes reduced privacy protections for deceased individuals, making disclosure less likely to cause “concrete harm.”
Federal jail records from July 2019 indicated Epstein suffered marks and irritation around his neck after the earlier incident. Correctional officers reportedly said he was conscious and breathing heavily afterward. One internal memo stated that Epstein initially suggested Tartaglione may have attempted to harm him.
Despite the concerns, jail officials reportedly removed Epstein from suicide watch after roughly 31 hours and later placed him under psychiatric observation. Records show Epstein denied attempting suicide, telling a jail psychologist that taking his own life conflicted with his religious beliefs and describing himself as someone afraid of pain.
Investigators later interviewed both Epstein and Tartaglione on July 31, 2019. According to jail records, Epstein stated he had no problems with Tartaglione and did not feel threatened by him. Tartaglione similarly told officials there was no conflict between them, though he said their conversations were limited.
At the time, both men were awaiting trial. Epstein had been arrested on federal sex trafficking charges, while Tartaglione faced accusations connected to the murders of four men in 2016. Tartaglione was convicted in 2023 and is currently incarcerated at a federal prison in California.
Epstein was alone in his cell when he was later found dead. Federal investigators concluded his death was a suicide, while also documenting serious failures by jail staff, including guards allegedly sleeping and browsing the internet instead of conducting mandatory security checks.
Officials also confirmed that another handwritten note was discovered in Epstein’s cell after his death. Authorities said that document did not appear to be a suicide note but instead contained complaints about jail conditions, including food quality, insects, and access to showers.
By the Midtown Times Staff
