Epstein Built Ties to U.S. Customs Officers, Prompting Criminal Investigation [View all]

Source: New York Times

Feb. 19, 2026 Updated 4:32 p.m. ET


One of Jeffrey Epstein’s greatest skills was building and exploiting connections with those who had the power to help or hinder him. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, that included the federal Customs and Border Protection officers who inspected the people and goods that were going to and from his private hideaway.

Mr. Epstein dispensed food, helicopter rides, financial advice and even musical gigs to a handful of C.B.P. officers stationed on St. Thomas, the American port of entry that was near Little St. James, an island that Mr. Epstein owned.

At the same time, Mr. Epstein enjoyed concierge services from some of the customs officers in St. Thomas, according to emails and other records recently released by the Justice Department. They whisked him through inspections. And they helped him troubleshoot when he encountered problems at airports on the mainland.

Starting in 2019, those chummy relationships became the subject of a criminal investigation, the records show. Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as federal prosecutors, spent more than a year looking into whether C.B.P. officers in St. Thomas allowed Mr. Epstein and his guests to avoid scrutiny as they entered the country.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/us/epstein-customs-officers-usvi.html