A federal judge in New York has released a note allegedly penned by Jeffrey Epstein on May 6, following a request from the New York Times.
This document, noted for its poor handwriting and barely legible text, originates from July 2019, after Epstein’s initial suicide attempt while in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.
Nicholas Tartaglione, Epstein’s former cellmate and a convicted murderer, reported discovering the note hidden in a graphic novel. He handed it over to his attorneys as proof that he did not harm Epstein during the incident that July.
The note was subsequently authenticated as Epstein’s writing, according to the New York Times. “It had remained sealed as part of Tartaglione’s legal proceedings and was not included in earlier releases of Epstein-related documents.”
The content of the note includes, “They investigated for month — found nothing!!! So 16 year old charge results!” It further suggests acceptance of his fate with remarks such as, “It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye. Watcha want me to do — burst out crying!! NO FUN — not worth it!!”
🚨 Epstein’s apparent suicide note, unsealed today at the request of @nytimes.
“They investigated me for months. Found NOTHING!!
It is a treat to be able to choose one’s time to say goodbye.
Watcha want me to do- Bust out cryin!!
NO FUN–NOT WORTH IT!!” https://t.co/LS5z1AnCFV pic.twitter.com/5ysv3OIjN1— David Enrich (@davidenrich) May 6, 2026
Epstein was taken into custody on July 6, 2019, facing federal sex-trafficking charges. Shortly thereafter, on July 23, he was discovered in his cell with signs of an apparent suicide attempt. He was subsequently placed on suicide watch, only to be removed after evaluation.
On August 10, 2019, Epstein was declared unresponsive in his cell and was later pronounced dead. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner identified hanging as the cause of death.
The peculiar circumstances of Epstein’s death have drawn intense scrutiny.
He had been housed alone in the Special Housing Unit after his cellmate’s transfer. Guards failed to conduct mandatory checks every 30 minutes, and two surveillance cameras near his cell were reported malfunctioning that night.
The two guards on duty faced charges for falsifying records, later reaching deferred prosecution agreements after fulfilling community service requirements. These failures raised alarms about the oversight at the facility.
Epstein’s death has been the subject of multiple reviews over the years.
A 2023 report from the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General pointed to serious operational shortcomings at the Correctional Center but found no criminal evidence aside from the guards’ actions.
In July 2025, the Department of Justice and FBI released a memo summarizing a thorough review of investigative findings. The agencies reaffirmed that Epstein’s death was a suicide, aligning with the 2019 autopsy results, previous statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Inspector General’s findings, and video surveillance footage demonstrating that any entry to Epstein’s area would have been logged.
The memo also declared that no evidence existed to support claims of a “client list” or a blackmail scheme involving influential figures, nor was there a basis for further charges against any third parties.
